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A review by brianlokker
Monday the Rabbi Took Off by Harry Kemelman
4.0
In this fourth book of the Rabbi Small Mysteries series, Rabbi David Small takes a leave of absence from his synagogue in Barnard’s Crossing, Massachusetts, and travels to Israel with his wife Miriam and their young son, Jonathan. He anticipates being gone for three months, but he is also considering the possibility of a permanent move to Israel.
David and Miriam enjoy living in Jerusalem. The rabbi relaxes his usual religious practices somewhat because he feels different in Israel. As he tells Miriam, “‘As a rabbi, I’m a professionally religious person. I pray at stated times and in specific ways. Some of it is a matter of habit, like brushing my teeth. And some of it I have consciously practiced because I thought it important for the preservation of the religion and the people like the Englishman who was supposed to dress for dinner in the jungle. But things are different here. You don’t have to follow strict observances here because you don’t have to make the point.’”
Given the persistent tensions between the Israelis and the Arabs, it’s not surprising that terrorist bombings occur near the Smalls in Jerusalem. The authorities suspect a young American studying at the university of complicity in one of them. But Rabbi Small, who knows the young man and his father, uses his analytical skills to point the authorities in a different direction.
Meanwhile, back in Barnard’s Crossing, the rabbi’s congregation has hired a retired rabbi named Hugo Deutsch to fill in. Some leaders of the congregation come to prefer Rabbi Deutsch to Rabbi Small, and Deutsch and his wife enjoy the assignment. So there is some question about whether Rabbi Small will be welcomed back if and when he returns. This is nothing new: Rabbi Small’s job status has periodically been in jeopardy during the six years he’s spent in Barnard’s Crossing.
I enjoyed this book primarily because of its insights into Jewish culture and life in Israel (as it was in the early 1970s—the book was published in 1972). Rabbi Small’s observations about the religious and secular aspects of Israeli society, as well as about the contrast between some Israeli Jews and American Jews, are very enlightening. The “mystery” part of the book seems almost incidental, but it is always enjoyable to spend some time with Rabbi Small.
David and Miriam enjoy living in Jerusalem. The rabbi relaxes his usual religious practices somewhat because he feels different in Israel. As he tells Miriam, “‘As a rabbi, I’m a professionally religious person. I pray at stated times and in specific ways. Some of it is a matter of habit, like brushing my teeth. And some of it I have consciously practiced because I thought it important for the preservation of the religion and the people like the Englishman who was supposed to dress for dinner in the jungle. But things are different here. You don’t have to follow strict observances here because you don’t have to make the point.’”
Given the persistent tensions between the Israelis and the Arabs, it’s not surprising that terrorist bombings occur near the Smalls in Jerusalem. The authorities suspect a young American studying at the university of complicity in one of them. But Rabbi Small, who knows the young man and his father, uses his analytical skills to point the authorities in a different direction.
Meanwhile, back in Barnard’s Crossing, the rabbi’s congregation has hired a retired rabbi named Hugo Deutsch to fill in. Some leaders of the congregation come to prefer Rabbi Deutsch to Rabbi Small, and Deutsch and his wife enjoy the assignment. So there is some question about whether Rabbi Small will be welcomed back if and when he returns. This is nothing new: Rabbi Small’s job status has periodically been in jeopardy during the six years he’s spent in Barnard’s Crossing.
I enjoyed this book primarily because of its insights into Jewish culture and life in Israel (as it was in the early 1970s—the book was published in 1972). Rabbi Small’s observations about the religious and secular aspects of Israeli society, as well as about the contrast between some Israeli Jews and American Jews, are very enlightening. The “mystery” part of the book seems almost incidental, but it is always enjoyable to spend some time with Rabbi Small.