Some of the praise for The Mother of Jerusalem:
Le livre de Rosemary Cohen donne au roman historique —et au roman tout court— ses plus belles lettres de noblesse. Il stimule constamment l’intelligence tout en s’adressant à ce que notre âme recèle de meilleur : la générosité et l’amour vrai de l’Autre. En le lisant, je songeais à ce bel aphorisme de Bernanos : « l’espérance est un risque à courir ».
On l’aura compris : l’ouvrage de Rosemary Cohen est une sorte de « bombe douce » (« bombe » par la force du message, « douce » par la délicatesse du style et des sentiments) qui nous réconcilie définitivement avec le genre humain. A mots feutrés, il démontre, en effet, que les préjugés les plus solides et les haines les plus tenaces ne sont que des obstacles provisoires quand les peuples —ou les individus— décident de prendre courageusement leur destin en main.
A tous ceux qui, comme l’auteur de ces lignes, ont toujours cru —avec quelque raison, il est vrai !— que l’Histoire est tragique, Madame Cohen rappelle qu’il n’est pas de limites à ce que la volonté peut accomplir ; que l’impossible prend juste un peu plus de temps ; et que c’est au plus noir de la nuit qu’il faut croire à la lumière.
Dr. Patrick Wajsman
Fondateur et Directeur de la
Revue Politique Internationale
Professeur de Relations Internationales
Conseiller auprès du Président du Groupe Figaro
A Reflection
One can read in Rosemary Hartounian Cohen’s moving and inspirational book, The Mother of Jerusalem Is Crying, accounts of great exultation and deep sorrow, of human achievement and inhuman cruelty, of immense strength and devastating weakness and of unbounded hope and crippling hopelessness. It fills our minds with images of the suffering of the innocents in the maelstroms of two genocides and ongoing violence that have shaped the human experience over the course of the past century. The ultimate message of book, however, is very clear: Affirm faith in God, affirm faith in one’s own capacity to find light where there appears to be only darkness and dedicate oneself to a life in which such faith is realized in sacred acts of loving kindness.
Human suffering can evoke a wide range of responses. Some people who have been stricken by a great personal tragedy retreat from the world because they lose hope and find little purpose in life. Their continued existence seems to be simply a function of the natural instinct in living beings to stay alive. One can hear the echoes of Ecclesiastes 1:2-3 reverberating in the emptiness of their souls: “‘Utter futility!’ – said Kohelet – ‘utter futility! All is futile! What real value is there for a man in all the gains he makes beneath the sun?’” In her book, Rosemary Cohen rejects this message.
Other folks confront tragedy by making a vow that as long as the breath of life fills their lungs they will not allow death to overwhelm them. They commit themselves to finding profound meaning in life, to living a life informed by the noblest of values and to devoting themselves to serving causes that promote the sanctity of life. Knowingly or otherwise, they accept the Biblical mandate in Deuteronomy 30:19-20: “I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day: I have put before you life and death, blessing and curse. Choose life – if you and your offspring would live – by loving the Lord your God, heeding His commands, and holding fast to Him.” These are the principles for which Dr. Cohen advocates in The Mother of Jerusalem.
Rosemary Cohen does not dwell on the magnitude of the Armenian genocide or of the Holocaust or on the number of victims of Middle East terror. Those who recount these events today, while not denying the significance of such figures, tend to focus more on the stories of individual people, be they victims or survivors. These stories touch the souls of those who read or hear them much more powerfully than do the mega-numbers. Statistics are cold and distant; a reader or listener can relate more personally to those who suffered when they are drawn into the experiences of real people like themselves. If we are called upon never to forget these black holes of human history, then retelling the stories of the individual lives that were lost or broken will ensure that we and the rest of humankind will remember. Though the characters in The Mother of Jerusalem are fictionalized, their stores are based on the events of real people who experienced the history presented in the book, and that is why the book is so impactful.
Those of us who know Rosemary Cohen understand that the passion, emotion, struggling and commitments expressed by the characters in this book, in the final analysis, are those of the author. Rosemary has experienced her own personal “holocaust,” losing a brother-in-law to terror and witnessing the death of a beloved daughter in an accident that defies comprehension. And yet, her outlook on life is so much healthier than that of most of us, and she has become a source of healing to her family and to anyone who has turned to her in need. She has emerged as a relentless advocate for what is the foundational message of The Mother of Jerusalem is Crying – “Choose Life,” and for this we are all in her debt.
Joel Rembaum
Rabbi Rembaum is Rabbi Emeritus of Temple Beth Am in Los Angeles, where he served as Senior Rabbi for 25 years. He was ordained a Rabbi in 1970 by the Jewish Theological Seminary of America. That was preceded by his having been awarded a BA by UCLA in 1964 and was followed by his receiving an MA and a PhD in History from UCLA in 1973 and 1975, respectively. Rabbi Rembaum served on the faculty and administration of the, then, University of Judaism from 1970-1985, following which he assumed the mantle of Spiritual Leader at Temple Beth Am. A published scholar, Rabbi Rembaum also served the American and Southern California Jewish communities in a variety of leadership capacities and has been deeply involved in the activities and support of the Conservative/Masorti Movement in America and in Israel, as well as in support of and advocacy for the State of Israel in general. He is married to Fredi Rembaum, herself a respected Jewish communal leader; and they have four married children and seven grandchildren.
تراژدي هاي تاريخ و ايده آل هاي انساني
كتاب هاي داستاني رزمري كهن Rosemary Cohen از بسياري جهات در ميان كتاب هايي كه با موضوع هاي مشابه نوشته شده اند، بي نظير و يكتاست. شايد كمتر نويسنده، و داستان سرايي مطالعات اين نويسنده و تجربيات ويژه شخصي و اجتماعي او را براي نوشتن اين داستان ها كه داراي منابع تاريخي است حائز باشد.
رزمري كهن تحصيل كرده رشته دكتراي جامعه شناسي از يكي از معتبرترين دانشگاه هاي جهان، سوربن Sorbonneپاريس است. وقتي يك جامعه شناسي به نويسندگي وداستان سرائي روي ميآورد، مسلما نگاه متفاوتي با يك نويسنده وداستان نويس معمولي نسبت به زندگي و حوادث و شخصيت هاي آن و حتي تخيلات ادبي دارد.
زمان تحصيل رزمري در پاريس دهه 1970 ، اوج قدرت دوران پهلوي ها بوده است و رزمري سپس مانند بسياري از هزاران روشنفكر ايراني مقيم خارج از وطن خود وهمراه ده ها و بلكه صدها هزار نفر مهاجران انقلاب مذهبي ايران كه شايد يكي از خونين ترين انقلاب هاي تاريخ بوده و يكي از حيرتانگيزترين تحولات بعد ي جهان كه در ارتباط با اين رويداد بوجود آمده، تحت تاثير كامل ابتلائات آن قرار داشته است. براين اساس جامعه شناسي او ، از مرحله آكادميك و جر و بحث هاي مجالس دانشگاهي به صحنه بزرگ زندگي كه از جمله بحراني ترين دوران معاصر بوده كشيده شده است.
سفر رزمري كهن با خانواده اواز فرانسه به امريكا خود رويداد اثرگذار ديگر زندگي اوست و سپس وقتي يكي از فرزندان او دختر 18 ساله اش ليانا Liana درست زماني كه براي ادامه تحصيل عازم شهر ديگري درامريكاست در يك حادثه اتومبيل در برابر چشمان او و ديگر اعضاي خانواده جان ميسپارد، جهش ديگر و بزرگتري در زندگي او بوجود ميآيد. رزمري كهن شرح بسيار حساس و نكته به نكته اين رويداد را در كتاب خود به نام قرباني Korban- The Sacrice of Liana آورده است. كمتر مادري است كه گريه و شيون از دست رفتن يكي از محبوب ترين فرزندان خود را صرفا دردرون خودنگاه دارد و آنرا به دنياي عميق انسانيت خود رهنمون شود و متقابلا و درست در همان زمان حادثه به تسلي شوهر و فرزندان زنده خود از اين ماجراي خونين بپردازد.
كمتر مادري است وقتي كه درجلسه دادگاه با خنده راننده مستي كه از دست رفتن دختر نازنين اورا موجب شده است روربرو ميشود، با اين تجزيه و تحليل دروني كه قضاوت زندگي و رويدادهاي آن تنها با خداست، اين جوان گناهكار را ببخشد. و اين دكتر رزمري كهن، يك خصيصه منحصر به فرد ديگر هم دارد و آن اين استكه وقتي در پاريس و در زمان آشفته ترين حوادث روز با مردي عميقا مهربان، ساكت و ضمنا محقق ، يك استاد لبناني مقيم پاريس آشنا ميشود، با او عهد زناشويي ميبندد و به دين او ميگرايد بدون آنكه هيچگاه و هرگز احترام خود را و اعتقاد ات روحاني خود را نسبت به مسيحيت قبلي خود ازدست داده باشد.
همين دكتر رزمري كهن است كه بعدها در جامه يك زن يهودي و با خانواده اي يهودي يكي از هولناك ترين حوادث تاريخي ارامنه ايراني در شهر خوي ويران شده را به هنگام هجوم و حملات بيرحمانه وخونين نظاميان تركيه عثماني در اثر بخش ترين اثر يك داستان نويس تاريخي عرضه ميكند.
من قبلا 2 بار درباره اين كتاب بنام Survivor به زبان انگليسي ، و زماني كه ترجمه فارسي آن با عنوان >بازمانده< منتشر شد، نقد و مطالبي نوشته ام.
رزمري كهن، نه فقط فصل مهمي از تاريخ ارامنه ايران را بصورت جامعتر تاريخ خود ايران كه براي بسياري از پژوهشگران نيز تاريك بوده است آشكار كرده بلكه با زباني بسيار شيوا و راز ورمزي داستان گونه ، خواننده را از آغاز تا پايان كتاب به دنبال خود ميكشاند تا رنج ها وشادي ها، مرگ و زندگي وعصاره بخشي از حيات موجود ما را دريابد و آنرا در احساس و تفكر خويش همراه سازد. رزمري كهن باز واين بار در عرصه بزرگتر و كلي تري همان نگاه عميقا و احترام آميز خود را به نفس انسان ازهر قوم و مسلك ومذهب ابراز ميدارد و خونباري مهاجمان ترك را نتيجه ترك بودن و يا مذهب خاص آنها نميداند بلكه بخشي از شرارت هايي ميداند كه سيستم هاي خودكامه جهان در مردمان از هر قوم و گروه ممكن است ببار آورند.
انسانيت دكتر رزمري كهن و صرف نظر از شيوه بسيار سحرانگير نويسندگي او، در يكي از جديدترين كتاب هاي داستاني او >مادر اورشليم ميگريد<
The Mother of Jerusalem is Crying همچنان مشخص است.
3 خانواده يهودي، مسيحي و مسلمان در اين داستان دريكي از حساس ترين و بحرانيترين زمان هاي تاريخ معاصر و در تحولات خاورميانه درگير هستند. قصه پر غصه سه خانواده در 3 اقليم جهاني و طي 2 سده ، واينكه چگونه بعضي از آنها در قتل عام ارامنه در تركيه عثماني و در خطه اي از ايران از بين ميروند، در بازداشتگاه مرگ آلمان نازي سوخته ميشوند و جان ميبازند و چگونه در بحران هاي ناشي از بازگشت يهوديان به فلسطين و تشكيل كشور اسرائيل نفوس ديگري كشته ميشوند، و ضمنا آنهائي كه از همه اين بحران ها و مصائب و بهرحال جان سالم بدر ميبرند و در جستجوي يافتن روح سالمي نيز هستند.
رزمري كهن دراين داستان تركيب يافته بر بخش هايي از تاريخ معاصر جهاني، نگاه حتي عميق تري به اين نكته دارد كه ما همه انسانيم،همه زاده يك پروردگار، و بايد كه براي رفع انبوه مشكلاتي كه زمانه به ما تحميل كرده است، راهي مسالمت آميز وانساني پيش گيريم.
رزمري كهن در اين جديدترين داستان خود يادآور اين شعر سعدي، شاعر بزرگ و ازرشمند ايراني است كه گفته بود:
توكز محنت ديگران بي غمي نشايد كه نامت نهند آدمي
تاريخ، تراژدي هاي بزرگي را به همراه داشته است ولي تراژدي يك امر محتوم نيست. و اين رزمري كهن است كه ضمن نمايش بخش هاي ديگري از تراژدي هاي انساني كه گاه خونين ترين آن نيز هست، روزنه ها ي اميد را نشان ميدهد. شادي هاي مردماني را منعكس ميكند كه ازجمله لذت بخش ترين نكات داستان هاي اوست.در آثار داستاني رزمري كهن، چه اين داستان اخير او و چه نوشته هاي سابق او،حوادث و اتفاقات زمانه چه آنها كه مبتني بر واقعيت است و چه آنها كه با چاشني تخيل او رقم خورده است، جزء به جزء تصوير ميشود.
نوشته هاي رزمري كهن ما را به ياد نويسندگان بزرگي در شرق وغرب جهان چون داستايوسكي و بالزاك مياندازد بسياري از آثار ايندو نويسنده قبل از آنكه در دوربين هاي جادوئي سينمايي بصورت تصويري در آيند، در ذهن وفكر خواننده حتي تصاوير جامع تر ودرخشنده تري داشته اند رزمري كهن نيز با داستان هاي خود ما را به همين جهان سرشار از واقعيت خيال انگيز و خيالي استوار بر واقعيت رهنمون ميشود.
پرويز ناظريان ژورناليست، نويسنده،تهيه كننده و كارگردان تئاتر و سينما در 30 سال اخير كه مقيم لوس آنجلس بوده و دو نمايش درباره دو شاعره بزرگ ايراني، فروغ فرخزاد و طاهره به روي صحنه برده است. بيش از 200 مقاله درباره فرهنگ و ادب و هنر ايران و جهان نگاشته و در اغلب راديو و تلويزيون هاي فارسي زبان، سردبير خبر و يا برنامه ساز بوده است.فيلمي كه وي در دهه 1970 با عنوان >يك اصفهاني در نيويورك< كارگرداني كرد، نخستين فيلم ايراني بودكه در امريكا تهيه شد. از پرويز ناظريان به زودي كتابي با عنوان >ضد خاطرات< حاوي ديدگاه هاي شخصي و اجتماعي او از 4 دهه فرهنگ و هنر ايران و جهان منتشر ميشود.
Parviz Nazerian
Author, movie and arts critique
The Mother of Jersualem is Crying novel humanizes Middle East conflict
Dr. Rosemary Hartounian Cohen is perhaps one of the rare authors and academics you’ll ever come across today because of her identity as an Iranian, Armenian and a Jew. Her unique background, her life experiences and those of her own family have enabled her to see the world— especially the conflict in the Middle East in a totally different light. So when she asked me to read and review her latest book, The Mother of Jerusalem is Crying I gladly accepted. To my delight Dr. Cohen does indeed manage to convey the heart wrenching personal pain that the three families in the novel who are Jewish, Christian and Muslim encounter because of the blind hatred and lack of human decency in their world.
I particularly enjoyed learning about the tremendous hardships Armenians living in what is now Turkey encountered at the hands of the Turkish military during the early part of the 20th century. It was not easy reading the story of the Armenian family in her novel that was decimated and devastated in the genocide, but it is an example of just one of the thousands of true life stories many Armenians today carry with them about their own families. The Armenian genocide is among one of humanity’s worse episodes and its occurrence must be recognized. My hope is that this novel and others will continue to raise awareness in the world about the Armenian genocide and encourage human beings to stand up against future genocides! Dr. Cohen’s ability to humanize the suffering endured during the Armenian genocide, the Holocaust as well as Arab and Israeli conflict in this novel is remarkable. The emotional, historical, religious and cultural complexity of the Middle East and its people are often very difficult for authors, journalists and even politicians to explain to individuals not from that part of the world. The Middle East is just not easy…but Dr. Cohen’s message in this novel lays out the overriding solution to the suffering endured in that part of the world— that with love and tolerance, those who truly cherish life can overcome all difficulties. Readers of The Mother of Jerusalem is Crying will not be disappointed because the novel tells three compelling stories and conveys a powerful message for humanity’s need for co-existence in the world.
Karmel Melamed
Attorney and an award-winning internationally published journalist covering Middle East affairs for various publications. He is a contributing writer and blogger for the Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles.
I had the opportunity to interview Rosemary Cohen and was astounded at her innate ability to graphically express the sides of life that most people never have to deal with. After reading this amazing work, I am convinced that Rosemary is a voice that must be listened to.
Stephen F. Kaufman
Founder of Self-Revealization Acceptance
Host, Hanshi’s World TV and www.hanshi.com
The Mother of Jerusalem is Crying offers readers a wonderfully rich, powerful and heartfelt story that truly captures the pathos of the Jewish legacy from the early 20th century to modern times, with some brilliant reflections on the mysteries of life and human nature. Author Rosemary Cohen is a masterful storyteller who artfully presents the poignant human drama often lost behind factual history. She chronicles the full spectrum of historic events as the backdrop for showcasing the emotional legacy of generations of Jewish people who have faced so much oppression in such a short span of time. She tells their tales with grace, courage and a memorable style that will touch the hearts of every reader who will never forget her fascinating characters.
Catherine Rourke
Editor/Publisher/Journalist, The Sedona Observer, Editor911 Literary Service
Explosive and emotive – captivating and gripping!
In her The Mother of Jerusalem, Dr. Rosemary Hartounian Cohen tells the incredible story of human love and survival, through adversity and ultimately sheer resilience. With her artistic talent and palette of descriptive words, Dr. Cohen has painted a panorama of scenes and characters that evoke pure emotions about the frailties and strengths of the human heart.
With her heightened ability to sense life, and equipped with a pair of perceptive eyes, Dr. Cohen sees and describes events with artistic and stylistic strokes. In her book, a doctor’s tear falls on the face of a fallen soldier, mixes with the blood on his face, and rolls down the face like a ruby; a weeping woman adds her salty tears to the seawater; the breathing of a sleeping child becomes a sweet melody accompanied by the beat of night music; the smoke of cigarettes in a bar climbs lazily to the ceiling and is blown into intricate patterns each time the door is opened.
With her fearless and free style of writing, Dr. Cohen takes on taboo – head on – and daringly describes the love affair between a Christian Armenian wife-and-mother and her Moslem lover of Turkish descent, in the post-Genocide era. She then unites the child of that union with a Jewish man, whose own story is every bit as fascinating and touching as the novel’s other characters. She painstakingly describes the common bond that unites humans of all races and religions: pain and love.
Whether you’re a Christian, Moslem or Jew, in Dr. Cohen’s story, you will find the comfort of our oneness. You will revel in the knowledge that we are all leaves and branches from the same tree, united and woven together in the intricate web of destiny.
Naris Khalatian
Attorney at law, a writing enthusiast, and former chairperson and active member of the Parish Council of St. Gregory the Illuminator Armenian Catholic Parish in Glendale, California.