You Don't Have To Go Downtown to Get the zi p! "I always observe people though their language. I think language is very per- sonal, intimate. It's always intriguing to see where the intimate touches the cliche, how easy it is to see how people adopt cliches, formulate inner lives on clichés from the media." He explains that what Yair and Miriam manage to do is go beyond describing their inner lives with exterior language, and begin employing a private set of words. 'After a while, they flow quite freely in each other's language." For Grossman, this ,novel was a partic- ular challenge because of its unusual structure, and he rewrote it 28 times from beginning to end. At first, he had Yair's and Miriam's let- ters in response arranged in a kind of chronological order, but felt that too much was told. Now, with Yair's letters making up the bulk of the novel, the rhythm is very different and, as he explains, "This avoids some of the prob- lems that epistolary novels usually have, the machinery of correspondence." He adds, "The reader has to do the journey with me. I had to create Miriam in the cracks in Yair's letters." On His Writing Be My Knife has nothing to do with Israel's political landscape. A passing ref- erence to the Dolphinarium, the Tel Aviv spot where more than 20 young people were killed by a suicide bomber last June, jumps out at a reader, but Grossman is taken by surprise when it is mentioned. The book was written between 1994 and 1998, and the line described a casu- al visit to the Tel Aviv beach. The recipient of many literary awards, Grossman writes in Hebrew, a language he feels very connected to because, among other reasons, "one can invent easily in Hebrew. It's very permissive and surrenders itself easily if you want to play with it." He explains that he visualizes every scene he writes, and his background in theater and radio help in his writing and rewriting. Frequently, he writes the same scene from many points of view and combines the best nuances in a sub- sequent draft. For the past 10 years, he's been study- ing weekly in hevrutah, the traditional style of learning Jewish texts with a corn- panion. His study partners, "who are like family," are a male friend with a yeshivah background and a woman who also has some religious training. He's the most secular of the group. They've studied the books of Genesis and Exodus as well as some Talmud. He says that "this dealing with Jewish . thought and Jewish dialectics" has deep- ened his writing, Both dreams and nightmares also inform Grossman's work. "I like to go to sleep with some unfinished business in my writing," he says, and notes that he often wakes up with writing all over his palms, words that are hard to decipher. It's not surprising to hear the author declare that he lives an active memory life. "Our memories come to life when they touch reality," he notes. "Our soul is such an echo box." "Tops on my list... their Filet Mignon" John Tanasychuk, Detroit Free Press, January 8th, 1999 • Pasta Specialties • Pizza • Steaks* Chops • Poultry • Seafood • Cocktails Yearning For Peace In addition to his novels, Grossman has written two widely discussed works of nonfiction, The Yellow Wind and Sleeping on a Wire: Conversations with Palestinians in Israel. His new novel, already published in Israel, is set in Jerusalem — the Jerusalem of the streets and of homeless children, not necessarily the city that tourists are aware of It's very much a book set in the exteri- or world, after spending so much time "diving into myself" Now there are organized tours in Jerusalem related to the novel. Conversation inevitably winds to the current situation in Israel. His cell phone never far from his hand, Grossman is anxious to get back to his family in Jerusalem; he has a son in the army, another in high school and a young daughter. Known for his outspokenness on the left, he says he'd happily give up speak- ing out and would instead gladly devote more time to writing books, but feels that it's "insulting to allow extremists to take over, to dictate fears. The whole point of creating Israel was that we'd never again be victims. Now we are victims of our fear, our trauma. I can't bear it. "I have a clear idea of what I want Israel to be. The policies of the right wing take it in the other direction. Not that I underestimate the dangers Israel faces. We're in a tough neighborhood, not surrounded by the Salvation Army. The Arabs don't want us here, but we are here to stay. The ultimate concern is how to make our being here possible and safe." Grossman, who speaks Arabic fluently, maintains his contacts with Palestinians and is involved in several initiatives. "I do believe that people from both sides can form an alternative to what prevails now. We have to keep tunnels open between us and the Palestinians." He speaks of preparing "drawer plans" for a time of peace. ❑ "The best Pizza in Metro Detroit" OPEN DAILY - LUNCH & DINNER OPEN WEEKDAYS UNTIL 2:00 AM WEEKENDS UNTIL 3:30 AM A Ferndale Favorite Since 1961 Italian-American C 01110 S Family Restaurant Woodward at 9 Mile • (248) 548-5005 I r‘ ONG HU4 FINE CHINESE DINING 9rwite,s/ Tatv c0/ A wonderful adventure in fine dining" — Danny Raskin Featuring Gourmet Oriental Cuisine Excellent Lunch and Dinner Selections 7 Days a Week I I a.m.- Midnight Complete Menu Carryout • Gift Certificates Available • We Cater To Private Parties 27925 Orchard Lake Road, north of 12 Mile • Farmington Hills 248.489.2280 JEWISH NEWS CLASSIFIEDS 12401 539-3001 4/19 2002 83