Read Widely Book Group

Join us to discuss The Last Watchman of Old Cairo by Michael David Lukas

A centuries-old Jewish synagogue in Cairo and the rumors of its legendary “Ezra Scroll”-- a perfect copy of the Torah penned by the Old Testament prophet himself– is the focus for three intertwined stories at three different points in history. In Medieval Cairo, Muslim teenager Ali al-Raqb unexpectedly becomes the night watchman of the Ibn Ezra synagogue. In the early 20th century, sisters and scholars from Cambridge travel to Egypt in the hope of discovering the famed Ezra Scroll. In the present-day, Berkeley student Joseph al-Raqb, the son of a Muslim father and Jewish mother, returns to Cairo to try and understand his family’s history and connection to the Ibn Ezra synagogue.

This title may be counted towards The Middle East & North Africa badge for the 2023 Read Widely: Around the World challenge.

Copies of the book will be available at the Circulation Desk one month before the meeting date.  

Please note: Spaces are limited. Registration is required.