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 I
purposely wrote about unconditional love between a Jew and a Muslim.
I remember a Sunni Muslim once told me that she and her husband
would rather their child marry a Jew than a Shi’ite. Harsh judgments
and discrimination occur not only toward others who are outside the
fringes, but also toward those who are inside the fringes. As long
as we are willing to submit to the dictates of fundamentalist
leaders, nothing will change. 
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- Writing The
Other Half of My Soul was
a long journey in two directions. Traveling back through my
childhood, I confronted issues that I would have liked to keep
buried. I cruised through happiness and I experienced my first love.
My journey forward took me to unimaginable heights. Exploring the
formula for committed love and learning about the seeds that fuel
hatred, brought me tears and smiles, anger and joy.
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Bahia Abrams
BAHIA ABRAMS was born in Brooklyn, New York to parents
of Syrian
Jewish heritage. She received her degree in journalism
from the University of Maryland, and for many years
worked in Washington, D.C. She lives with her husband in
the mountains of Western North Carolina. Visit Bahia
online at http://www.theotherhalfofmysoul.com
About the
Book: RAMI,
a bright, charming eighteen-year old Shi’ite Muslim from
Aleppo, Syria, was part of the underprivileged class in
his country. His religious parents eked out a living
working their pastry stand at the Aleppo Souq. One
afternoon, two emissaries from the Syrian government
called Rami out of class, instructing him to prepare for
America where he would attend the University of
Maryland. Ibrahim and Salha warned their son of the
immoral, corrupt Americans; the dangers of the
pervasive, evil Jews who live there; and the need for
Rami to observe Islam and keep to his own kind. Rami was
unaware that he would owe his life to the terrorist
organization al-Shahid.
RAYNA, a religious Syrian Jew from Brooklyn, New York,
was born into wealth and privilege. She dreamed of
studying journalism away from the constraints of a
community steeped in orthodoxy and Syrian culture.
Intelligent and tenacious, Rayna struggled with her
parents, determined to leave home and attend the
University of Maryland. Abe and Sarah lectured their
daughter about remaining a virgin until her wedding
night, observing the laws of Judaism and all its
holidays, and keeping to her own kind. She was unaware
of what fate had in store for her.
RAMI AND RAYNA defied their respective doctrines and
dared to love. Grappling for survival, they collided
with conflicts and hatreds that divide Muslim and Jew,
endured harsh backlash from intolerant and hostile
parents, and suffered at the hands of a tyrannical and
erratic leader in al-Shahid. Together, they journeyed
into the depths of humanity.
Reviews
"Set against a collegiate background in Maryland, the
main characters are anything but white-bread teens.
Syrian-born Rami is a passionate Muslim drawn into the
clutches of an extremist terrorist organization. Rayna
is an American-born Syrian Jew raised in Orthodox
traditions but longing to experience life beyond the
confines of her upbringing. When the two opposites
attract, their taboo relationship sparks intolerance on
all sides." The
Mountain Express, Asheville, NC
"Bahia Abrams skillfully confronts the truths of our
existence, creating a riveting tale that brings out the
best and the worst of humanity. Accosting religious
fanaticism, this powerful love story will strike at your
deepest emotions and challenge your innermost thoughts. The
Other Half of My Soul must
be read to the very last gripping page. I could not put
this book down." Marlene E. Post, past President,
Hadassah International
"The Other Half of My Soul is
a contemporary update on the classic love story of two
people whose passion for each other is forced to
confront not only the ancient constraints of family and
religion, but the new geopolitical challenges that have
arisen from the rubble of the World Trade Center attacks
as well. Bahia Abrams' novel is rich with romance,
action and intrigue, and in the end her book bears a
powerful message about the ability of individual human
beings to defeat the hateful dictates of ideology." Dan
Cabaniss, Gainesville State College
"History-related fiction sometimes conveys reality
better than scholarly literature. Bahia Abrams has done
so with her first novel, a love story thriller, which
vividly relates the calamities religious fanaticism
produces. The story is uplifting by its suggestion that
love can overcome even the greatest obstacles." Doctor
Walter Ziffer, author of The
Birth of Christianity from the Matrix of Judaism
"Driven by suspense and mystery, The
Other Half of My Soul is
an utterly captivating story of culture clash overcome
by the power of love. Deftly plotted with engaging
characters, the reader will immerse into an incredible
learning experience, glued to the pages long into the
night. For a first-time novelist, Bahia Abrams scores a
ten." Marshall Frank, author of Militant
Islam In America
PageOneLit.com: Why do you write?
Bahia Abrams: I
have always enjoyed writing, from as far back as I can remember.
Writing energizes me. Through words, I can create. I can touch
people, trigger emotions, crystallize the realities of humanity and
of our world.
PageOneLit.com: THE OTHER HALF OF MY SOUL is a very ambitious first
novel that is near perfect in so many ways; character, plot and
setting. This is a 'classic' love story for our time. Do you believe
in 'Love at first sight'? Did you set out to write a love story?
Bahia Abrams: Yes,
I did set out to write a love story. Loving someone who is so
different than you is not an easy situation to be in. In any
tight-knit community, tolerance and acceptance threaten a religious
group’s survival. When I was young and vulnerable, I was taught that
others who were not like us, were not as good as us.
Love at first sight
is a tricky question. I believe that certain prerequisites must
first be met. Getting in touch with your sixth sense, being able to
shed preconceived bigotries, learning to love yourself wholly and
unconditionally—these conditions must first be met before ‘love at
first sight’ can be fully realized.
PageOneLit.com: Who is Rami? Who is Rayna? Were these characters
based on anyone?
Bahia Abrams: Rami
is a reflection of a Syrian Muslim growing up in an intolerant
world. Rayna is a reflection of my years growing up in the
prejudiced Syrian-Jewish community. When the two meet, they see each
other as human beings. The bigotries and rigidities they grew up
with are no longer important.
PageOneLit.com: Like any 'great' novel THE OTHER HALF OF MY SOUL
offers challenges for its characters. What
are a few of the challenges facing Rami and Rayna?
Bahia Abrams: Defying
their religious doctrines, they dared to love. Because of this, they
suffered at the hands of a tyrannical and erratic Muslim leader,
endured harsh backlash from intolerant and hostile parents, and
collided with conflicts and hatreds that divide Muslim and Jew.
Together, they journeyed into the depths of humanity.
PageOneLit.com: I read that you have said with THE OTHER HALF OF MY
SOUL, "by challenging instilled beliefs and religion help curtail
bigotry" - Explain.
Bahia Abrams: I
purposely wrote about unconditional love between a Jew and a Muslim.
I remember a Sunni Muslim once told me that she and her husband
would rather their child marry a Jew than a Shi’ite. Harsh judgments
and discrimination occur not only toward others who are outside the
fringes, but also toward those who are inside the fringes. As long
as we are willing to submit to the dictates of fundamentalist
leaders, nothing will change.
It is only when we
can accept the possibilities of religion being a big business and
religion controlling our lives with the fear of God, can we advance
to a more tolerant and accepting world. What brought Rami
and Rayna was their strong Syrian culture, not their differences of
religion.
PageOneLit.com: Explain your title THE OTHER HALF OF MY SOUL as it
relates to character and plot.
Bahia Abrams: Rami
and Rayna each possessed half a soul. Thus, their half souls were in
search of their mates.
When Rami was abducted and left for dead in the jungles of Putumayo
in southern Colombia, it was a Kofan Indian shaman who tried to heal
him with the mystical powers of the yaje plant. In his delirium,
Rami had kaleidoscope visions of Rayna during the Inquisition. A
wise teacher had given Rami coins for passage to flee Spain. “Hold
tightly to the maiden’s hand,” the teacher said. “Do not let go, not
until you are both safely on the other side. If your hands separate,
she will be snatched from you and you will spend many lifetimes
searching for her.” So when Rami met Rayna, her vision was already
in his psyche.
For Rayna, it was
different. She ached to be loved. When Rami had said, “I love you,”
and professed it so honestly, she was hooked. Initially trying to
fight an overpowering force tugging at her inner self, she accepted
their religious differences and surrendered to her destiny.
PageOneLit.com:
With the mainstream success of the film SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE, do you
have any hopes of turning THE OTHER HALF OF MY SOUL into a
screenplay?
Bahia Abrams: Readers
continue to urge me to pursue this direction. However, writing a
book and writing a screenplay are vastly different. Since I have
never written a screenplay, I put this out to all of you. This
incredibly gripping and heartwarming story with extraordinary
characters will bring out every emotion inside of you. I would
welcome an experienced screenplay writer to contact me about
exploring the opportunity to bring this intense love story to the
screen.
PageOneLit.com: For me, in THE OTHER HALF OF MY SOUL, I saw many
themes "Journey's" - Rami moving/journeying to the US. Rami and
Rayna's journey together. Writing a novel is a journey? Agree or
disagree? Explain.
Bahia Abrams: I
completely agree. Writing The
Other Half of My Soul was
a long journey in two directions. Traveling back through my
childhood, I confronted issues that I would have liked to keep
buried. I cruised through happiness and I experienced my first love.
My journey forward took me to unimaginable heights. Exploring the
formula for committed love and learning about the seeds that fuel
hatred, brought me tears and smiles, anger and joy.
The quote on the first page of the last chapter in my
book by the writer, Thomas Wolfe, captures it all.
We are the sum of all the moments of our lives. All
that is ours is in them.
PageOneLit.com: Define Hajj. Define souq? How much research went
into writing THE OTHER HALF OF MY SOUL?
Bahia Abrams: Islam
imposes five Pillars on its followers. The fifth Pillar is the Hajj or
the Pilgrimage to Mecca. Every adult Muslim, man and woman, is
required to make this pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca, the city
of Muhammad’s birth—if their health and finances allow. The
pilgrimage season follows the holy month of fasting, Ramadan.
A souq is the
Arabic word for a covered marketplace. A souq can be large or small.
It can specialize in only one thing, such as jewelry, clothing,
produce, or meats, etc. Or it can be a conglomerate of vendors with
a variety of goods to sell under one roof. Souqs are most often
found in the Arab world in countries of the Middle East and North
Africa. Souqs are synonymous with ‘bargaining.’ Vendors and
customers have been known to wrangle on a price for hours. Haggling
is a favorite pastime in Arab countries.
Untold hours of
research went into writing The
Other Half of My Soul. I not only used
on-line search engines, but I also delved into books, magazine, and
newspapers. Additionally, I spent hours interviewing people who live
or have lived in Syria and Lebanon, South America—including the
Triple Frontier region and the jungles of the Amazon. From
interviews, I learned about the two attacks on the World Trade
Towers in February 1993 and on 9/11. I could also draw from my own
life growing up in the Syrian-Jewish community in Brooklyn, New York
and from my many travels and places I have lived. The book depicts
reality in its most visceral form. One can search for anything in
the book and find it. Only the characters are my creation.
PageOneLit.com: What do you hope readers will say after reading THE
OTHER HALF OF MY SOUL ? What has been some feedback?
Bahia Abrams: I
hope readers will ask themselves: Could
love ever become the overriding force in the human race?
Feedback has been
overwhelming: I cannot put the book down. You have crystalized
reality head on. This book is more real than non-fiction. I
connected with the characters and feel like I know them personally.
It stirred up all of my emotions. The ending blew my mind. This
needs to be a movie.
On the other
side—Muslims are angry. They reject the story of a Muslim loving a
Jew. It’s blasphemy. It’s desecrating Islam.
Moreover, in the
Jewish community, some have condemned me for even suggesting that a
Jew and a Muslim could possibly love.
PageOneLit.com: What was the last book you read?
Bahia Abrams: Queenmaker
by India Edghill
PageOneLit.com: Any hobbies other than writing?
Bahia Abrams: I
love to go hiking in the mountains.
PageOneLit.com: What's next?
Bahia Abrams: I
am working on a biography about a Jew who was born in Aleppo, Syria.
To emigrate, he had to travel to Beirut, then Cairo, then Iraq, then
India, then Shanghai, only to find he was stateless, a person with
no papers.
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