83. The Rabbi's Cat

The Rabbi's Cat by Joann Sfar
Translated from the French by Alexis Siegel and Anjali Singh

Pages: 142
Finished: May 10, 2008
First Published: 2001-2003, 2005 English edition
Genre: graphic novel
Rating: 4/5

Reason for Reading: looked interesting.

First sentence:

Jewish people aren't crazy about dogs.

Comments: Set in Algiers of the 1930s, this is the story of a Rabbi and his daughter told through the eyes of their pet cat. This is a very Jewish story with much theology and insight into Jewish customs, traditions and history. Personally, I know very little about the Jewish faith and always find it interesting to learn more. We follow the Rabbi in his day to day life and we watch as the daughter meets and then marries a young Rabbi from Paris. This is mostly a light story with a witty sense of humour and yet at times very profound. A wonderful insight into this time and place in history where Arab and Jew lived side by side. I really enjoyed this book, both the flavour and the story. Recommended.