The Jewish War: A Novel (Library of Modern Jewish Literature) [Paperback]

Tova Reich (Author)

Book Description

Series: Library of Modern Jewish Literature | Publication Date: June 1997

It is sometime in the near future, and the Israeli Army is about to descend upon a band of militant settlers who have proclaimed the secessionist Kingdom of Judea and Samaria. So begins this timely and brilliantly satiric novel -- an all-too-real story of a modern-day Masada.

The Jewish War is most particularly the story of Yehudi HaGoel (formerly Jerry Goldberg of the Bronx), the fiery and charismatic king of an extreme Zionist sect. His divine mission: to hasten the coming of the Messiah and bring about the redemption. As we follow him from his youth in New York City and the Catskills to his hilarious, illicit passage to Israel during the Six-Day War and through his campaign to claim the sacred city of Hebron (the burial place of the Jewish Patriarchs and Matriarchs), we enter into a complex and troubled world rife with ancient passions. It is a world peopled with irreconcilables: religious Zionists, ultra-Orthodox anti-Zionists, Christian fundamentalists, Arab nationalists, secular Israelis, American supporters, and implacable military officers. Among these last is General Uri Lapidot, whose career is uncannily linked to HaGoel's and who is charged with the grim and unwanted task of leading the Israeli army against the secessionist kingdom in the final showdown.

By turns comic and tragic, The Jewish War is a stunning account of the struggle between political realities and historical vision, between the hope for peace and a fierce commitment to sacred, eternal truth. Written with deep authority and intense power, it brings to life haunting and universally resonant characters whose deepest yearnings are those that pursue us all.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

This is an outrageously funny, wickedly irreverent, deadly serious satire on religious extremism. Reich follows messianic, opportunistic, polygamous Jerry Goldberg in his metamorphosis from Bronx social worker and Catskills camp counselor into Yehudi HaGoel, terrorist leader of a band of American Jewish zealots who establish a short-lived secessionist kingdom on Israel's West Bank. Joining Jerry/Yehudi in this doomed quest are his three wives (a Barnard-educated English literature scholar, a mail-order swindler and a conflicted divorcee); Jerry's trusted comrade, Herbie Levy (Hoshea HaLevi) of Brooklyn; and fellow Uzi-toting fanatics willing to die for their cause. Swinging from broad farce to tragic confrontation, Reich (Mara; Master of the Return) peoples her canvas with assorted ideologues, among them Chuck Buck, fast-talking evangelical preacher who joins forces with Yehudi to further his goal of building a Christian theme park on Jerusalem's Temple Mount. Meanwhile, Buck's sister Pam kidnaps boys to swell the ranks of The Messiah-Waiters, an ultraorthodox, anti-Zionist movement, and is romantically pursued by an old Arab sheikh, Abu Salman, who's obeying a vision to marry her in order to produce a child. Reich writes with chutzpah, wild humor and real insight in this probing exploration of the cult mentality and messianic nationalism.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

The Jewish War is remarkable for many reasons. It is political and religious satire of the highest order. It is also a vigorous and at times moving story peopled with fallible, complicated, entirely credible characters. And, perhaps most impressive, it displays an unerring control of tone, moving from the high comedy of a summer camp in the Catskills in the early 1960s to a grand, dramatic conclusion in the ancient city of Hebron in the late 1990s. The tone darkens as the story advances, but the early absurdity and comic exhilaration never quite disappear. Rather, they are built upon in layers, so that by the end the novel resonates like a complex chord, the strains of its humor still distinctly audible within the pathos and tragedy that gradually come to dominate. -- The New York Times Book Review, Patrick McGrath

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Syracuse Univ Pr (Sd); 1st Syracuse University Press ed edition (June 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0815604521
• ISBN-13: 978-0815604525
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,067,543 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Portrait of spiritual futility, July 30, 2006

By 

Sarah Vibrantzek "occasional reader" - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Jewish War: A Novel (Library of Modern Jewish Literature) (Paperback)

The other reviewers' notes on this book's humor notwithstanding, do not expect to laugh out loud, IMHO. Although Reich valiantly attempts to convey an important story through humor, her approach ultimately fails to make good on the best outcome of humor: to take us out of our limited perspectives and connect us to deeper meaning. The book does convey the deep emptiness of fundamentalist thinking and its spiritual depletion. Unfortunately, unless you can follow Reich's path closely, the novel itself has that feel by the end, not having created any larger framework of meaning around the profound futility of what is described.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars An Israeli Looks at the Ultra-Ultra Orthodox Movement to the West Bank, May 31, 2006

By 

Grey Wolffe "Zeb Kantrowitz" (North Waltham, MA United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: The Jewish War: A Novel (Hardcover)

For those who don't know, there are two types of 'ultra'orthodox, those that do not believe in the existence of Israel, and those that believe in the Kingdom of Israel that includes the west bank (Judea and Samaria). Both exist in big helpings in this book. In fact the only sane people are the Israeli Sabras who with everyone, including the Arabs, would shut up and go on with life.

The reason I gave this book three stars is that it has four parts and the first three are great. They are a funny, irreverent, and satiric comment modern day religious extremism. Jerry Goldberg is a messianic orthodox jew who metamorphosis from Bronx social worker and Catskills camp counselor into Yehudi HaGoel, terrorist and polygamous leader of a band of American Jewish zealots who establish a short-lived secessionist Kingdom of Judea and Samaria based at Hebron on Israel's West Bank.

Joining Jerry/Yehudi in this doomed quest are his three wives (a Barnard-educated English literature scholar, a mail-order swindler and a conflicted divorcee); Jerry's trusted comrade, Herbie Levy (Hoshea HaLevi) of Brooklyn; and fellow Uzi-toting fanatics willing to die for their cause. Swinging from broad farce to tragic confrontation. Also along is the Reverand Charles 'Chuck' Buck, fast-talking evangelical preacher who joins forces with Yehudi to further his goal of building a Christian theme park on Jerusalem's Temple Mount.

Buck's sister Pam, has converted to judaism; to swell the ranks of The Messiah-Waiters, an ultraorthodox, anti-Zionist movement, she kidnaps boys. She is pursued by an old Arab sheikh (the spiritual brother of her blessedly passed on husband), Abu Salman, who's obeying a vision to marry her in order to produce a child.

The Jewish War which starts out as a comic vision of how the orthodox spend their summers in the Catskills, to an overly dramatic conclusion in the ancient city of Hebron. As the story advances, early absurdity and comic exhilaration begin to disappear. At the end, we are left with the absurdity alone, which is a poor foundation for a reasonble ending.

1.0 out of 5 stars Dispiriting, September 19, 2010

By 

Simon G. Barrett (london, england) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Jewish War: A Novel (Library of Modern Jewish Literature) (Paperback)

I loved The Master of the Return (which I review here as 'blond omnivore' and more fully on amazon.co.uk, mysteriously as 'a customer') but that addressed human absurdity Candide-style; here, in an all too real situation, the burlesque grows wearisome, the religiosity suffocating and the absurdity toxic; 'she can call herself a leper...if...she likes, but the main question is, What kind of leper is she? I mean, is she a Moslem leper, a Christian leper, a Jewish leper, or what?' In the vexed question of the Land of Israel not even black humour will serve any longer.

PS and the fact that the Pope is visiting the UK right now didn't help any either! But I have hopes of My Holocaust (if that is the right way of putting it...)