Ashkelon enters the narrative as the setting of a remembered family outing after the Six-Day War. Rather than being described in its own right, it is associated with an improvised raft, a frightening moment at sea, and Alexander Gideon bringing Ilana Sommo and Boaz Brandstetter back to shore—a recollection that preserves an image of the family together.

Setting and Recollection

Ilana Sommo recalls the Ashkelon summer while sitting on a bench during a later visit. Her memory reaches back to the period after the Six-Day War, making Ashkelon less a continuously present location than a point of return in the story: a place connected to an earlier family experience.

The Raft Episode

Alexander constructed a raft from wooden posts tied together with rope, using no nails, and called it the Kon-Tiki. He told Boaz Brandstetter about Phoenician seafarers, Vikings, and famous voyages, and taught him sailors’ knots by guiding his fingers. The expedition turned frightening when the raft encountered a whirlpool; fishermen then brought the family back toward shore, and Alexander carried Ilana and Boaz from their boat onto the sand.

Narrative Significance

The Ashkelon memory gathers adventure and danger into a single episode of family closeness. Its details show Alexander sharing stories and practical knowledge with Boaz, while the return to shore makes his physical care for Ilana and the boy central to the recollection. Ashkelon’s significance therefore rests on what Ilana remembers happening there: a moment when the family’s shared vulnerability and Alexander’s care were unmistakable.