Review: ‘The Story of the Jews’ a must for Jewish libraries

By ALAN SMASON

THE STORY OF THE JEWS – By David J. Goldberg. Andre Deutche Books. Design by Carlton Books Limited. 2014. 100 p. not including inserts. $49.95

Jewish educators have long had a problem in connecting students to the history of the Jewish people via important documents. That is, until now.

With the new release of “The Story of the Jews” by British author Rabbi David J. Goldberg, students and teachers alike can read about the history of the Jewish people from earliest recorded times to the progress of the modern State of Israel. That is much like many other books of scholarly weight which been issued previously. But Goldberg’s impressive book packs a powerful punch in just 100 pages and the reasons are apparent at first glance when the case which holds and protects it is removed.

Included in the chapters are replicas of 15 rare, historic documents, examples of which include  pages from the Vienna Genesis, which is the oldest illustrated biblical codex; a handwritten 12th  Century responsum from Moses Maimonides from the Cairo Genizah; an example of a 17th Century ketubah from the Netherlands; a decree by Napoleon issued in 1808 restricting the rights of Jews in France; an abstract from Theodor Herzel on Zionism written only days before the opening of the First Zionist Congress;  a portion of a manuscript from Sholom Aleichem’s drama titled “Tevye the Milkman,” from which sprang the musical “Fiddler on the Roof“; a manuscript from Albert Einstein’s special theory on relativity; and David Ben-Gurion’s speech in Hebrew declaring the independence of the State of Israel in 1948.

A protective outer sleeve and several of the rare replicas showing for “The Story of the Jews.”

Each of these documents is found in four sleeves strategically placed throughout the book that give the reader a never before imagined view into the past. Thoughtfully designed to bring the reader into an immersive experience, the documents would, under normal circumstances,  only be available to museum attendees or scholarly researchers. Each of these special replicas is completely removable and for Goldberg to have assembled them,  received permission to showcase them  and ultimately published them in this beautifully illlustrated work is nothing short of a mitzvah.

“The Story of the Jews” is an absolute must for every Jewish library and should win many awards for Goldberg’s accurate research and painstaking attention to detail. The vibrant colors of the pictures and artwork draw the reader into each of the book’s breathtaking 24 chapters with superb graphic design to enhance the experience.

Looking to complete your Jewish library or considering a gift for a young scholar? This work may well be just the ticket.