Review: Bruria

David Kurz, Bruria (2025)

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/236097816-bruria?ref=nav_sb_ss_2_6

The story of Yohanan ben Zakkai through the eyes of a fictional ‘niece’

Bruria spots suspicious campfire smoke. The Romans have destroyed Korazim, and refugees are flooding into Gamla.
Old enough now, she accompanies her father to Tiberias, to sell wine and olive oil to Passover pilgrims. On the trip, they learn how divided is their land—zealots/pacifists, Hillelites/Shammaites, Jews/Gentiles—and they meet the lady Bereniki.
Gamla is destroyed, and Bruria escapes to Jerusalem, where she becomes an ally to Yohanan ben Zakai. Everyone seems to expect her to ‘submit [her]self to the least obnoxious male around’, and she’s having none of it. She fights; she studies Torah; she tells grown men what to do; she orders her own beer.
Yohanan ben Zakai was by and large THE individual responsible for the survival of rabbinic (Pharisaic) Judaism after the devastating Destruction of Jerusalem by Titus in 70 CE. Positing the protagonist within this movement makes for a fantastic story.
This novel brings to life such heroes and anti-heroes of Jewish history as Mirta bat Boetus, Abba Sikra, Yehoshua ben Gamla and even Bereniki (the controversial mistress of Titus). The fictional characters like Bruria round out the story.
The minor characters are numerous, which can be confusing, but that makes it realistic. As a novel, it would have worked better to put it mostly in Bruria’s point of view.
I loved the invention of the Pathfinders, an organisation of leadership training for young people rather like the Scouts. The teenagers are full of energy, and active agents in the story. The plot is full of life.
We get to hear up close and personal debates on the pros and cons of opposition to the Romans, as well as the religious ramifications. I loved: ‘every leader thinks he’s the greatest tactician since Judah the Maccabee’, ‘the “Just not Simon” camp’, ‘rebel Maccabees become power-hungry Hasmoneans’, ‘Pharisee Basics’.
This lively, intimate story is a beautiful testament to some of the heroes of Judaism, a rare example of a fictional treatment of the Great Revolt and a historically accurate one, while accepting Josephus’ ‘it was all the Zealots’ fault’ analysis.
The excitement of the war is well portrayed. I accepted Bereniki, but Bruria’s friendliness with Titus, the destroyer of Jerusalem, stuck in my craw.
It is too long—the final chapters in Yavne especially could have been sped up—otherwise, it’s suitable for a YA readership. I would especially recommend it to Jewish young people, but all sorts will love this colourful portrayal of an ancient world and an important development in history.
Contains killing and a rape, and some lesbian sex (not graphic).