Sharon Letson

O Jerusalem, Jerusalem! Sharon Letson

The destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD was a pivotal moment for both Judaism and Christianity. For the Jews, it not only resulted in the complete destruction of the second temple, but it also brought an end to the system of sacrifices and the priesthood. When the genealogical records were destroyed, along with the temple, and the priests killed by the Romans, Mosaic Judaism ceased to exist. For Christians, it meant a definitive end to the systemic persecution by the Jewish religious leaders. The elder brother Paul described, could no longer torment the younger, legitimate heir. And it was fulfillment of the prophecies spoken a generation earlier by their Christ. During the Pax Romana - a forced "peace" of oppression by the Romans- a carpenter from the region of Galilee spoke of wars, famines, false prophets, and the ultimate destruction of the temple in Jerusalem. Over the next 40 years, his followers saw those prophecies fulfilled as year after year peace eroded and the rumbles of revolt grew louder and louder. They eventually exploded in the Jewish war that brought about the destruction of the Jewish Holy City and their temple, and ultimately brought an end to the age of the Law. In this historical fiction account, the historical narratives and biblical records are woven together and threaded throughout with fictional characters, in an effort to weave a broad story bridging the time period between 30 and 70 AD. The story follows a first century Jewish man and his family as he navigates a world dominated by Rome, regulated by the Jewish religious leaders, and increasingly influenced by a new religion - Christianity.