In The Sina’i Trilogy, a work in progress, the story of the Exodus is told in the first person by two non-Biblical characters: Aram ben Na’aman, a scribe who has written a remembrance of the strange events 20 years earlier that led to his people’s flight from Egypt, and his twin sister Talita bat Na’aman who was estranged from the family for much of those two decades.
In the novel’s present, the Israelites are still in the wilderness and are led by Joshua after Moses’ death. Tal has returned to their camp upon Aram’s untimely passing, and she has found her brother’s hidden narrative. “There are no miracles in the story of my people,” it begins, attributing the Israelites’ successful flight from Pharaoh to “luck and politics, politics and luck.” It goes on to characterize Moses as a fanatic and Miriam as a mass murderer, lamenting his own role in the final plague that secured his people’s freedom. Tal’s first impulse is to burn the scroll to save herself and her brother’s children, but then she decides to wait before taking that drastic action or simply hiding it in a cave somewhere and hoping that no one loyal to Joshua ever finds it. Meanwhile, she cannot resist the urge to comment on her brother’s story from her own perspective: “I was there too, Aram, and I do not agree with you.”
The three books of the trilogy are titled Goshen, Mid’bar and Sina’i, the major locations described in the book of Exodus (“mid’bar” means “wilderness”). All place and character names are transliterated directly from the Hebrew, e.g., “Paroh” for Pharaoh, “Mitz’rayim” for Egypt, and “Mosheh” for Moses. Natural or human-made causes are assumed for the Ten Plagues, the Red Sea crossing, and the geological phenomena accompanying the revelation at Mount Sinai. Although Aram sometimes does not have the theoretical framework to understand these occurrences, he grapples with them as a student of the most advanced science in the ancient world: Egyptian medicine.
A version of this story geared to 4th-8th graders was self-published as Escape From Goshen in 2012:
“This book has the ring of truth, the authenticity of places and time, and the warmth of a loving family. It’s an elegant story, like reading the Bible itself; the language is simple, direct and honest. Varied and rich, Escape From Goshen is a moving story – faithful to the larger themes of humanity and survival our people have endured. I am a fan.”
Mel Glenn, award-winning Young Adult author
“Truly an extraordinary work of literary fiction, a compelling and insightful glimpse into what Jewish and Egyptian culture may have looked like in biblical days. Bonnie J. Gordon has masterfully created an exciting piece of midrash that reads like a bestselling novel. Hooks you right away and keeps your attention throughout. I’m waiting anxiously for the sequel.”
Marla Wolf, Past Director, Anshe Chesed Fairmount Temple Religious School
“Escape From Goshen grapples with theological questions, but does so in such a way that the reader can be encouraged to enter those debates. The story line that is so familiar to us is made even more accessible by focusing on a single family. Bonnie J. Gordon’s retelling of Exodus has good educational and entertainment potential, and she obviously has extraordinary talent. Her book deserves to have serious attention paid to it.”
Rabbi Stanley Davids, Past President, Association of Reform Zionists of America (ARZA)