This scenic, moving novel, set at the end of the 19th Century, follows the life-altering trials and experiences of a pioneer woman in pre-state Israel. Fania, a 16 year old survivor of a pogram in the Ukraine, arrives in Israel with her uncle, her deranged brother, and her unwanted baby – a product of rape. She meets Yehiel, a 26 year old widower and father of two. Fania moves in with Yehiel and throws herself into the life of a peasant woman, trying to squeeze a living out of the stony ground despite hunger and disease. Wearing Arab robes, she breaks into the male-dominated world of commerce, politics, and even defense.