The Plow and the Sword

By Dr. David Rabeeya

This anthology includes a novella about the metamorphosis of one man from a peaceful, loving person to a fanatic, radical, religious zealot. Other sections include the destructive use and abuse of God in human history, as well as the loss of the Jewish Iraqi civilization and its effects on their individual and communal life in Iraq and Israel. Finally, the Lexicon is about the Middle East undressing the mythological concepts and ideas about the region, offering new realistic definitions for terms associated with Zionism and Arab nationalism. Dr. Rabeeya continues to provoke the readers to think about his own interpretations of Jewish and Arab histories, as well as the loss of many individuals who are left only with their pen and mouth to record real events that have affected the soul and the memories of those who are stripped from their dignity and honor.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Sep 19, 2007
• ISBN: 9781477179260

Dr. David Rabeeya

While Dr. David Rabeeya has dedicated his life to preserving the history and culture of Jews born in Arab lands, he has also written books for children and teenagers as well as detective stories, poetry, music and even comedy. This, his 50th publication, is from a Jew born in Baghdad Iraq who lived in Israel and now resides in America. His work reveals the soul of men and the universality of mankind.

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Copyright © 2007 by Dr. David Rabeeya.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

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Contents

Chapter 1:From Sam to Usama

Chapter 2:All You Wish to Know About God

Chapter 3:Mesopotamia: Treasured Keepsake

Chapter 4:The Lexicon of Middle East Realities

Chapter 5:Arab-Jews: Our Requiem

Acknowledgement

My many thanks to my beloved Arlene for her constant input for my creative work. Without her dedication, intellect, support and love, none of this would be possible. I also wish to thank Sarah Tait for her devotion to the typing and editorial work throughout the publication process.

Chapter 1

From Sam to Usama

A Novel

Dedication

This section is dedicated to my beautiful daughter Naomi whose integrity, intelligence and achievement have brightened my heart, my soul and my future.

Introduction

All of us change constantly. Age and circumstances cause the metamorphosis in all of us. Many of us can also suddenly snap, leaving the outside world both confused and surprised with thousands of question marks. Few of us react in a radical fashion in order to lose everything and to gain nothing. Only Sam can explain the unexplainable.

Part One

A British Gentleman

He was a real British gentleman, about twenty years old. He had just completed his second degree in psychology at Oxford. Polite, always organized, always on time. He finished high school at the age of fifteen. He brushed off the word genius. He preferred talented. He was genuinely humble, very practical, but with a mind of young computer. He remembered everything; facts, faces, events, telephone numbers, and more. It was his photographic memory. He read and remembered.

Born in London, his parents were very well-to-do. They were in the construction business, and money was not an object. He had it all: a butler, a swimming pool, a house for vacations in the countryside, a yacht, and he even received a license to fly a small airplane. He loved these flights when he is along with the cosmic silence, thinking and thinking again about the insignificance of one person in this vast universe. His parents have left him alone to be successful, but to make his own mistakes. He was always shaved cleanly. He loved wearing casual jeans, wearing suits to formal occasions, but he was comfortable to drink in the local pub with his champs.

He was athletic, always on the football team of his school and university. He loved balancing the ball on his head and to kick it with his powerful stretched legs. He loved the company of his parents and his peers. He read a lot, listened constantly to the news, and religiously discussed and argued about sports and scores. His favorite beer was the domestic one. Very patriotic and proud of his rich English heritage. He used to play games with words; alliteration puns, jokes, and riddles, and he loved every second of it. He hated the frequent rain because it made him a little moody for just a while, but large umbrellas and expensive raincoats took care of his short, swinging moods in the rain. Totally human and normal reaction. Who does not like warm gentle days in the sun?

He was not interested in politics at all! He was convinced that politicians were worse than whores. At least whores used to charge on the spot for a sacrifice, but politicians pretend to do it for the sake of their community and make hidden connections and deals to enrich themselves. Sporadically, he has paid attention to the wars in Kashmir and the Middle East, but they were so far from the bosoms of the blonde girlfriends in the pubs. He loved dancing with them and holding them tightly to his body, enjoying the tender flesh of these giggling girls. He slept with many of them and in his eloquent English he told them what they wished to hear on the many pillow talks with them.

Life was good, promising more of the same good stuff. What else could a young English man want? Money he has! Girls he has! Loving parents he has! A brain he has! Fun he has! His name was Sami, but everyone called him Sam! Sam this! And Sam that!

Part Two

London is Perfect

He went to ski in the mountains