Catch the Jew! (Audible Audio Edition) Tuvia Tenenbom Shlomo Zacks Gefen Publishing House Books
Download As PDF : Catch the Jew! (Audible Audio Edition) Tuvia Tenenbom Shlomo Zacks Gefen Publishing House Books
Catch the Jew! recounts the adventures of gonzo journalist Tuvia Tenenbom, who wanders around Israel and the Palestinian Authority for seven months in search of the untold truths in today's Holy Land. With holy chutzpah, Tenenbom boldly goes where no Jew has gone before, at times risking his life as he assumes the identities of Tobi the German and even Abu Ali in order to probe into the many stories in this strange land and poke holes in all of them.
From the self-hating leftists in Tel Aviv to the self-promoting PLO execs in Ramallah, from the black-clad Haredim of Bet Shemesh to the glowing foreign human-rights activists in Beit Hanina, from Jewish settlers and the Christians who come from abroad to toil with them to ardent Jerusalem monks and Bedouins in surprisingly glorious shacks, Tenenbom takes on the people of the land, getting to know them and disarming them as he breaks bread and mingles with anyone and everyone.
Does Palestinian wife number one hate the Jews more than she hates wife number two? Who finances cash-rich NGOs pursuing a Judenrein Israel? Who sets Palestinian olive groves on fire and why? What is the emotional gravity that pulls idealistic human-rights activists from other countries to Israel and only to Israel? Who are the flaming feminists who sacrifice their lives for the rights of polygamists? Whose land is this, anyway?
By turns poignant, enraging, and laugh-out-loud funny, this unique travelogue lays bare the intensity of this turbulent land in an unprecedented, eye-opening education, person by person, city by city, and meal by meal. You will never look at Israel the same way again.
Catch the Jew! (Audible Audio Edition) Tuvia Tenenbom Shlomo Zacks Gefen Publishing House Books
This book is required reading for anyone seeking to understand Israel today. The title is unfortunate, as it doesn't really convey what this book is about. Disguising himself as a German reporter (the author, originally from Israel, speaks Hebrew, Arabic, English and German), he travels all over Israel and the West Bank, interviewing people from all walks of life, from illegal immigrants in Tel Aviv to members of the Knesset, Bedouin farmers, Palestinian activists, Jewish settlers, European NGO members, soldiers, prostitutes, taxi drivers, journalists, rabbis, foreign diplomats, waiters - you name it. He has a genius for getting people to open up to him, and a wry, absurd way of looking at the world. The access he was able to obtain is breathtaking: often at great risk, he talked his way into high-level PLO headquarters, an Israeli battleship, placed himself in the middle of a violent demonstration, and hiked all over the West Bank with Palestinian politicians. Through it all, his love of his subjects is palpable. If you read only one book about Israel, please make it this.Product details
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Catch the Jew! (Audible Audio Edition) Tuvia Tenenbom Shlomo Zacks Gefen Publishing House Books Reviews
CATCH THE JEW! by Tuvia Tenenbom, published by Gefen Books
The book CATCH THE JEW! has been heavily advertised in Israel by Gefen Books. At first I was put off by the book’s title and its somewhat facetious cover art, but after watching a television interview with the author I was intrigued enough to purchase the book.
Tuvia is an expat Israeli who has lived in Germany and elsewhere for several decades, working as a journalist and author. Holding many academic degrees, Tuvia is also a playwright, essayist, and the founding artistic director of the Jewish Theater of New York.
Previous to writing CATCH THE JEW! Tuvia wrote, "I Sleep in Hitler's Room," an eye-opening account of anti-Semitism in Germany. It was the success of that book that lead to Tuvia's invitation to write a similar expose about Israel.
I was uncomfortable with the beginning of this book, until I became accustomed to Tuvia's very idiosyncratic style. His sardonic personality goes well with his cherubic appearance, and the reader is soon caught up by Tuvia's droll reporting of mundane encounters with Israelis and Arabs. The thing is, most of those interviewed either know almost nothing about what they are saying, or are consciously spreading a vicious, false narrative about Israel and Israelis. From left-wing Israeli tour guides, to hapless Israeli intellectuals, to European doctors and do-gooders intent on seeing the "real" (cruel, racist) Israel, to Christian Arab bigwigs, to Fatah leaders, and even to rabbis who believe everything the Arabs say, Tuvia blandly records their comments, while attempting to make them think about what they are saying, often impersonating a non-Jewish, German reporter.
As Tuvia puts it, "This developing scene ... strikes me as a scene in a Franz Kafka novel. What happens here in front of my eyes is this Israeli leftist NGOs are ever in search of their own people’s wrongdoing and in competition with each other for recruiting local spies."
Here is just one example from the book
I meet a very nice couple, both widely known, highly educated, highly intellectual, exemplary self-haters, optimal Arab lovers, and they touch me deeply. They are Israeli Jews and I won’t identify them, what they do, or in what part of the town they reside. They tell me three interesting stories.
(1) They live in a beautiful home, which was renovated for them by an Arab contractor whom they knew and blindly trusted. When the contractor was about done with his work, for which he was handsomely paid, he presented them with a wonderful gift, for which he did not want to get paid a big olive tree that he planted in their garden. They were very touched by his gesture and thanked him profusely. He listened to their thanks, looked them straight in the eye and said “You don’t have to thank me. I didn’t do it for you, I did it for myself and my family.” They did not understand what he was saying, and he explained “Soon you will move out of this house.” How so? “Because soon this land will be free of Jews.” They were devastated. How could he say such a thing to them?
(2) Years ago, many years ago, the lady was gang- raped by a bunch of Arab youth.
(3) Years later, their granddaughter was sexually abused by an old Arab friend.
These three stories are the total sum of their personal experience with Palestinians, yet they won’t allow themselves to be affected by any of these incidents. The man explains to me “I believe in humanism, I believe that the Palestinians are good people and that they want to live with us in peace. I believe that we have done them wrong and I believe that they have not done us wrong. It doesn’t matter to me if what I believe in is factually right. I know it’s not, but I don’t care about facts! I want to believe, even if everything I believe in is false. Please don’t make me see reality. I have fought it all my life. Please!” At least he is honest. His wife looks at me, but keeps quiet.
I ask her what she feels, not her political views, but she just looks at me. Gently I push her to please share, and she gives me an intense look, yet keeps quiet. I ask her again to share her feelings; she moves her face away and up, looking for some magical intervention from somewhere above to help her. Finally, she opens up. She and her husband are fools, she tells me. She has come to this realization some time ago, but her husband cannot do the same. His worldview, the essence of his life, would collapse – and with it everything he has fought for in his life – if he allowed himself to see reality.
Before we separate, the husband tells me that I should read Gideon Levy’s articles [Haaretz newspaper], so that I can see how unfair the Jews are to the Arabs. I tell him that Gideon’s facts are questionable and that I can prove it to him. He tells me to please shut up. Reading Gideon’s articles makes him feel good and he doesn’t want me to disturb this strange happiness. Period.
It's often hard to believe what Tuvia reports, but there it is. I would bet that the above couple religiously reads the left-wing, Israeli Haaretz newspaper (the same one constantly quoted in the Western press), imbibing the predominantly hateful analysis of Israel and Israelis. And, as the wife makes clear, it's easy to see only what one wants to see and believe only what makes one comfortable.
By the way, if you question the tale about the contractor, I can quote my next door neighbor. When his house in Alfe Menashe was built 26 years ago, an elderly Arab gentleman would often come to watch the construction of the house (being built with mostly Arab labor). My neighbor asked him why he was so interested in this house. The elder blandly replied, because after you leave, my family will live here.
I recommend CATCH THE JEW! as an excellent look behind the scenes of what's happening here in Israel. It's especially valuable for those who rely for information on Western media such as The New York Times, the Associated Press, mainstream TV, or NGOs such as J-Street, Human Rights Watch, and Amnesty International (all sponsored by the New Israel Fund).
Truthfully, I thought the book was totally "over the head" of many American audiences by about a mile! Most Americans do not understand the NGO issues which dominate the book's narrative. NGOs are actually charities, mostly funded by the UN and other institutions, that actually advocate against the nation that supports them. We have some of that in the USA but since our nation is so large, their voices are still somewhat dim.
Also many Americans would not understand the idea of "self-hating Jews" which also plays a BIG role in the book.
It is difficult enough to figure out the anti-Israel, left wing Jewish mind set, Jews who don't believe in God, Jews who are rallying against Israel, Jews who are anti-Semites etc. Calling them "self- hating" is a foreign "psycho-babble" term and beyond my ability to grasp.
I am not sure I even understand the concept of "self-hating Jews" - a term that has entered my vocabulary just in the past couple of years.
Frankly, I found the book both enlightening and dreadfully depressing at the same time -- just adding to my already well- developed inclination to be depressed about Israel and her future.
It isn't enough that the whole world is against Israel and that anti_Semitism has taken over the world. Add to that the Israelis themselves who seem so well-organized against themselves is beyond my ability to grasp. As a Christian and an advocate for Israel, reading "Catch The Jew" was "the straw that broke the camel's back" for me. I just wanted to throw up my hands and say,"What's the use?"
This book makes me want to weep, go to bed and pull the covers over my head much more than it gives me energy to help solve this very serious problem of NGOs and the jihad against Israel.
In that light, I am really thrilled to know that God is in control of Israel's future.
No amount of hasbara (advocacy) can overcome the internal cancer Tuvia describes in his book.
Moscowitz, the multi millionaire who actually supports Israel, was the only bright light in the book.
At the same time, Tennenbom's personal story is very profound it brought tears to my eyes. I am sure this book was a powerful experience for him to write and a major life journey.
israelolivetree@yahoo.com
This book is required reading for anyone seeking to understand Israel today. The title is unfortunate, as it doesn't really convey what this book is about. Disguising himself as a German reporter (the author, originally from Israel, speaks Hebrew, Arabic, English and German), he travels all over Israel and the West Bank, interviewing people from all walks of life, from illegal immigrants in Tel Aviv to members of the Knesset, Bedouin farmers, Palestinian activists, Jewish settlers, European NGO members, soldiers, prostitutes, taxi drivers, journalists, rabbis, foreign diplomats, waiters - you name it. He has a genius for getting people to open up to him, and a wry, absurd way of looking at the world. The access he was able to obtain is breathtaking often at great risk, he talked his way into high-level PLO headquarters, an Israeli battleship, placed himself in the middle of a violent demonstration, and hiked all over the West Bank with Palestinian politicians. Through it all, his love of his subjects is palpable. If you read only one book about Israel, please make it this.
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