Israel

The novel's primary narrative line - the conflict between protagonist Harry Rosenmerck and a local rabbi over Harry's pig farm - is set in the country of Israel. The setting is significant because Israel is considered by many to the ancient, ancestral homeland of the Jewish people; and because an important component of Jewish practice is a prohibition against interactions with pigs in any way.

Nazareth

The Israeli community of Nazareth is where Harry Rosenmerck has his pig farm. As noted above, the presence of pigs in any community in Israel is problematic, but establishing a pig farm is particularly significant because Nazareth is traditionally the community in which Jesus Christ was raised. As such, it is a holy site for Christians as well as for Jews, a circumstance that triggers significant, climactic conflict for Harry late in the narrative.

New York City

The city of New York...