#826282 in Books Judaica Place 2014-09-01Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 9.50 x .90 x 7.00l; .0 #File Name: 9652296473300 pages
Review
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful. Silk Ivory was like uncovering buried treasureBy Dennis A. LeventhalOpening Pepper; Silk Ivory was like uncovering buried treasure. It is not only a delightful read; but also it is a broad brush exposure of a major lacuna in Diaspora history. In the aggregate; these stories; a collage of compelling characters; sketch a profile of life trajectories impelled from Jewish cultural traditions and shaped by powerful historical contexts. They reveal how even the most unique Jewish individuals feel the impulse to serve the greater interests of civilization and humanity-at-large. Weaving elements of his personal experiences into these stories of contact with the more contemporary actors on the stage of history provides a flavor of intimacy with his subject matter. From a personal point of view; his opus enriched my knowledge of some of our Asia wanderers; and taught me about many I never knew.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Important work of Jewish HistoryBy Marla PetalRabbi Marvin Tokayer's book engages the lay reader in the fascinating; overlooked; and potentially forgotten stories of dozens of Jews and Asians; who made a significant impact on the lives of many. Tokayer has diligently chronicled his many rich relationships; encounters; and explorations; to leave us in awe of how little we know. This is a treasure map for the modern Jewish explorer in Asia; full of marvelous references; and paths to follow. Tokayer is instantly forgiven for the sometimes sketchy and jumpy narratives; and missing segues; as he has packed this book full of people that we may all wish we had been so lucky to meet. But then; perhaps the biggest gift of all is if we might in our own lives experience the kind of curiosity about the people we encounter... and inquire of them too about their lives... and discover and chronicle just a few of the impacts they too have made...0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. It starts off pretty good; and it's amazingBy MeyatiIt starts off pretty good; and it's amazing; but I couldn't finish the book because the last quarter of the book is downright tedious. The front starts off with 2 Gun Cohen; who guarded Chinese leaders in the 1920s. It goes into amazing people that did more than survive Japanese imprisonment. It has an interesting section on India; and how people of different religions lived peaceably until the Western Europeans showed up. It has an interesting modern story of how Yasser Arafat; head of the PLO; made a state visit to India; and the Indian Air Force pilots that protected Arafat's plane were Indian Jews.
