Lone Stars of David: The Jews of Texas (review)

92Southwestern Historical QuarterlyJuly boundary is in the book. That said, the author still leaves a few questions unanswered , and none more vexing than the issue of the flawed 1 847 Disturnell Map of the United States and die mystery ofjust what U.S. Commissioner John Russell Bartlett did or did not know about its troubling inaccuracies. For the resulting compromise known as the Bardett-García Conde line of 1850 (32o 22' nordi latitude), which initially placed the soudiern boundary of New Mexico some 42 miles north of El Paso, only led to furdier diplomacy and die eventual Gadsden Purchase of 1853. Werner has offered scholars and laymen alike a work that should stand for years as the most definitive study of a topic so relevant to our time and worthy of continuing examination. Like die shifting channels of die Rio Grande, the unpredictability of both history and nature remind us that the border, albeit a largely imaginary one, runs through the center of a troubled and sometimes tragic story—a story without an end—that being die story of U.S.-Mexican relations. Midwestern State UniversityMichael L. Collins Lone Stars ofDavid: TheJews of Texas. Edited by Hollace Ava Weiner and Kenneth D. Roseman. (Waltham: Brandeis University Press for the TexasJewish Historical Society, 2007. Pp. 328. Illustrations, color plates, notes, index. ISBN 1584656220. $34.95, clodi.) This anthology reveals additional layers in the history of Texas Jews. Whether the reader chuckles at the thought of Rabbi Henry Cohen taking a shot of whisky after his morning visits, wonders at the possibility of a femaleJewish lion tamer, or mourns the loss of the Holocaust museum in El Paso, these stories document the diversity of theJewish experience in Texas. Early in the book, Bryan E. Stone ponders who is a Jew and speculates whether it is possible to have Judaism where no Jewish communal organizations exist. Stone also questions whether many of the men included in earlier Texas Jewish histories were, in fact, Jewish. The question is never fully answered, but several chapters later, Barry Schlachter describes pugnacious Sam Weiner, a twentieth-century oilman, as not "deeply involved" (p. 117) in his own faith. Thus, readers might ponder whether Stone would consider WeinerJewish, or if the presence of communal Jewish organizations provides the scaffolding that makes it unnecessary to be a practicing Jew. A dialogue between some authors would have added depth to the essays. Roughly arranged in chronological order, the first section includes stories about early Jewish settlers of Texas. For example, Gary Whitfiel recounts the Sanger brothers' Civil War adventures and proves that previously published lists of Texas Jewish Civil War soldiers omitted many names. Additionally, Patrie Dearen recounts the story of the Halff family and describes Mayer HaIfFs transformation from European immigrant to Texas cattle baron. Not forgetting the women, the editors include stories about Texas Jewish women's organizations such as the El Paso and Dallas chapters of the National 2??8Book Reviews93 Council ofJewish Women. One chapter explains diat progressive council members worked to establish kindergartens, promoted anti-lynching campaigns, and supported Planned Parenthood. Other chapters provide short vignettes about politicians and activist such as Dr. Ray K Daily, Florence Sharpiro, and Judge Rose Spector. In one of the strongest chapters, Jane Guzman not only describes the Levy family of Sweetwater, but also compares Sweetwater to other small Texas towns. Furthermore, Guzman analyzes the rise and fall of rural communities throughout Texas. This section also recounts other business struggles in far south and west Texas. And it includes the story of visionary businessman Morris ZaIe, who pioneered selling jewelry on credit and who eventually owned stores across the country. Success was tempered with failure in the story of Al Neiman, former partner in Neiman-Marcus, who died poor and alone. The book offers many tidbits of information; however, several chapters provide almost a shotgun pattern of information, hitting here and there without pulling everything together. For example, in "Most Politics Is Local," the authors throw out many names and gloss over nineteenth-century political contributions, even omitting Morris Lasker, who served as a state senator from Galveston in 1 895. Additionally, readers see hints of the cultural...