X TROOP - the secret Jewish commandos of World War II by Leah Garrett

 During WWII there were highly motivated soldiers that wanted to fight Nazism.  One such type of soldier fought for the British Expeditionary Forces: German refugees to England who signed up to fight Hitler.  Most of these refugees were Jewish children who made their way to England on the Kindertransport or by other means making their escape before the Nazi noose tightened around them and when they came of age they volunteered or were solicited for top secret commando units to penetrate enemy German lines and gather information, fight as commandos or interrogate German prisoners.  These commandos played an integral role in the preparations for the invasion of Normandy in 1944 and the eventual Allied victory.

The unique aspect of the these commandos was the requirement to sublimate their Jewish identities completely by taking on an original British name and identity.  For Example Manfred Gans became Fred Gray; Peter Arany became Peter Masters, Claus Ascher became Colin Anson.

Some of the extraordinary exploits of these brave men are highlighted in this very readable history. Gans, for example was so fearless that when he heard that parents were still alive at Theresienstadt, he requested a jeep and driver and rode 0ver 300 miles in hostile territory to find his parents.  Gans was one of the few who were Orthodox growing up and had to suppress such an identity, however to his credit after the war he uncovered his Jewish identity and even became his Synagogue president.  Others on the other hand remained completely British forever burying there childhood identities out of complete gratitude to England for their salvation from Nazi Germany.

The men were secretly trained in Wales and only recently is a monument visible at the site of their training.  Curiously, there is no mention of being Jewish refugees despite the fact that over 90 percent of the X troop were completely Jewish.  Being Jewish made these commandos highly motivated in the fight against Hitler.  Additionally curious is the delayed naturalization of these soldiers to becoming British subjects whose naturalization was swift.  England was quick to exploit their motivations and language skills but not quick to admit them to post war Britain - perhaps a hint at lingering Anti Semitism.

The Nazis were shocked at how perfect was their interrogators' spoken German and in asking 'how do you know German so well?' The response was "I will ask the questions, you will just answer them!"

Read this book and be ready to be inspired!

A Plague Upon Our House: My Fight at the Trump White House to Stop COVID from Destroying America By Dr. Scott Atlas

 This book recalls the experiences of an Health policy expert who became Advisor to the President during the Covid-19 pandemic and how he was introduced to the raw negative power lodged against anyone who does not spout the expected narratives.  Dr. Atlas is truly appalled at how no real Public Health expert contributed to the discussions of policies that included societal lockdowns, masks and vaccines.

Dr. Atlas believed in targeting the vulnerable who needed to be safeguarded and mitigate the spread of the disease through social distancing, vaccinations etc. What shocked him was there was no discussion about policies and their possible effects. Specifically, there was no scientific evidence that supported lockdowns and moreover, there was the complete neglect of the negative effects of social lockdowns.  

He believes that the lockdowns cause more harm than effectively mitigating the spread of Covid-19.  Once the country locked down there were increases in domestic abuse, attempted suicides, neglect of schooling, neglect for other medical procedures like cancer treatments.  There were no net gains from the lockdowns, there were adverse affects to public health! He points out that the working class suffers the most.  Affluent elites can work from home but not the working classes!

He expresses frustration from the changing message and narrative.  For example, masks at the beginning were not necessary, then they were necessary and now there is a claim that they don't work!  Dr. Atlas quite convincingly argues from the evidence that masks did nothing to curb the spread of the virus.  He displays the dates that mask mandates were put in place and then compares the increase of Covid cases! In not one place did Covid cases come down from the time that masks were mandated!  He points to Sweden, a country that did not lock down or mandate masks and shows how that country outperformed at least 9 other countries that implemented mask mandates.

He singled out the outrageous mandate to mask young children.  They have a need to see faces in order to properly develop language skills and societal ques and norms.  He believes that there might be a long term deficit in this regard.  

He singles out the tyranny of anyone who disagrees with the narrative, and the absolute vilification resulting from such dissent.  He himself is dismissed as not "being an epidemiologist" and that his qualification as a Health policy scholar and expert at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University ignored.

He admits his naivete when confronted with the deliberate lies lodged against him by mainstream press.  He figures a Journalists seeks the truth! That is not true, however, for example, he was completely and wrongfully accused of believing in "herd immunity" without mitigations.  In other words, the press slammed the author for advocating for allowance of people to get the disease and built up herd immunity despite any subsequent piling up of deaths counts!  Atlas never opined against the various recommended mitigations to stop the disease!

The author praises the Governor of Florida who took a more targeted approach and as a result Florida outperformed most of the States that imposed draconian lockdowns.

The vaccine fetish to the exclusion of other public health concerns is very disconcerting. In a free country where the common slogan was "our body ourselves" one sees that the country has turned into a totalitarian state that dictates social behavior and curtails one's basic freedom to congregate. The fear mongering was based on faulty modeling and although too many people have died, the actual statistic of those who have lost their lives were much lower and are basically from a specific demographic.  Deaths were not as indiscriminate as first anticipated.

Closing schools does not make sense to author because the evidence shows that young people not only tolerate the disease but also do not spread it to adults!  Anyone saying otherwise  ignores the scientific evidence.

Atlas proves himself to be the scientist and dispassionate researcher that is truly needed in such situations like pandemics.

The Real Anthony Fauci: Bill Gates, Big Pharma, and the Global War on Democracy and Public Health (Children’s Health Defense) By Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

 If one had doubts about the efficacy of lockdowns, masks and vaccines, this expose will reinforce those doubts because RFK Jr. brings to light the history of Dr. Anthony Fauci's public health record starting with the Aids epidemic and shows a well documented series of failures to Public Health yet tremendous personal financial success outcomes for for the doctor and his allies.

With one man controlling the millions of $s for grants, Tony Fauci is the go to person for any academic or academy looking for needed funding.  Along with Bill Gates who as it turns out is the largest contributor to vaccine research become true kingpins in how public health progresses. Instead of public health, the result is tremendous power to an elite few.

The book shows very clearly (it is extensively well annotated) that there seems to be a vaccine fetish over general health strategies. The book shows how therapeutics have not only been ignored but mysteriously removed from markets - Hydroxychloroquine and Ivermectin come to mind, inexpensive drugs that are now difficult to procure.  Nowhere can one find recommendations to improvement to the immune system like adding Vitamin D or Zinc to help reduce symptoms.  The book shows that the only important strategy is to get vaccinated however, the statistics of complications of the vaccine seems to be squelched. This means that the decision to get vaccinated is never a discussion or debate but rather a mandate!

Many have dismissed RFK Jr. as an "Anti Vaccer", however what is clear from this book is that his claim in not against an effective vaccine but how this whole situation has negated personal freedoms and completely ignored constitutional rights.  He is concerned that there has been planned scenarios and that the Intelligence, Military, and Pharmaceutical industries are all complicit in taking down the American way life.

The author shows that Fauci failed miserably in coming up with an AIDS vaccine and killed along the way many people from the African Continent. He shows that the expensive drug of choice AZT is acknowledged as very toxic in its own right.  When some scientists showed that HIV + could not be the only cause of AIDS, Fauci not only dismissed them but ruined them by making sure that their funding dried up.  Dr. Fauci, according to the book, has a history of silencing dissent from his opinions and/or decisions instead of maintaining healthy debate based on science.  Dr. Fauci has been shown to be arrogant enough to claim he is the voice of science without any evidence to support his claim.

RFK Jr.'s conclusion is dark, that what is happening before or eyes is the erosion of freedom and the emergence of tyranny and totalitarianism that the government demands compliance with its diktats.  The authors calls for awareness of what is happening and to be sensitive to stand up for person freedom.

The Orchard by Yochi Brandes

The Orchard is a novel that takes place in the second century common era and concludes at the gruesome execution of Rabbi Akiva and the birth of Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi, the eventual leader and redactor of the Mishna. The book is a heavy and extensive political history of the Jewish people through the eyes of the wife of the famous rabbi, Rabbi Akiva. The author has a deep knowledge the contemporary rabbis of the period and she weaves in and out of their lives and moreover their disputes.

The story highlights some famous Talmudic stories like the insight of Kalba Savua's daughter in seeing a future Torah Great in one of her fathers employed shepherds, Akiva ben Joseph.

We are introduced to Rabbi Eliezer, through his wife Imma Shalom who has a deep relationship and understanding of Rachel, Rabbi Akiva's wife. Rabbi Eliezer is depicted as a vestige of the followers of school of Shamai (tracing the famous disputes between Hillel and Shamai) and as a result of Rabbi Akiva's emerging eminence of Biblical exegesis the School of Hillel becomes dominant and solidifies Rabbi Eliezer's isolation - halachically and socially.

We are introduced to the promoter of Christianity, Paul as related to Imma Shalom.  Ms. Brandes assumes the opinion of some scholars that Paul was actually attempting a positive clear division between Jewish believers and those who believe in the Nazarene, that they should remain separate. We are introduced to the great debate of the rabbis on whether to ignore or fight the Nazarenes.  We learn about the new petition that is added to the silent prayer that was known for its 18 petitions but now a 19th is added which is a reference to the elimination of this sectarian threat.

We learn of the harsh treatment of Rabbi Eliezer by Rabban Gamliel who excommunicated him but he, Rabban Gamliel too, was temporarily removed from office and replaced by Ben Zoma.

The books weaves in the story of the Bar Kochba revolt and how there was great infighting and dissension among the ranks of the rabbis. The book is very heavy on the disputes and dissension and quite light about Roman occupation.  Although there is criticism of Rome, not until the ten rabbis are executed brutally does the reader see how outrageous Rome truly is.

The climax of the story is however is quite bitter.  The Talmudic legend is highlighted: the mystical story of 4 rabbis entering the ORCHARD: Ben Zoma dies, Ben Azzai goes insane, Rabbi Elisha becomes an apostate/Roman citizen and Rabbi Akiva comes out whole.  The character of the Rabbi Akiva's wife demands to know what happened in the ORCHARD and before Rabbi Akiva is executed Rachel is granted a private visit to her husband and gets the explosive answer that the future of Jewish history is surveyed as the most lachrymose manifestation nobody could foresee - a history of constant bullying and persecutions basically culminating in a Holocaust. As a result, one rabbi dies instantly one goes insane and one gets "angry at God" becoming an apostate and Akiva comes out whole.  However, Akiva, for the author is not really whole, he concludes to his wife (by what he saw in the ORCHARD) that God will not help but rather we as the nation must act alone and not expect God to help.  Rachel gives Akiva words of encouragement and reminds him of his courage to believe in Hashem and indeed, he shows magnificent courage as he is tortured to death, expiring with the recitation of the SHEMA just as the Talmudic story records. Jewish history is conceptualized to profound rupture and renewal by the fact the novel ends with the birth of the great sage Rabbi Yehuda who will go on to be part of a generation that shows profound religious literary output.

I could not help but notice that this best seller on its back cover noted some very well known and famous people praising the book.  All of them seemed to me secular personages.  The idea that the nation must act alone and not expect Divine help must resonate with those who do not believe in God. The notion that God will not help is not a belief in God but merely a belief in His help. I reject the last visit and conversation between Rabbi Akiva and his wife implying that Akiva's faith waivered and needed encouragement from his wife. The same Akiva that observed the stone being carved out and penetrated by the running water of the stream and connecting such power to Hashem to penetrate his own heart is the same powerful believer to see one last opportunity to do a mitzvah, reciting the Shema  as opposed to saying "why have you forsaken me". 

The Genius: how Bill Walsh reinvented Football and created an NFL dynasty by David Harris

 Growing up in the SF bay Area, I followed the San Francisco 49ers.  It wasn't until Bill Walsh became the head coach that the team started to win with some consistency. I remember before those years the great wide receiver was Gene Washington who came to my High School and I was lucky enough as a child to procure his autograph. However, when the 49ers picked up Joe Montana and Dwight Clark and then Jerry Rice, the team became what a sports fan would call 'magical'.

The book studies the life of a complex personality.  Walsh was well read and even poetic but he was not afraid when challenged 'to go the distance' as Mr. Harris describes a scene when Bill was cut off on the road and followed his opponent off the highway. Despite the size difference, Walsh challenged his opponent and quickly settled the score by a quick combination of punches that he had learned from boxing in College.  From that scene, what was clear was that Walsh could be provoked and his anger could be explosive but decisive.

He was never afraid of making decisions. And those decisions are what made the 49ers successful. As a consummate coach knowing not to scream at his players but rather scream at his coaches resulted in the correct effect of getting players to own up to their mistakes and not blame their coaches! He understood people and enjoyed relationships. He was not afraid to say "I love you!"

Walsh had to deal with an immature owner who lost his temper whenever the team lost.  Walsh needed complete control over football operations to insure that his system of play would be unimpeded.

Early in his coaching career, Walsh was the assistant coach and offensive coordinator to the famous Paul Brown of the Cincinnati Bengels.  With Walsh the Bengels seemed unstoppable.  Much of the Brown's success was due to Walsh.  And when is was clear that Paul Brown was to retire, Bill assumed that he was the natural choice to become Head Coach.  Paul Brown had reservations about Walsh's emotional make-up and did not appoint Walsh as his successor! There was no conversation, no explanation and as a result Walsh seemed to be out of football until he was asked to coach College ball.  

Walsh was somewhat steeled by the Brown episode and continued to show that his teams could score points.  When the 49ers were bought by the Debartolo family the job was offered to Walsh even with the 'Brown cloud' hovering over him.  But the 'West Coast offense' consisting of unstoppable short passes and surprise sweeps or disguised off tackle runs, was given a vehicle in the NFL...

Walsh never liked his team being called a 'finesse' team! Football is physical and even violent so he made sure that his defensive coordinators understood that he expected that his team would not be out hit.

Players like Montana were in awe of Walsh's demand for precision.  As a matter of fact Walsh first noticed Joe Montana's footwork and chose him for his nimbleness with his legs and not necessarily because he had a good arm.  Walsh emphasized the precise number of quarterback drop back steps to insure that the wide receivers would be in the proper places to receive the pass!

Because he was so sensitive the pressure of losses weighed very heavy on him, he was really an absentee father and husband resulting for a time living with another women.  When his son became terminally ill, Walsh was shaken so much that he understood his true responsibilities and reconciled with his wife. Then he himself became sick with a type of rare leukemia and started to get his affairs in order and chose the Stanford U. church to be his final pause before being passing on. Although raised a Baptist, he converted to his wife's Catholicism.

Any one who witnessed the 49er super bowl wins can appreciate why the book was titled Genius.

Herzl's Vision: Theodor Herzl and the foundation of the Jewish State by Shlomo Avineri

This biography of Theodor Herzl is a fascinating study of an assimilated European Jew who is moved to utopian dreams to solve the problem of Anti-Semitism by devising a practical plan that was not utopian. His The Jewish State was a practical guide.  He is unaware of his predecessor Moses Hess who concludes the same ideas that the Jewish people will ultimately not be accepted by the outside world and need their own State to be independent on the one hand and to be accepted as a nation on the other.

Mr. Avineri conceptualizes Herzl's whole career by detailing his failed attempt at getting a sympathetic commitment from the German Kaiser in his meeting at Cairo in 1898.  Herzl's determination in seeking approval of the international community was essential in his mind in solving the Jewish problem. If the world would give its approval to a separate Jewish state there would be legitimacy to such a state and no argument to its existence.  Herzl believes this so wholeheartedly that in his program of establishing a nation state, the Jewish state would not have an army since international acceptance would mean nobody would pose of threat to it!!  Clearly, Herzl underestimated the Arab world and did not perceive the hesitancy of the Ottomans of Turkey correctly.  In many ways, Herzl thought that the issue would be money - if he would be able to find out exactly how much aid would produce acceptance....

About his program for a Jewish state there is a curious fact.  For example, Herzl does not believe that Hebrew would be the official language of the Jewish country.  He believes that a better model would be a country like Switzerland where there are many official languages.  He reasons that the Jewish people are a dispersed nation all over the globe speaking many different languages, Hebrew is just not practical since it is only a liturgical, dead language.  Herzl is completely unaware of what was going on in Israel with a rejuvenation and revival of the language with the Yishuv from the Hovevei Zion settlers.

Herzl gains enormous popularity with Eastern European Jewry.  Those communities are educated Jewish communities that suffer from deep hatred of the gentile world.  The yearnings for Zion are a natural outgrowth. Herzl's own central European communities were slow to accept the Jewish people as a separate nation, calling into question their loyalty to their host country.  His popularity gains such strength in Russia that he is heralded as King! something that he rejects outright.

Mr Avineri points out that a common understanding about Herzl and the Dreyfus trial lacks evidence. The conventional understanding of Herzl's awakening about Anti-Semitism comes from his coverage of the Dreyfus trial.  Professor Avineri adroitly points out that Herzl's coverage is rather dry and factual, not even questioning Dreyfus guilt at the first trial.  There is no comment or thought about the Anti-Semitism that is drummed up during the affair recorded in Herzl's personal diaries, an extensive source of Herzl's mindset. Clearly Herzl understood the horrible problem of Anti-Semitism, however, there is no tangible evidence that the Dreyfus Affair was the impetus!!

The greatest blunder of Herzl's career was the offering of Uganda as an option for the Jewish state.  Herzl was intent on NOT dismissing the offer from the British so as the keep the international lines of communication open.  He knew that Palestine was the real option and that he could sense that Uganda if an option could only be a stop gap measure for the immediate needs for those seeking refuge from the violent pogroms in Russia.  When he put Uganda on the agenda of the 7th Zionist congress he was traumatized and shocked by tremendous upheaval it caused and damaged his image with the Eastern European Jews.  The ferocious negative response dealt Herzl such a blow he never really recovered and was dead 6 months later.  The arguments against the option were simple: one would be naïve to think that one could get Palestine if there was a Jewish state in Uganda! One would argue "what do you need Palestine if you already have a refuge in Uganda?  And although the Uganda option passed at the congress, nevertheless real fissures formed against Herzl. He and Menachem Ussishkin, head of the Russian Zionist group had to make amends.  The Uganda option went nowhere.

Herzl is the one person responsible in creating the concept that a Jewish State was a real possibility. He is responsible in creating the Zionist congress and Jewish agency. He also created an international awareness that eventually created the modern State of Israel. Although it took two world wars and the Holocaust, Herzl's dream came to fruition with the world agency of the UN giving acceptance.

The Splendid and the Vile by Erik Larson

 I have always thought that Winston Churchill was the greatest statesman of the 20 century.  The Splendid and the Vile is just more evidence that Churchill deserves such a title.  Mr. Larson takes the reader through the first year of WWII when Germany attacked England and threatened invasion.  He brings to the fore the different viewpoints and approaches that were coursing through English and German circles during that first tumultuous year of the German Blitz against England virtually standing alone against Hitler's Germany.

This is an epic saga of persuasion, encouragement and courage as each quality is manifested in the personage of Churchill.  

Mr. Churchill knew that England could not win the war without the help of the USA, so he deftly cultivated close relationships with the leadership of America.  First with Harry Hopkins, then with Averill Harriman but ultimately with the one who really counted: Franklin Delano Roosevelt, the president. Churchill's talent for persuasion and delicate argument is easily seen in his conversations that showed wit and in his correspondences to FDR that exhibited frankness.

Standing alone against Germany meant that Mr. Churchill would have to lead and set an example encouraging his nation that they could overcome the odds and defeat Hitler's Germany.  In his speeches, one is introduced to his great oratory.  He would often visit tragic areas hit hard by Germany bombings, showing the people that he feels the pain and suffering but is resolute in standing up against German aggression.

On the German side one is introduced to the feelings of frustration on the part of Herman Goering and Josef Goebbels. Goering is frustrated that his air force can not subdue the British into submission. Goebbels is frustrated that Germany can not knock the wind out of British morale.  

Churchill would often defy security recommendations and go to the roof and look out at the blitzing of London.  He truly was a fearless foe against Hitler.

Mr. Larson takes the reader beyond the battles and describes the emotional ups and downs of Churchill's inner circle, his family and the upper echelons of the British government.  With Larson's characteristic strong narrative, the book is a fine introduction to WWII and the leadership of Winston Churchill.