Book Review: A Voice Called: Stories of Jewish Heroism by Yossi Katz

Disclaimer: I got this book as an ARC in exchange for a review.

• 272 pages
• Publisher: Gefen Publishing House
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 9789652294807

 

“A Voice Called” by Yossi Katz is the kind of book I used to love as a kid, and still do. Sometimes you just don’t know if you’re interested in something and are looking for a short summary about a subject to see if you would like to learn more about it. Mr. Katz makes such an interesting case for each one of his subjects, that my interest was picked and I will certainly find several available biographies to continue exploring these heroes more in depth.

A Voice Called: Stories of Jewish Heroism is one of those books fathers wished they wrote for their children to help them explain where they came from and who they are. The book is by no means a comprehensive biography of the men and women profiled, but a short essay about each person and the author’s personal reflection on how they helped him shape his views, attitudes and life.

The stories are very interesting, Mr. Katz has picked a handful of people he considered Jewish heroes (at least one is not Jewish though) and gives us some short details about their lives, what made them heroes and drawing a line between them and the biblical Jewish heroes as well as their spirit.
A wonderful message to all of us.

The people Mr. Katz chose to profile are not only military heroes (even though they do get the lion’s share of the glory) but also poets who inspired with their words, educators, spies, partisans and he even did the unthinkable and managed to find a statesman or two to bestow this honor upon.

My rating for A Voice Called. Stories of Jewish Heroism– 4

Do you agree or disagree with my review?

Zohar – Man of La Book