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Chapter 10 • Famous Jews 241 CHAPTER 10 pFamous JewsP See also Holocaust and World War II; Israel and Zionism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Introduction Biographies for young people have been a staple of Jewish publishing ever since Think and Thank, a biography of Sir Moses Montefiore was published by The Jewish Publication Society in 1890. Written by a non-Jewish author named Samuel Williams Cooper, its uplifting message of manly courage and self-discipline appealed to the Society’s trustees and became a model for other JPS juvenile biographies.25 Decades later, the Society co-published with Farrar, Straus and Cudahy a biography series known as Covenant Books. Written and illustrated to appeal to a younger audience, 25 biographies were published about illustrious Jews from many walks of life who exemplified positive Jewish values and served as role models for Jewish readers.26 Uplifting messages and exemplary subjects alone do not necessarily appeal to young readers. Lively writing and attractive formats have now become the norm in biographical writing— biographies, memoirs, and autobiographies—for children, along with less fictionalization, more attention to accuracy, and an effort to present a subject’s life, “warts and all.” While Orthodox presses like Feldheim and Mesorah continue to publish laudatory biographies of famous rabbis, most publishers, both Jewish and secular, have turned their attention away from religious figures toward political and military heroes, social activists, artists, poets, and writers, entertainers, and athletes. An individual’s importance either in Judaism or on the world stage is one reason for being the topic of a juvenile biography but so too is having a colorful career or personality, which explains why there are so many biographies of Albert Einstein and Harry Houdini. It is now commonplace to read that “fictionalization is out” in modern juvenile biographies27 but that is not always so, especially in those written for younger children. A few well-written and attractively-designed “story-biographies” are included in this chapter along with those that reflect current standards for accuracy and documentation. The latter include biographies of subjects who are not necessarily exemplary, portrayals not only of subjects’ strengths but also of their weaknesses, documentation to support every quote or thought, evidence of the author’s research in the form of notes and bibliographies, and a greater emphasis on the visual. Not all biographies of famous Jews included in this book are found in this chapter. If subjects are primarily associated with Israel and Zionism—Golda Meir or Theodor Herzl, for example—then books about them are included in the chapter on Israel and Zionism. The same is true for the many biographies of Holocaust figures—both Jewish and non-Jewish— and books about them are included in the Holocaust and World War II chapter. What is notable about all of the biographies, autobiographies, and memoirs found throughout this book is the remarkable range of their subjects’ contributions not only to the Jewish people but also in fields that span virtually every aspect of human endeavor. Recommended Reading Berkow, Ira Hank Greenberg: Hall-of-Fame Slugger THE JEWISH PUBLICATION SOCIETY, 2001. 108 PAGES. AGES 10–13. He was big and he was clumsy but he made it to the Baseball Hall of Fame. This account of Hank Greenberg’s baseball career— from farm teams to the big league—is spiced with sports anecdotes, laced with the baseball statistics that fans love, and wrapped up with stories about the challenges he faced as one of the few Jewish players in the game. Berkow, a sports writer, has what it takes to engage young sports fans and his account of Greenberg’s life peaks on the field. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Brooks, Philip Extraordinary Jewish Americans CHILDREN’S PRESS, 1998. 288 PAGES. AGES 11–15. Short biographical profiles plus a black and white illustration of each subject are given for 53 important American Jews. Organized chronologically and with a slight tilt toward popular culture, it begins with Haym Salomon, a financier of the American Revolution, and ends with the comedian Jerry Seinfeld. An appendix lists 124 more people whom Brooks considers to extraordinary Jewish Americans. An extensive reading list, organized by age level, is included along with online websites and organizations, a selection of films and videos, and an index. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Brown, Don Odd Boy Out: Young Albert Einstein HOUGHTON MIFFLIN, 2004. UNPAGED. AGES 7–10. Revealed in this outstanding biography is the life and work of a world-famous scientist who began his life as an unhappy outsider at odds with family, teachers, and schoolmates...

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