Customer Reviews

Monday The Rabbi Took Off (Rabbi Small Mysteries)

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This 1972 book is the 4th in the 'Rabbi Small' (FRIDAY THE RABBI SLEPT LATE) series that was quite popular in the late '60's and '70's. Like the rest of the series the action centers on Rabbi David Small, his family - wife Miriam and young son Jonathan and the temple congregation of Barnard's Crossing, a small New England town. The books are a continous arc, beginning with Rabbi Small's arrival and proceeding in chronological order, both through his life and the days of the week in the titles. MONDAY THE RABBI TOOK OFF follows a few months after the events of the previous novel, a new board of directors has taken charge of the temple, one that is not completely happy with their rabbi a sentiment that is shared with the rabbi himself. When the matter of his contract is broached Rabbi Small has decided he needs some time off and announces that he is taking some time off to go to Israel - and he is not completely certain whether it will be a temporary or permanent move.

The story is split between two locations, Israel with Rabbi Small and his twin tasks of resolving his personal conflicts and solving a murder, and the Barnard's Crossing Temple which is trying to decide what to do about their rather difficult, and currently absent, rabbi.

As always with this 'cozy' series the murder mystery aspect is secondary to the characters involved. Kemelman brings the various, and there are many, characters involved to life. The members of the congregation and their own points of view are shown as well as the Rabbi and his family. In this book we also met Miriam's Aunt Gittel and are introduced into the world of mid-1970's Israel.

The story is a bit dated but has worn quite well. It, like the rest of the series, is not for anyone looking for a challenging puzzler of a mystery but rather would appeal to a fan of the 'cozy' genre.

I liked Rabbi Small when he was figuring out mysteries and murders in Marblehead, otherwise known as "Barnard's Crossing", a small town in Massaschusetts in the `60s and `70s. His congregation always contained believable local characters, he dealt with people whom I could recognize, and most of all, there was more suspense and dare I say---action ! This series has many of the same characters from book to book, so you might enjoy the twang of familiar strings. If you live around here, you will certainly enjoy the familiar. Back when the books came out, locals tried to guess who was whom in reality. In MONDAY, the rabbi seems burnt out, he needs a break, a short sabbatical. He and his wife head off to Israel without much word to the folks back home as to whether they'll actually return or not. The rabbi, as usual, is not a gung-ho parish leader. He's thoughtful, he's retiring, and he doesn't kowtow to anyone. Harry Kemelman liked to explain Jewish customs and religion to his readers. I think it was an admirable part of his books; it lifted them above the average detective novel the way Tony Hillerman's Navajo characters and background did his. But if we get too much into "presentation" and too far from suspense or mystery, then the thing is going to fall a little flat. I'm afraid this number of the series plopped into that category.
Terrorist bombings in Jerusalem that turn out to be something more or less, far-fetched connections to the past, unlikely suspects, the Israeli police and security apparatus, the rabbi very tangentially involved, but using pilpul, or Talmudic reasoning to bring closure to the case (all in a few pages)---this didn't add up for me. Israeli attitudes and contradictions in the 1970s may not ring too many bells today. If you're a big Kemelman fan, of course you'll want to read this one too, but I think the ones written about a more familiar environment are better.

Kemelman continues his highly enjoyable series with many of the same characters in his Mass. town. Some may be amazed at how leaders of his congregation view their Rabbi--businesslike vs. spiritual or religious--but "it takes all kinds..." In the Mass. part of the book, I especially liked the characterizations of the Deutch's--a challenge between their self-interest & integrity--very well done. The other part of the book takes place in Israel where the mystery concerns terrorists & bombings. There again, Kemelman presents interesting dichotomies: the Rabbi's feelings while in the US vs. in Israel--"torn between two lovers?" The other is between Gittel & her son Uri over secularism vs. religious orthodoxy--a quite controversial topic in Israel. I'm not sure I agree with Rabbi's Small's position, but it needed to be presented. I found Gittel to be a most engaging character. The mystery is actually a small (no pun intended) part of the book which the Rabbi, of course, solves quite readily & cleverly. Thus, this book is a bit of a change of pace, but nevertheless consistent with Kemelman's other Rabbi Small books. They may be a bit old, but they're still quite good & worth reading for a mystery lover or someone interested in American Judaism (& in this book Israel as well).

Mr. Kemelman writes a very good story. This one is not so much a mystery as it is a travelogue and explanation of Jewish life in the modern world. It has always been a bit of wonder that he could present a rabbi who could make such interesting deductions and solve mysteries so easily. There are always examples of this rabbi thinking outside the box in his books. It is quite refreshing to read these quirks of logic that are so reasonable and yet unexpected.

This story has a bit of a long workup to the mystery, but then some stories seem to have so many people getting killed, it is a wonder there is anyone left to solve the crime.

"Monday..." is part of a series of books about the Rabbi,which I have'nt read yet. I found this one in a used book store, and bought it mostly for the provcative religion-related title. It turned up to be a thrilling mystery. It was written in the mid-70s, and this is shown in the plot (Arab terrorists in Jerusalem, etc.), but that only means that you learn a bit about the way Israel was (at least, in American eyes) in the mid-70s, and about sections in the Jewish community in America at that time. On the other hand, I guess that you must have basical knowledge and interest in the Jewish Community/Judaism/Israel in order to enjoy this book.

Read them! Also check out The Final Analysis of Dr Stark (Rabbi Daniel Winter Mysteries)