Boaz Builds an Independent Life

Boaz moves from expulsion, arrests, and flight toward a self-directed communal life built around work, repair, and the stars.

increasingBearing stren­gth in each eventdecreasing

School in Crisis

School in Crisis A last disciplinary breach At sixteen, Boaz faces expulsion after striking a teacher who slapped him. His mother cannot find another school willing to accept his record. A future closing in The notice confirms his alienation from institutions and family. His size and strength make his anger frightening, while his mother’s appeal reveals how little control she has.

Custody in Tel Aviv

Custody in Tel Aviv Arrest and release After leaving school, Boaz is arrested in Tel Aviv over suspected stolen goods. Michel uses family and police contacts to secure bail. A narrow agreement Boaz rejects rescue at first, then accepts a job arranged by Michel. He insists on earning his own money, making independence the condition of renewed contact.

The Sea as Escape

The Sea as Escape Another departure After attacking his employer, Boaz leaves again and says he is going to sea. The note to his family is brief, apologetic, and unwilling to promise a return. A life without permission His flight is not merely a response to one quarrel. It expresses his refusal to let adults define his future, even when their concern is genuine.

Escape in Ophira

Escape in Ophira A violent intervention Boaz joins a confrontation when police arrest his Bedouin companion. He injures officers with a tire attached to a rope, then escapes from the station by breaking through a wall. A new destination He turns up in Kiryat Arba, connected to Michel’s religious-political circle. The placement offers shelter and work but conflicts with Boaz’s beliefs and temperament.

The Zikhron Commune

The Zikhron Commune Making a home from ruins Boaz settles in his grandfather’s neglected estate and gathers young people to restore rooms, cultivate land, and care for animals. He sets rules based on work and mutual respect rather than preaching. A chosen life His telescope, garden, and communal routines offer an alternative to both delinquency and ideological discipline. The once-unmanageable boy becomes a quiet center of practical cooperation.

Early February 1976

21–22 February 1976

May 1976

June 1976

August–October 1976