Introduction

“The author paints a vivid tableau of the historical period with impressive rigor and authenticity. In addition, Cameron provocatively wonders if, while prejudice is eternal, past ages were better equipped to manage it . . . A gripping peek into a bygone Italy and an astute look at the era’s prejudice.” ?Kirkus Reviews

When French troops occupy the Italian port city of Ancona, freeing the city’s Jews from their repressive ghetto, it unleashes a whirlwind of progressivism and brutal backlash as two very different cultures collide. Mirelle, a young Jewish maiden, must choose between her duty—an arranged marriage to a wealthy Jewish merchant—and her love for a dashing French Catholic soldier. Meanwhile, Francesca, a devout Catholic, must decide if she will honor her marriage vows to an abusive and murderous husband when he enmeshes their family in the theft of a miracle portrait of the Madonna.

Set during the turbulent days of Napoleon Bonaparte’s Italian campaign (1796–97), Beyond the Ghetto Gates is both a cautionary tale for our present moment, with its rising tide of anti-Semitism, and a story of hope—a reminder of a time in history when men and women of conflicting faiths were able to reconcile their prejudices in the face of a rapidly changing world.

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Excerpt

This is how readers are introduced to the ghetto of Ancona, Italy in 1796. There is some irony that this novel about being locked inside is being published while we’re all, in effect, “locked inside.”

Tall buildings loomed on either side of the street. Mirelle was used to the narrow space, but today the air seemed more fetid than usual, the close-packed homes more menacing. The buildings—many built centuries before and precariously expanded upward—were crumbling at their foundations. Apartments exuded the smells of a hundred cooking pots, paint curling under the sweat and filth of packed living.

Toddlers played in the streets, ignoring the refuse running down the center sewer. Housewives stopped to gossip, straw baskets crushed against their sides. The market was bustling, with vibrant oranges and lemons piled into pyramids, cut citrus samples sharp in the spring air, bundled chard and spinach, flowery clusters of cauliflower and broccoli, and long spears of artichokes piled high. Crusty breads, fruit-filled flans, and boxes of biscotti wafted enticing odors. But today all Mirelle felt were the centuries of dirt and sweat trapped inside the enclosed ghetto. The walls pressed in on her, making it difficult to breathe. On impulse, she decided to visit a different market—the one outside the gates, where she could feel sea breeze and sunlight on her face.

During daylight hours, the ornate, wrought-iron gates at the ghetto entrance were flung wide. Because her friend Dolce often designated them as a meeting spot, Mirelle knew their every nook and curve. As she’d wait, she’d run her fingers over the peeling patterns, twisting and curling. From dawn until nightfall, ghetto residents moved freely through the stone archway into the city of Ancona. As the sun dipped behind the horizon, however, city guards slammed the gates shut and chained a heavy padlock to the bars. The clang of the closing gates always raised the hair on the back of Mirelle’s neck. view abbreviated excerpt only...

Discussion Questions

1. Like many girls of her time, Mirelle was raised to be wed to a wealthy suitor. Yet some Jewish women were allowed to work, particularly if their husbands were Talmudic scholars. Do you think Mirelle’s parents – especially her mother – were justified in their expectations? Why or why not?

2. Do you think Mirelle’s father should have given in to the rabbi’s demand that she be forced out of the workshop? What could he have done instead?

3. Francesca’s husband is abusive, brutal, prejudiced, and eventually murderous. Yet the Church and Catholic society dictate that she should stay with him. What would you have done in Francesca’s place?

4. Daniel is often uncomfortable as a soldier, particularly when it comes to taking food, looting wealthy artifacts, and, of course, killing enemy combatants. But he also yearns to be considered a hero. How does he reconcile this quandary? Do you agree with his rationalization?

5. Mirelle makes a promise to her brother to maintain her family legacy yet considers abandoning it out of love. How would you have handled this choice?

6. Both Mirelle and Daniel have to contend with the new sense of assimilation that the French Enlightenment brings them yet recognize that it can conflict with the traditions they’ve been brought up with. How do you deal with this issue in your own lives?

7. Do you feel Christophe’s feelings for Mirelle were genuine?

8. Napoleon’s reaction to the Madonna portrait is extreme. Mirelle and Daniel have their own explanations for why he was so affected by it. Do you agree with them, or do you have another possible reason?

9. Napoleon used the press to promote himself as France’s great hero. How does the media today play a similar role for our politicians, no matter what your personal political leanings?

10. What do you make of Francesca and Daniel’s relationship? Francesca was raised to despise Jews, yet she grows to trust and possibly even like the young Jewish soldier. Do you believe that getting to know someone personally can help overcome taught prejudice? Why or why not?

11. Dolce starts out as Mirelle’s best friend – something which changes dramatically by the end of the novel. Was Dolce ever truly Mirelle’s friend? Should Mirelle have confronted her earlier than she does?

12. Mirelle is pursued by two – possibly three – suitors. Who do you think she should have ended up with?

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