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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. How do the Zionist soldiers act?

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

3. What does Elias decide he has to do about his people's struggles?

4. What is Elias's primary desire?

5. What is frustrating to Elias?

Short Essay Questions

1. What events of the 1960's colored Elias's view of the church and why?

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

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

4. What did Elias realize about serving God as he neared graduation from seminary?

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

6. What would a current student of the Middle East find strange about Palestine in the late 1940's?

7. 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?

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

9. What did a second Supreme Court rule about the town of Biram and what happened after that ruling?

10. Who are the Zionist soldiers battling in Palestine in the late 1940's and what is the result of those battles?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The narrator of the book is Elias Chacour, who writes from his own point of view as he experiences and hears about events concerning the formation of the State of Israel and the ongoing conflict concerning the problems that arise out of that formation. Discuss the following:

1. What is meant by a reliable or unreliable narrator? Which do you think Elias is? Why?

2. What would Elias gain by skewing the story of his life? Do you think the gain would be worth the potential cost if he were to be proven to be inaccurate?

3. Is any narrator of a "true" story totally reliable? What factors might affect the reliability of any autobiographical writer including Elias?

Essay Topic 2

In May, 1948, the British withdrew from Palestine completely, leaving the Zionists to pursue their land grabs, blowing up entire villages in their path. Discuss the following:

1. Is there any justification for the Zionist policy towards the Palestinians according to Chacour? Do you think the actions of the Zionist are justfied? Why or why not?

2. What would you have done if your village was suddenly occupied by Zionist soldiers? Would you have welcomed them, tried to sabotage their purpose, or forgiven their actions?

3. How does the guilt that the Europeans experience over the Holocaust contribute to their recognizing Israel despite the violations against native Palestinians?

Essay Topic 3

Elias Chacour is part of a group of believers who call themselves "Melkite Christians." Discuss the following:

1. Briefly state and analyze the history of Melkite Christians.

2. What do the Melkite Christians believe? Give a brief synopsis.

3. How do they (or do they) differ from the Roman Catholics?

4. Do the Melkite sect still exist today?

(see the answer keys)

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