“A Greek Cat,” by Moshe Karasso was nominated in 2019 for the "Sapir Prize" in Israel. (The "Sapir Award" is a prestigious prize in Israel).
The Greek island, where the hero of the novel was born, was a paradise before the outbreak of World War II. He was happy in his Jewish family, had a happy childhood with his friends, and the endless pranks they did filled their lives with great joy.
The pastoral life of the children as well as the fisherman-islanders could have lasted forever, but …Then came World War II.
Greece was conquered by the Nazis, and Greek Jews were sent to concentration camps.
One day the officer-warden took him to his private farm to work and help with the farm work. (He managed to hide his Judaism because, as a child he had undergone only a symbolic circumcision).
The life on the farm was quite comfortable, but full of stress and efforts of survival.
Then came the defeat of the Germans and the end of the war, and he was released.
He returned to his hometown, met his uncle's loyal Greek worker, who gave him a large sum of money which his uncle had left for him before he had been taken by the Nazis.
He found love and tried to start a calm life on a Greek island.
But then came the persecution of the Greek nationalists, who accused him of cooperating with the Nazis,
and he had to flee again.
With the help of a British friend, he arrived to Israel, which was just established. In Israel he lived the rest of his life, haunted by the memories of his lost love, grew old and eventually lost his sanity.
This novel is a breathtaking life journey in the 20th century in Europe and Israel, combined with humor, drama and philosophy of life.
