Another thing that annoys Thomas is that Esther’s mailing addresses are always “in care” of someone. He worries that Esther is living a floaty, itinerant life. The Druckers are vague about Esther’s purpose in Mandatory Palestine (a name for Palestine while under British mandate, from 1920 to 1948) because, as Isaac Drucker tells Thomas, protocol requires Ether’s Haganah work not be discussed.

Haganah or the Defense refers to the Zionist paramilitary organization meant to protect Jewish settlements from attacks by Arab people. One of the key policies of Haganah is Havlagah or the Restraint, meaning that the Zionist forces would not attack innocent Arab civilians out of revenge. To Thomas and Constance, the coexistence of Haganah and Havlagah seems a contradiction, but they don’t discuss their confusion with the Druckers.

The Winslows figure that Esther is working with the Haganah as a nurse. By 1940, war has broken out and the Haganah has allied itself with the British. Moshe gets married to someone else, though Honor is sure he would have fulfilled his promise to Esther. In December 1940, a pregnant Esther returns to the United States, shocking the people of Pennacook with her unwed pregnancy. To the horror of the Pennacook folk, the Winslows seem to accept Esther’s state, discussing the coming child all around town.