Tobruk and Mercedes: What makes a book or a car Jewish?

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One of my sons chose to read a “Jewish book” titled “Operation Agreement” and subtitled “Jewish Commandos and the Raid on Tobruk.” I vaguely recalled seeing the movie “Tobruk,” starring Rock Hudson and George Peppard, when I was much younger. I recall it had something to do with Jewish commandos. 

 

I read “Operation Agreement” while I was on vacation and was very disappointed in it from a Jewish standpoint. One chapter focused on the Jewish commandos, including brief descriptions of Nazi anti-Semitism and prewar Jewish military groups. The rest of the book is a blow-by-blow description of World War II’s Libyan/Egyptian campaign through the first Battle of El Alamein, followed by a failure-by-failure description of the raid on Tobruk.

The book is a very exciting read for someone interested in military history, but I would not call it a “Jewish book.”

I’m not sure I would necessarily even call a book about Israel’s military a Jewish book. I have not yet read “The Weapon Wizards: How Israel Became a High-Tech Military Superpower,” which has a 2017 publishing date. It will probably be a great way to learn about Israel’s unique creativity, but I don’t think drones, armor, satellites and cyber viruses are really a Jewish subject.

However, some may look at it otherwise. I know some people consider the Mercedes a Jewish car because it was named after Mercédès Adrienne Ramona Manuela Jellinek, the granddaughter of a chief rabbi of Vienna, a renowned orator and compiler of midrash. I doubt Hitler would have ridden in so many Mercedes if he were aware of the origin of the name.

Perhaps some people would consider anything with a Jewish or Israeli name to be Jewish.

Other people doubt the value of fiction, even historical fiction. They object to books by Saul Bellow or Philip Roth, some even saying they may at times be anti-Jewish. However, I think fictional works such as Milton Steinberg’s “As a Driven Leaf,” Abraham Cahan’s “The Rise of David Levinsky” and Desmond Seward’s “Jerusalem’s Traitor” have much to teach us.

Steinberg’s novel lets us eavesdrop on the arguments of the ancient rabbis, though it also deals with conflicts between tradition and modern culture. Cahan’s book is a wonderful account of how Jewish immigrants became Americanized. And “Jerusalem’s Traitor”

 

helps us understand Josephus and the fall of Judea and Masada.

For that matter, much of Elie Wiesel’s work is a fictionalized account of what he experienced, although it is universally accepted as truth.

Ultimately, what makes a “Jewish book” is subjective. I recommend that people who are concerned about this consult with a synagogue’s librarian or clergy or with the Jewish Book Council. The latter just announced the winners of its 2016 National Jewish Book Awards.

Michael Chabon won the Literary Achievement Award for his books, which include “The Yiddish Policeman’s Union” and “Moonglow.” Daniel Gordis’ “Israel: A Concise History of a Nation Reborn” was awarded Jewish Book of the Year.

Another winner, in American Jewish Studies, was “Kosher USA: How Coke Became Kosher and Other Tales of Modern Food,” by Roger Horowitz. It is a fascinating account of why most of the foods you find in American supermarkets are now under Kosher supervision.

National Jewish Book Awards were also made in many other categories, including Children’s Literature, Debut Fiction, Fiction, History, Poetry, Women’s Studies and Young Adult. You can find the winners at www.JewishBookCouncil.org.

In addition to book news and lists of books by subjects and authors, the website also has book reviews.

As part of a new reading initiative, members of the Greater Rhode Island Jewish community are invited to read a book of their choice over the course of three months. The books should be nonfiction with Jewish content. This program is sponsored by the Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island, the Board of Rabbis of Greater Rhode Island, Kollel: Center for Jewish Studies, PJ Library and Project Shoresh.

For recommendations of books, and to register, check out our website at www.jewishallianceri.org/read, or feel free to ask your rabbi or friends. Please sign up at this website, so we know how many are participating and to receive notices related to the reading program. We also plan to hold book conversations. A community that learns together grows together!

LARRY KATZ is director of Jewish life and learning at the Jewish Alliance of Greater R.I.