“How was I supposed to know that Zionism is a contaminated idea?” I said. “My God, I feel as if I’ve just been through the seven gates of Hell.” “Herzl didn’t wear a caftan and side curls,” Danny said. “Neither does Ben Gurion.” “You can’t be serious.” “I’m not talking about myself. I’m talking about my father. Just don’t talk about a Jewish state anymore. My father takes God and Torah very seriously, Reuven. He would die for them both quite gladly. A secular Jewish state in my father’s eyes is a sacrilege, a violation of the Torah. You touched a raw nerve. Please don’t do it again.”
