TREVOR HARDING, pursues his Ms. In archeology at Hebrew University, Jerusalem, and falls in love with Rachel Rosenberg, his arch professor's daughter. She gives him short shrift when he tries to get acquainted. She emits the same angst against Gentiles as Professor Rosenberg. Trevor's hopelessness becomes hopeful when Rachel is hospitalized; the result of a suicide bomber. Trevor visits Rachel in the hospital. She is traumatized, refuses to eat, and harbors a death wish. With much cajoling and shaming, he gets her eating and wanting to live again. Love enters between spoons of food and knitting of bones. The professor, finding the pair laughing and kibitzing, takes umbrage at their conviviality. He removes his daughter from the hospital against medical advice...eliminating the Goyim factor. Trevor is sent to Egypt to help a sister dig. Rachel, recovered, visits friends of Trevor's; David and Ida Sherman, Messianic Jews. When Trevor returns he finds Rachel has become a believer in Jesus, the Messiah. High hopes. They are spiritually on the same wave length. Plans for marriage surface. Fate has other plans. Rachel is killed as a bomb strikes the plant where she works. Trevor is distraught. Life loses meaning; God is unjust. Fears and distrust stalk him. Another beauty from the States enters camp. But... she' s spoken for. Has Cupid taken umbrage against our hero age 29? Au contraire. A guardian angel nudges Cupid out of the way and everything in Trevor's garden comes up lovely.
