Rebecca of Salerno

This book continues the story of Rebecca from Walter Scotts 1820 novel Ivanhoe. TheIvanhoebackstory:Jewish women in medieval England do not fall in love with Christian knights like Ivanhoe. Neither do they heal knights from battle wounds. But Rebecca does bothand nearly pays with her life. Rescued by Ivanhoe from being burnt at the stake as a sorceress she flees from England and the man she loves. Rebecca of Salerno: In Salerno Kingdom of Sicily Rebecca pursues her dreams by attending medical school. Practicing her profession she defies family pressure to marry Rafael the man who loves her. But more pressing is the conquest of Sicily by the Hohenstaufens and the arrival of rogue crusaders both of which threaten Salernos long-standing atmosphere of tolerance. When a rabbi is falsely accused of murdering a crusader Rebecca and Rafael commit to pursuing justice and protecting the Jewish community.This story provides fascinating history as of the medical school in Salerno where women and menChristians Muslims and Jewsstudied together. It also exemplifies the recurring Jewish experience of persecution search for refuge and resilience to remake lives.Rebecca struggles to balance community expectations and traditions with her desire for fulfillmentone of the great challenges facing women throughout the ages.