The Lives of Jessie Sampter

The narrative explores the complex life of Jessie Sampter, who, despite her deep commitment to Zionism and her influential writings, embodied contradictions that challenged traditional ideals. Immigrating to Palestine in 1919, she grappled with her identity as a disabled woman affected by polio and her experiences of same-sex love, diverging from the norms celebrated by the Zionist movement. Through Sampter's journey, the book examines the intricate relationships between body, queerness, disability, religion, and nationalism, revealing the nuanced struggles of a pioneering yet unconventional figure.