The Laundry Room

Book Club Questions for The Laundry Room

 

• What event changed Laila’s perception of her future? Why was it “for all the wrong reasons’?

• How did Laila’s personality and temperament contribute to her part in the main plot?

• List and discuss three main themes.

• What trait did Ari possess that made his life more difficult than it should have been?

• Everyone has at least one motivating force that carries them through life. What was Itzhak’s?

• How did Ezra’s love of poetry play out in the story?

• What do you think was the cohesive glue that held the group together?

• What part did the British soldier play in the story? Why didn’t Laila pursue the relationship?

• How would you have fared under those conditions?

• How were these young people different from their parents?

The Historical Background to The Laundry Room

 

After the defeat of the Ottoman Empire in 1917, Palestine fell under the aegis of Great Britton. The conquered area was divided into British Palestine, TransJordan, French Syria, and Lebanon. During earlier negotiations, Zionist leader Ze’ev Jabotinsky pushed for the British to allow the formation of a Zionist volunteer corps. It was eventually called the Zion Mule Corp. The men fought bravely alongside the British.

When Lloyd George became prime minister, he allowed for a “Jewish Legion” which participated in an assault on Sinai. This action was the beginning of a Jewish presence once again in Palestine. During the Sykes-Picot Agreement in 1916, the Ottoman Empire was divided into spheres of influence. A subsequent agreement with Hussein bin Ali, Sharif of Mecca, presented by France and Britain made two conflicting promises: 1) Hussein was promised an independent Arab country covering the majority of the Arab Middle East in exchange for their support. 2) The Jews were promised a Jewish national home in Palestine under the Balfour Declaration for their support. Subsequently, the wording was changed to say the Jews would have a place in the country.

A conflict began between the two factions that remain to today. Eventually two Jewish forces arose from the underground: Ingrun, the National Military Organization and Lehi, Fighters for the freedom of Israel, also known as the Stern Gang. Both groups comprised the Haganah. There arose a struggle between the groups over ideology and a new, stronger Haganah arose, which is still in existence. As the British Mandate drew to a close, it was evident the Jews and Arabs would not be able to live in harmony. It then became crucial that the fledgling country would have to arm itself if it wanted to survive.

It was then the Ayalon Institute came into existence. It became the sole producers of 9mm bullets used by the Sten gun, a blowback-operated submachine gun firing from an open bolt with a fixed firing pin on the face of the bolt. This was the gun of choice since it was readily available from being left on the fighting fields by the British. It was the ammunition that was scarce. When forty-five young Pioneer Scouts who had taken on the running of their own kibbutz were approached to build and run a factory, producing these bullets, they never looked back. This is their story.

Photo of women packing bullets in the Ayalon Institute, 1946 used with permission of the Ayalon Institute Rehovot.