Elizabeth: A Holy Land Pilgrimage [Paperback]

Cheryl Dickow (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 15, 2007

Join Elizabeth's mid-life flight to the Holy Land as she questions her marriage and her life. See how God reaches her through people and events. Experience Elizabeth's walk on the Via Dolorosa, the way of the cross, and her kayak trip down the Jordan River. Sit with her at an outdoor café and marvel at the sights and sounds of Jerusalem. Listen as Elizabeth learns the names of God and hears about the matriarchs of the faith: Sarah, Rebekah, Rachel, and Leah. Discover, with Elizabeth, the true nature of agape love on the pilgrimage of a lifetime.

Product Details

• Paperback: 244 pages
• Publisher: Bezalel Books (January 15, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0979225809
• ISBN-13: 978-0979225802
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,861,672 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Relationships are universal, March 12, 2007

By 

Barbara Clinansmith (Walland, Tennessee USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Elizabeth: A Holy Land Pilgrimage (Paperback)

Cheryl has written an excellent book which I had a hard time putting down. Those women who are feeling down about getting older will come away encouraged to know that what they are feeling is felt and understood by others. She is to be praised for the importance she puts on being a wife and mother in a world that devalues that calling and service. Even though it is inspirational it is also a great work of fiction.

While the title would make you think you were going to read about the land of Israel it is really about the most important part of the Holy Land, it's people. They have endured hardships just because they are Jewish yet Cheryl touches on their secret of survival which is loving God and as commanded by Him loving their fellow man. In this book Christians are given insight into the richness and beauty of the Jewish roots of our faith.

There are surprises in the book , some of which I won't share so as not to spoil it for anyone. You will have an unanswered question which will make you want the sequel to be released soon. And just when you think it has ended Cheryl has added some information for each chapter to help apply some of her insights to your own life and also she shares some of the web sites where we can get more information.

Cheryl Dickow is a fairly new writer who will soon be in the ranks of the best.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fiction which Teaches and Inspires, February 2, 2007

By 

Lisa M. Hendey "Mom, Blogger, Podcaster, Author" (Fresno, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Elizabeth: A Holy Land Pilgrimage (Paperback)

Beth Gantry, Liz, Elizabeth...the main character of Elizabeth: A Holy Land Pilgrimage is many things to many people. What seems unclear in the opening pages of this debut novel from established non-fiction author Cheryl Dickow is how Elizabeth will be able to reconcile her roles as wife, mother and teacher with the woman she feels she has always wanted to become.

In the opening pages of this engrossing story, we meet Elizabeth and depart with her on the journey of a lifetime: her solo trip to Israel. She has dreamed of this pilgrimage for many years, but in the end it appears to be her discontent with her life that drives her to finally embark on her voyage. Beth has given her life to serving others and has come to feel only disappointment and resentment in return for her loving efforts. Her relationship with her husband Luke is strained to the point of near divorce. She feels a growing gulf between herself and her teenage children, the oldest of whom has flown the coop for college. Even her spiritual life seems dry and distant.

Beth looks at her journey to Israel as an opportunity to regain the life she feels she has missed out on in all of her efforts to care for others. "Her ache for what life hadn't yet held was becoming almost unbearable at times." Leaving her children in the care of her very driven and increasingly distant husband, Beth throws herself into her travel. Her desire is not to have the typical tourist experience of the Holy Land. Rather, she arranges for apartment housing in hopes of truly experiencing the traditions of the Jewish people. After having spent years studying the Jewish culture, "Elizabeth wanted to know, up close and personal, what is was like to live as a `chosen one'."

Elizabeth's logistical efforts are rewarded immediately when she meets the friendly neighbors at her Jerusalem accommodations. Meir and Ayala Goldfarb, along with their adult children David and Miriam, immediately embrace Elizabeth as a part of their family's Sabbath celebrations and she finds herself invited to dine and worship with them.

Just as the reader is joining Elizabeth in settling in to her wonderful scenario, unexpected tragedy strikes. Beth, at the urging of a very concerned Luke, contemplates cutting her trip short but eventually decides to remain in Jerusalem. The ensuing events draw her even more closely into the Jewish rituals and traditions she has longed to experience. Ultimately, through her wonderful relationship with the Goldfarb family, she meets Sipporah and Rachel, who will become her guides. Their tutelage is both historical and spiritual - embracing their companionship Elizabeth ultimately reconnects with her own personal spirituality. A fire is lit within her as she reconnects with God with a new intensity.

Interspersed throughout the accounts of Elizabeth's trip, we find Luke experiencing his own journey of sorts. As he steps in for the role his wife has played within the family, he begins to understand her perspective and his part in the damage that has occurred in their relationship. Like Beth, he finds himself longing for a deeper and more convicted connection with God. But has his marriage suffered too greatly to be repaired? The closing chapters of this lovingly crafted novel bring a tender response to this dilemma.

Elizabeth: A Holy Land Pilgrimage is not the typical inspirational novel. Part travelogue, part history lesson, part Bible study, this book blends a wonderful story with empathetic characters. Author Cheryl Dickow's research and attention to detail are apparent in this smartly written tale. Dickow's strengths lie in both character development and in educating the reader without taking on an overly dogmatic tone. In reading this novel, I learned a tremendous amount about Jewish culture and its relevance to the roots of Christianity. The close connection I felt with several of the characters in this book, along with my admiration for the wisdom and spiritual reflections of author Cheryl Dickow, leave me hoping that we will be treated to a sequel to Elizabeth: A Holy Land Pilgrimage.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful Wholesome Fiction, June 29, 2010

By 

Toni Ladd - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Elizabeth: A Holy Land Pilgrimage (Paperback)

I am not a writer, in fact this is the first book review I have ever written. After I finished reading "Elizabeth: A Holy Pilgrimage" I felt compelled to write a review. This book was a delight to read. By the end I felt that the families and characters in this book were friends of mine. I also felt as if I had taken a trip to the Holy Land. Cheryl did a wonderful job of bringing the characters and Israel to life. I find few books today that relate to my vocation as a Catholic Wife and mom of 5 but this one did. I enjoyed the book so much that I am hoping that Cheryl Dickow writes a sequel so we can enjoy the characters again. I highly recommend this book!