RAISING SPARKS

Malka, a young Ultra-Orthodox Jewish girl, discovers her father's top rabbinical student, Moshe, is studying forbidden Kabbalistic texts. She has a vision of a tree of prayers growing up inside the house and is chased out by a giant bird. Malka flees Jerusalem for Safed, where she is drawn into a cult called Mystical Encounters, run by charismatic cult leader Avner Marcus. Avner is unsettled by Malka's authenticity and tries to rape her. Malka manages to evade him and burns down the cult. She then heads for Tel Aviv, where she is discovered by legendary Arab chef Rukh Baraka, who is seeking to rekindle his career by training Arab and Israeli street children to create extraordinary food for his new restaurant, the Leviathan. Moshe has been trying to find Malka and is forced to confront his own demons, including the disappearance of his younger sister.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 310 pages
Publication date: 05 July 2018
Publisher: Bluemoose Books Ltd

Malka, a young woman growing up in the Old City of Jerusalem, finds herself at the doorstep of one of the city's most renowned and reclusive mystics. Inside, she discovers her father's top rabbinical student, Moshe, studying forbidden Kabbalistic texts. She experiences a disturbing vision of a tree of prayers growing up inside the house, and the prayers begin to speak to her. Unaware of her newfound mystical gift, Malka is chased out of the house by the giant bird formed from the prayers.

Kabbalists believe that by understanding the original Divine language, they can manipulate reality. Malka, unknowingly possessing this ability, embarks on a journey of self-discovery. After a disastrous first date with Moshe, she flees Jerusalem for Safed, where she becomes drawn into a cult called Mystical Encounters, led by charismatic cult leader Avner Marcus. Avner is unsettled by Malka's authenticity and forbids her from attending classes. However, Malka forms friendships with Shira, a former night club singer, and Evven, a traumatized ex-soldier.

Determined to pursue her mystical path, Malka sets up her own mystical retreat in the woods, at an abandoned construction site. When Avner discovers this, he forces Malka to take him there, intending to rape her. Malka manages to evade him and burns down the cult after manipulating the Modern Hebrew word for Electricity, Chashmal.

Heading for Tel Aviv, Malka sleeps rough on the beaches of the mixed Arab-Jewish city of Jaffa. Here, she is discovered by legendary Arab chef Rukh Baraka, who is seeking to rekindle his career by training Arab and Israeli street children to create extraordinary food for his new restaurant.

Through her culinary journey, Malka learns to harness her mystical gift and uses it to create delicious dishes that bring people together. She becomes a symbol of unity and peace, breaking down barriers between different communities. Malka's story is a testament to the power of self-discovery, resilience, and the ability to use one's gifts to make a positive impact on the world.

Weight: 338g
Dimension: 129 x 197 x 26 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781910422410