‘Brother’s Keeper’ recalls American volunteers in Israeli cause

Mike O'Callaghan

Friday, June 26, 1998 | 10:03 a.m.

Israel's War for Independence, from 1947-49, was an exciting time in world history that produced the only democratic nation in the Middle East.

Fifty years later, it's still the only democratic light burning in that part of the world. The shedding of blood, sweat and tears in the 1940s had to be repeated several times during the following years before Israel earned the respect and international recognition it deserves.

"I Am My Brother's Keeper" (Schiffer Military History, $29.95), written by Jeffrey Weiss and Craig Weiss, tells the stories of roles played by American volunteers during that first all-important war. The book (288 pages) keeps the reader's attention with interesting stories and historical facts that are necessary to understand exactly what happened and how the people felt during those crucial years.

Five years ago, I joined the Greenspun family in Israel when they dedicated the Hank Greenspun Memorial in Jerusalem. Several of Hank's friends from the War for Independence also attended, and the following day we joined them at a picnic in the forest. The recollections of these warriors were a combination of terror, love and humor. "I Am My Brother's Keeper" gives the readers a taste of these same emotions.

The confrontations between Greenspun and Lee Lewis, the owner of the yacht, Idalia, loaded with weapons for Israel, is an example. Lewis had told Greenspun to remove the guns because the load was too heavy for the boat to handle. As the authors recount:

"Greenspun brought the gun to Lewis' temple. 'Will you take us to Acapulco, Lee? You have five seconds to answer, yes or no.' Greenspun counted off, 'One, two, three, four,' but Lewis remained silent. Greenspun released the safety. 'Five,' he announced, and moved his finger to the trigger. 'Yes!' gasped Lewis. Greenspun put the gun back into his pocket and walked away, relieved that Lewis had not forced him to shoot."

Roles of Americans Al Schwimmer, Chris Magee and Mickey Marcus are all related in a style that makes the reader feel and experience the dangers of their missions. Magee was a World War II ace with Pappy Boyington's Black Sheep Squadron and a Navy Cross recipient before going to Israel.

Then there's Norm Moonitz, a World War II B-17 pilot, now flying a C-46 bringing in supplies on a dangerous makeshift runway at night: "Normally, before the propellers had even stopped turning, soldiers were at the plane's door ready to unload its precious cargo of arms. This time, though, there was no one to meet Moonitz's plane. He climbed out of the C-46 and walked over to the primitive wooden shack that was the only building at the airstrip. One man was on duty inside.

" 'Where is everybody?' demanded Moonitz. 'Everyone is in a synagogue for Yom Kippur,' came the reply. Moonitz was furious. 'I'm as Jewish as they are. If they are not here in 10 minutes to unload this plane, I'm going to kick all of this crap out onto the runway.' It was a threat that Moonitz would not have to carry out."

The authors take readers through the tough times of combat and to the quiet time when Lee Silverman, a U.S. Navy veteran and basketball player from the UCLA freshman team, played against the U.S. Marines at Jaffa. It was the Israeli Air Force against the Marines, with the starting five having three Americans and one Canadian. The North Americans remained silent until a Marine roughed up Silverman, who then unloaded on him with some prime American profanity.

" 'Only an American could swear like that!' one of them said. Another Marine added, 'I bet he was in the Navy, too!' " He was right.

Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu writes the foreword for the book and refers to it as flowing prose with fascinating detail. There's no doubt it will keep the attention of readers and, at the same time, give them a look at a history seldom revealed.