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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What do the Irgun ultimately carry out?

2. What was increasingly happening to non-Jewish Palestinians?

3. What does Elias wonder about happiness?

4. What does Elias decide to do at the end of the chapter "Singled out?"

5. How did the native Jewish inhabitants feel about the actions of the Zionists?

Short Essay Questions

1. Under whose rule was Palestine since the 1930's, what kind of people was the population, how did they get along and how did the residents feel about themselves after World War II?

2. What did Elias' father explain about the Jews coming to the town?

3. What was Elias's main struggle with understanding Jews?

4. What did the Bishop suggest for Elias?

5. What type of study did Elias and his friend study at the seminary and how did Elias feel about it?

6. What were the three important principles Elias learned from his father as stated in the section, Treasures of the Heart?

7. What type of journal did Elias begin when he was at school? How long did this journal last?

8. Who did Elias become friends with at the orphanage and what happened when the two of them finished their studies there?

9. What did the Zionist soldiers tell the people in Elias's hometown and how did they respond?

10. Who declared Israel an independent state in May 1948 and then what did he do? How did the world respond?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Upon Biram villagers settling in Gish and making attempts to live in the substandard remaining housing, the Irgun arrive and force all the men and older boys into trucks for delivery to some unknown location. This "cleansing" of Palestine for the Jewish state went almost unrecorded in the journalistic media of the day. Discuss the following:

1. How biased is the press in general? Are most journalists able to stay emotionally uninvolved? Why or why not.

2. What are some of the possible reasons the press ignores the actions of the Zionist and Irgun? Analyze each reason and discuss if the reason is valid.

3. Discuss one other example of "cleansing" that has taken place in the world. What are the similarities and differences from that which takes place in Palestine?

Essay Topic 2

In Chapter one, Elias reveals that his father insisted their family would prepare a feast for Jewish soldiers who would be arriving in the village, and that the family would welcome them into their home. Discuss the following:

1. Does it seem odd that the first people to arrive are soldiers rather than civilians? What message does that send to the Palestinians?

2. How might things have been different had families of immigrants came to Biram rather than soldiers?

3. Do you think the Zionist actually believe that Palestine is uninhabited land? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 3

Within the new government itself, however, all was not cohesive. Factions had developed, all vying for power, and differing on treatment of the native Palestinians. The elders of the former village of Biram seized upon this opportunity to petition the Israeli Supreme Court for permission to return to their homes. Though this petition was granted, Zionist soldiers still would not allow them in. Discuss the following:

1. What do you think are the reasons the Zionist soldiers will not allow the villagers to reclaim their homes based on a court order by the Jewish government?

2. Why do you think the Jewish government does not intervene? Could they be afraid of the more radical Zionist themselves?

3. How often do you think a court victory is empty--both in the Palestinian situation and in other situations. Discuss with examples from the text and your own knowledge.

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