Yeshu: A Novel for the Open-Hearted

This lyrical, history-based retelling of the Jesus saga was written for readers of all ages and theological backgrounds, particularly those who consider themselves “spiritual, but not religious.” The reader is invited in to meet a Jewish storytelling carpenter named Yeshu, his wilderness-walking cousin Yohanan, and a band of fellow seekers as they travel through wilderness, village, and city in search of the powerful connection between nature and the spirit—and the meaning of what it is to be human. Brimming with adventure, laughter, and wild beauty, the quest they share forever alters their lives, and still impacts ours. The brother and sister who are the eyes and ears of this retelling step out of obscurity to show us that the story we thought we knew about Jesus/Yeshu will elude us until we find our personal story transformed along the way. As the novel opens, Daavi is a young lad helping out in his neighbor Yeshu’s workshop. In return, Yeshu tells Daavi stories, many of which he will share with future hillside crowds. Over time the two forge a friendship that is deepened as Daavi travels the open road with Yeshu and his followers, including the exuberant Thunder Brothers, James and John, and the outcast Maria Magdalena. But before Daavi can take his first step at Yeshu’s side, his beloved sister Shoshana goes mysteriously missing, leading him on a search to bring her home that puts his own soul in the balance during his journey with Yeshu and beyond. The author worked for five decades with Indigenous and African-descendant peoples of the Americas, as an ally in their struggles to improve their lives, revitalize their cultures, and restore the Earth. Most of that time, he was also imagining YESHU. Read more