Across So Many Seas – Ruth. Behar

Across So Many Seas weaves the stories of four girls from a Sephardic Jewish family across 500 years, each navigating displacement and resilience. In 1492 Spain, Benvenida flees the Inquisition, carrying her family’s traditions to Istanbul. Centuries later, Reina is exiled from Turkey to Cuba, grappling with loss and arranged marriage. Her daughter, Alegra, becomes a literacy teacher in post-revolution Cuba but must escape Castro’s regime. Finally, Paloma, Alegra’s daughter in 2003, unravels her family’s history during a trip to Spain, discovering ties that bind them all.

Ruth Behar’s lyrical prose connects these narratives through shared songs, language, and a hunger for belonging. Each girl faces upheaval—whether fleeing persecution, political turmoil, or cultural erasure—yet finds strength in ancestral memory. The novel explores how identity is shaped by history, faith, and the courage to rebuild a home.

From the cobblestone streets of medieval Spain to the vibrant shores of Miami, the settings mirror the family’s evolving struggles and triumphs. Behar, drawing on her own heritage, infuses the story with Ladino poetry and intimate details of Sephardic life. The result is a tapestry of resilience, showing how generations pass down not just stories, but the spirit to endure.

Themes of faith, displacement, and the power of storytelling resonate deeply. The book underscores how even in exile, culture and hope persist—a testament to the unbreakable bonds between past and present.