Customer Reviews

The Cross and the Pear Tree: A Sephardic Journey

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I read this book just after it was published. Victor Perera's life and background are of interest to all who have an interest in family, history and the journeys of generations. Whether the reader is of Jewsh, Spanish or Portoguese background, he will find things in this book which will astound him. Read this book!

Some years ago I was introduced to a web designer whose last name was Perera. Although he came from a Catholic family, as I worked with him and being Jewish myself, I began to wonder if he was from Jewish roots in Spain. The more I worked with him, the stronger the feeling became. I asked him about it and he pretty much laughed it off, but did say that there was some vague family lore about it but no one knew. Eventually, I felt I wanted to know if it was true and my search lead me to this book. I felt Victor Perera's research is fascinating and brilliant. I couldn't put the book down. Of course, it proved my hunch beyond a reasonable doubt, I believe, and this was very satisfying. The web designer was perplexed at the news. I'm not sure if he shared it with him family or not. In any case, over the years, I still think about what an interesting book this is and I've recommended it to several people. Alas, last night I met a Jewish convert whose mother is from Spain and recommended the book once again. She is excited to get her hands on it.

Highly recommended.

Great book,I was very interested in the premise after a friend bought it for me as a gift. I really enjoyed the book's flow and the Sefardic postmodern experience through the authors eyes. As I have written before the Sefardic experience is "complicated" to say the least. This experience can only be truly described by a fellow Andalusian Jew. I highly recommend this book for those who want to understand the complexities of being an Iberian Sefardic Jew. The Book reads easily and its a fascinating account of one of many families that are in exile both from Israel and from our beloved Sefarad. A true joy to read and relish in.
note: The duality between the Families having both Jews and Christians in it is very real to this day. Check out the cover.
Shemuel Fuentes de Lemos

As a Pereira it is wonderful to learn about my Ancestors and The History of our Lineage. It is also just an interesting history book. It shares many names in the book which helps if you too are a Pereira and looking for Lineage connections with names.

This was a touching story & it shows how we're all connected. Its a small world. The author took us from the New World, to Europe, to the Mideast with great ease.

Mr. Perera is a journalist and this book reads more like a sensational pulp magazine than history. He jumps around in his narrative with some repetition. The real disappointment is how he talks down most of his family and romanticizes his grandfather and great grandfather. This book seemed more like a session on the couch than anything else. The author is not significantly rooted in Judaism much less the Sephardic traditions to be a first hand source of any significant information and his distance from the religion of his ancestors also negatively colors his impressions, opinions, and descriptions of others in his family and the wider world of the religious in Israel. His dissatisfaction and ambivalence with his family translate to the whole of the Sephardic world. Also, although the cross is mentioned in the title the author and his family all the way back to the expulsion from Spain have very little real experience or impact with Converso/Anusim issues. So the title is very misleading. Basically this is the musing of a left leaning secularized Jew who seems more sympathetic to the Palestinians and his new age like experiences than giving a coherent account of the history of the Pereras. Like most NY Times authors he does not seem to be aware of the balanced approach to the whole of Israel he ascribes to another journalist and he arrogantly holds himself above the religious and well most anyone he encounters in his narrative. Very disappointing.