On the Side of the Persecuted

About the Book

Jody Myers, Ph.D. (Coordinator, Jewish Studies Program / Professor, Department of Religious Studies, California State University, Northridge):
     “On the Side of the Persecuted ... is a very interesting book that will engage readers on a number of different levels.  I enjoyed the book very much and I recommend it wholeheartedly.
     “On the level of its story line, On the Side of the Persecuted has a plot that keeps the reader guessing.  The book is set in late 14th - early 15th century Germany and Italy, and it illustrates the daily lives of the nobility, physicians, peasants, and Jews.  It opens with a brief look at a few stark incidents in the childhood of Prince Leon, the protagonist, that shape him into a persecutor of Jews.  We follow Leon’s personal journey - which is never predictable - as he wrestles with his sins and attempts to redeem himself as a human being. ...  The personal relationships ... are sensitively developed by the author, and it is easy to be drawn into Leon’s dilemmas, losses, and victories.  It is quite a moving tale.
     “On the Side of the Persecuted makes history ‘come alive.’  The author sets the story into the late medieval period, with its groundbreaking political and religious changes: the growth of nation-states, schism within the Catholic church, the Black plague, expulsion of Jews, etc.  She weaves together the story with just enough history to make the story line plausible and to make the history relevant.  As a teacher of Jewish history, I can testify that the book is very good at driving home the influence on the Jews of medieval economic practices and political systems, the Church hierarchy, and Christian insecurities vis a vis heretics and Jews.  It also enlightens the reader about the internal workings of the Jewish community....  The author describes Leon’s training and occupation as a physician and we learn fascinating tidbits about medical education, the common versus professional concepts of disease and treatment, and the many religious obstacles in the way of advancing medical knowledge.  This information is conveyed in short segments or details woven into the story, so it is never boring.
     ”I think this book is particularly good for teaching Jewish moral and religious concepts.  Without being preachy or pedantic, the reader learns about the importance of teshuva (repentance), establishing a disciplined way of life, doing deeds of loving kindness, honoring people’s privacy, and keeping one’s pride in check.  The author shows that these are really quite complex and sophisticated matters. ...
     “It is easy to get absorbed in On the Side of the Persecuted.  The book conveys a great deal while telling a good story.  Those knowledgeable about Judaism, as well as those less familiar, would find it insightful and thought-provoking.  History buffs would enjoy it immensely.  I would recommend it those of high school age and older.  It would be an excellent choice for a book club, and it would also work well as a supplement to a history class or a course on Jewish ethics.  It is obvious that Elisabeth Kesten crafted her book with a lot of care and painstaking research, and her work deserves wide recognition.”


Association of Jewish Libraries Newsletter, September/October 2001:
     “Prince Leon of Germany, destined for greatness and power, creates a new path for himself, one that has been trod by few others before him.  Born of Christian nobility, Prince Leon is gr

About the Author

ELISABETH KESTEN -

Elisabeth Kesten was born in Nurnberg, Germany. After her university education, she received a teaching credential and taught there for several years, after which she moved to Israel.

She also received a teaching credential in Israel, after several years on two kibbutzim. She taught in Kiryat Gat.

After about four years in Israel, she moved to the United States. She has taught in several Jewish Day Schools, and now teaches in a Los Angeles Unified School District elementary school.

Her hobbies include reading and religious studies.

She currently has several writing projects in mind.

She is an active member of Shomrei Torah Synagogue in West Hills where she regularly reads from the Torah during Shabbat services. A few years ago, she taught an adult education course there on the Jews of Medieval Europe. Much of the material used in that course is presented in “On the Side of the Persecuted”, though it was first obtained in the process of doing research for the book.

She lives in the San Fernando Valley with her husband and their two children.

BERNARD KESTEN - Bernard Kesten, who collaborated with his wife Elisabeth on “On the Side of the Persecuted” chooses, for reasons known only to himself, to remain as anonymous as possible.