The Lion's Roar, 3rd of Tzvi Fishman's Tevye Series

I finished reading The Lion's Roar by Tzvi Fishman, and now I have to wait almost a year to read the next installment, Anonymous Soldiers. #1 Tevye in The Promised Land was reviewed here, as was #2 Arise and Shine.

Before I go any further, I'll get straight to the point. Buy the series for yourself, friends and family. The books suit all ages, and if you're careful about what your kids read, no problems. There's nothing to censor.

Fishman's series is also a fantastic way to learn and teach Jewish and Israeli History. The Tevye series can also be used to teach Jewish History in Jewish Schools or English in Israeli ones.

The Tevye series should be turned into movies or television shows. The plots are actual history, though characters are a combination of real historical figures with fictional ones. And as I've said before, consider Tevye of the Forrest Gump genre. The big difference is that Tevye is highly intelligent and ideologically motivated, unlike the also fictional Gump, who finds himself in real historic events by chance.

The Lion's Roar gives us an excellent view of the controversy and then break in the Zionist Revisionist movement that Zeev Jabotinsky had established. In addition, we read of the tension, competition and inside story between all of the Zionist groups, from Left to Right.

For those who are familiar with the history of the time, when Jews in the Promised Land had to decide between supporting Britain against Germany or attacking British police, because they supported Arab rights over Jewish ones, Fishman's characters and plot are well-written. It's also an enjoyable challenge for us to pick out which of his fictional characters are based on real people.

I'm anxiously awaiting further installments about Tevye and his family in the Promised Land.

Product details

• Series: Tevye in the Promised Land Series
• Paperback: 526 pages
• Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (August 14, 2018)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1726116107
• ISBN-13: 978-1726116107
• Product Dimensions: 5.2 x 1.2 x 8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds

"Arise and Shine," More Adventures with Tevye by Tzvi Fishman

I'm truly enjoying the adventurous Tevye in the Promised Land series by Tzvi Fishman. I've coined them the Forrest Gump genre of literature, a subgroup in historical novels. Now for the second in the series, which tells what happens to Tevye the Milkman and his growing family, once they're well settled in the Promised Land, Arise and Shine.

Life isn't simple and calm for Tevye and his clan. Like the fictional Forrest Gump, Tevye and his family not only participated in the most important and game-changing events in post World War One Mandate/Palestine, but they knew and interacted with all of the main historic figures. For me, personally, it's a sign of Fishman's writing skill that he created very realistic younger versions of some people I actually knew. The young and idealistic Moshe Segal in Fishman's books could very well be what our elderly neighbor in Jerusalem's Old City had been like a half a century before we knew him.

You can see in the cover of Arise and Shine, the fictional Tevye is flanked Zeev Jabotinsky, David Ben-Gurion, Yair Avraham Stern and Yosef Trumpeldor. That simple illustration summarizes this entire series by Tzvi Fishman. Tevye was much more than a simple milkman.

Even more than that, Fishman doesn't sweeten the story, making Tevye and his family immune from the violence and dangers of the time. In Volume #1 Tevye in the Promised Land, illness and Arab terrorists were the killers of Tevye's daughters and friends. But in Arise and Shine, Arab terror becomes the biggest danger. And to make matters worse, the British, who are supposed to be keeping the peace and facilitating the establishment of a Jewish State favor the Arabs and restrict Jews, even from self-defense.

Tevye and his family gave up on their rural, agricultural life and are living in Jerusalem, where Tevye the milkman has a milk route. Chief Rabbi Kook is the rabbi Tevye looks up to, as he has since his earliest days in the Promised Land. In the struggle for a Jewish State, most of Tevye's family find themselves firmly in the Revisionist camp. David Raziel, Uri Tzvi Greenberg, Moshe Segal and Avraham Stern are among those who visit Tevye's home.

The mix of true history and fiction Tvi Fishman cooked up in this series is a perfect blend. For those readers who aren't familiar with the history and historic characters, I highly recommend reading the books slowly and supplementing with a bit of quick research if necessary.

Again, I must say that the book could be made into a riveting television series. It's also a great book to read to children, instead of letting them watch the "screen." The book is a lot "cleaner" than what you'll find on television or in the movies.

I highly recommend Tzvi Fishman's Arise and Shine as a book for all ages. I'm now almost half way through the third volume, and I understand that there's a fourth in production, which Gd willing will be published in under a year.

Series: Tevye in the Promised Land Paperback: 458 pages Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform; 1 edition (October 15, 2018) Language: English ISBN-10: 1724652672 ISBN-13: 978-1724652676

Tevye in The Promised Land, Great Adventure

Last night I finally finished the first volume of Tzvi Fishman's Tevye trilogy, Tevye in The Promised Land, and I loved it! I have the following two volumes waiting for me to read, but I'm taking off time in between each one to write reviews.

Fishman's jam-packed historical novel is superb. Tevye in The Promised Land is an extremely well-written example of a very difficult literary genre. He manages to create both believable characters and place them in accurate and factual historical context. Tevye in The Promised Land is full of surprises and actual historical figures. And if you were wondering, Fishman's Tevye is based on the character invented by the famous Yiddish author Shalom Aleichem, which can be seen on stage and screen.

Especially since I had read and reviewed Rebels in the Holy Land, which is about the early history of Mazkeret Batya, I can really believe that so many things could happen to one family and the awful things about Baron de Rothschild's administrators. The early Zionist pioneers, even the least religiously observant, were true tzaddikim, holy Jews. They had to put up with and overcome difficulties that dwarf everything that modern olim, immigrants to Israel must deal with. And in modern olim, I include people like myself who made aliyah almost a half a century ago.

The early Zionist pioneers had to cope with and conquer difficulties that rival the greatest fictional adventure stories. First of all, traveling in those days was extremely dangerous and difficult. Today you can safely and routinely fly to Israel from places in less than a day. Over a hundred years ago, lovers of Zion had to trek by foot, horse-drawn carts, unreliable boats and more. The trip could take months or longer.

When the immigrant arrived, he/she wasn't always allowed in to the Holyland. Whether the ruling occupier was a Turk or British, they had the same agenda, STOP JEWS FROM ENTERING. Their sympathy was with the Arabs, who had no national aspirations, which was what the occupying powers liked.

Even when Jews, like Tevye and his family, managed to get permits to enter the Promised Land, that didn't promise them an easy time. Besides the utter poverty, there were illnesses, locusts, Arab terrorism, impossible regulations by the Baron's staff, land unfit for agriculture, continued antagonism from the occupiers, tension/competition between the religious and secular Jews and even more challenges. Fishman has Tevye and his family encounter and cope with them all. They also get to know and work with some of the greatest real life historical giants of the times, such as Rabbi Kook, Zeev Jabotinsky, Yosef Trumpeldor among others.

Before Tzvi Fishman's aliyah, move to Israel, he was a Hollywood screenwriter. And I must say that his Tevya saga is just perfect, not for a two hour movie, but for a long-running television series.

I highly recommend Tevye in The Promised Land. It's a book that can be enjoyed by people of all ages. Children will love it, too. If they are too young to read it themselves, it's the perfect book to read to your children or students. As you read it, you can supplement it with history of the time, if clarification is necessary. I've already started on volume 2 and the third is waiting for me.

• Paperback: 580 pages
• Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (August 11, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1466220872
• ISBN-13: 978-1466220874

Brilliant Short Film Explaining True Situation in Israel

Tzvi Fishman, long time film-maker, originally from the states, has written, directed and produced the most brilliant and clear description of the situation here in Israel and the dangers of trusting foreign advice. It's best that you first watch the movie instead of my trying to explain it.

הכל בסדר, אמא, Imma, Hakol Beseder, Mom, Everything's Fine

Unfortunately, this is a very true scenario.

Israel's insecurity and growing unwillingness to trust its own instincts in terms of defense is a growing danger.

This is seen in the daily news, such as the disgraceful and dangerous media and legal trial against the young soldier Elor Azaria. And also the fact that Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu buckled totally and agreed to sign the most damaging so-called aid sic package with the United States. Basically, this new aid package not only gives the United States full production control over necessary military defense equipment, but it endangers the economic viability of Israel's military industries. The only beneficiary of this "package" is the United States of America.

Please share this film far and wide to give people the chance to know the truth.

"A Turkey can Eat From a Plate and Still be a Turkey" and The Torah Observant can Make Movies and Still Observe the Torah!

Tzvi Fishman, like many before and after him who entered the life of the Torah observant, threw out his former profession along with the bacon. Tzvi had been in the Hollywood movie business decades ago. Today he's a husband, father and grandfather in Jerusalem sporting a very photogenic beard, looking no different than many men in his religious neighborhood.

Besides teaching Screenwriting in the Ma'ale religious Cinema School, he used his talents in different writing media, writing books and articles on various religious and life-style topics.

Today cinema is no longer just an outing to a big theater. Today we have screens at home, and most of us carry our movie screens with us, in pockets or on our belts.There's a real need for something positive, educational and Jewish to watch whether alone or with a group.

Although Fishman hadn't been involved in the movie business for a long time, his talents and interest in it had been fermenting and ripening. With the support of his family he reached the decision to make a Jewish and Kosher movie. He chose some classic stories from Rebbe Nachman and cast a diverse group of professional and amateur actors, all male.

So, thirty years after I left Hollywood, how did I go about making a feature film that is kosher l’mehardrin? After all, in the stories of Rebbe Nachman of Breslov, there are women. The answer is that I chose three stories that have no women, and in the fourth story, “The Worldly Son and the Simpleton,” the role of the Simpleton’s Wife is played by my sixteen-year old son, Amichai. I think he did a wonderful job. It may seem a little surprising to see his slight peach-fuzz moustache, and his voice is a little too deep, but it’s all a part of the fun of the story. I wanted to make a movie that everyone could see, secular Jews, Modern Orthodox, Haredim, and Hasidim. (Jewish Press)

I must admit that Fishman and his wife are personal friends, and we were invited to the recent preview of Stories of Rebbe Nachman. The film is in its final production stages before official release. Calling the budget "shoe-string" barely describes it. It's probably thinner, more like dental floss, but Fishman is still in need of financing. You can check that out on his Jewcer page.

Honestly, I found it difficult to believe that this totally professional-looking and sounding movie was produced on such a minimal budget and difficult conditions. Costumes, settings, acting and cinematography are all first class. It stars Yehuda Barkan, the well-known Israeli actor and features a handful of others all in various roles.

Fishman chose four very different Rebbe Nachman stories to screen,Turkey Prince, The Treasure, The Worldly Son and the Simpleton and lastly Matter of Trust. According to Fishman:

"Israeli films tend to be downers, lacking hope, and immodest. We are trying to create a truly Jewish movie with a message of faith and joy."

This movie is educational, and the plan is to screen the various stories separately to groups, followed by guest speaker and discussion. Contact:shoshanastreetprod@gmail.com.

Watch and enjoy the official trailer.




See you at the movies, Tzvi Fishman's movies of course!!