Travel Through the Mediterranean

How Shall We Sing? : A Mediterranean Journey Through a Jewish Family by Aline P'Nina Tayar
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Jews have always been on the move so to speak, regardless of religiosity or politics. Aline’s family was constantly on the move for any variety of reason. Jews are always seen as the other, never being fully accepted where they settle. The authoress’s family came from two distinct points in the Mediterranean. Her mother came from Tunisia while her father came from Malta. Jews moved around quite fluidly in the Mediterranean. They were seen as the eternal business people or cosmopolitan, hence an outsider.

For a certain time Jewish life was rather stable in that region. Her mother Lina grew up in a religious house with a very strict grandfather. There was a clash between modernity and conformity to religious values.


Most of the Jews would leave either to find spouses or work opportunities. In Tunisia, A Muslim country Jews seemed to have warmer relations with their neighbor than they did in Catholic Malta.
World Wars shake things up and that bought in the colonial European powers. The powers did bring in economic opportunity and further chances for emigration. World War II saw an increase in antisemtism. The family moved for the Middle East to Italy and then back to Malta. The Nazis brought in anti-Semitism which most people living in Italy were not hip to, they hated the SS which oppressed everyone. Most of Italy’s Jews survived the Holocaust.
The family moved briefly back to Malta and then to Israel. Her family was disillusioned with life in Israel on the kibbutz. After an injury they move to Australia and then Finally to England.


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