Schlepping Through the American West: There is a Jewish Story Everywhere by Donald H. Harrison, The Harrison Enterprises, San Diego, CA; ISBN 978-0-5024-9401-6 ©2014, $13.97 paperback/7.99 kindle, p. 220
By Fred Reiss, Ed.D
WINCHESTER, California — Jack Kerouac did it. John Steinbeck did it, and now we can add Don Harrison to the list of authors who traveled the highways in search of something quintessentially American. Well, in Don’s case, quintessentially Jewish-American. In his newest book Schlepping Through the American West Don and his grandson Shor travel the Interstate Highway System and back roads of western and northwestern states and southwest Canada, a 3,000 mile round-trip, to prove Don’s hypothesis that “there’s a Jewish story everywhere.”
Beginning in the West’s equivalent to New York’s “Borsht Belt,” Don and Shor visit San Diego and Escondido before travelling up the I-15 to Temecula, Riverside, and San Bernardino County. Along the way, they encounter both Jews and Jewish connections to the past. In Calico, a deserted ghost town along the I-15, they find a cook who uses the Eastern European Jewish shiterine-method of cooking (never cook a meal the same way twice), as did my late mother-in-law, who taught me.
Don and Shor continue their travels through small towns and larger cities in Nevada, Utah, Montana, Washington, Oregon, and in Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada, finding and following the trails of Jews and associations to all-things Jewish. In addition, they tell us of good hotels and places to eat, should we wish to follow in their footsteps.
So, did Don prove his hypothesis, is there a Jewish story everywhere? Perhaps, I’m willing to cede that “there is a Jewish story nearly everywhere.” To be fully convinced, Don needs to find a Jewish story in South Dakota, where there are over 11,000 head of cattle for each Jew and even Chabad refuses to open a permanent center there. Schlepping Through the American West is good light reading, filled with appealing stories and interesting tidbits about past and present Jews and Jewish connections in the American west.
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{Editor’s Note: Fred’s review of my book came as a complete and, of course, welcome surprise. And now I have a mission and a destination for one of my next trips: Find the Jewish stories in South Dakota!}
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Dr. Fred Reiss is a retired public and Hebrew school teacher and administrator. He is the author of The Standard Guide to the Jewish and Civil Calendars; Ancient Secrets of Creation: Sepher Yetzira, the Book that Started Kabbalah, Revealed; and a fiction book, Reclaiming the Messiah. The author can be reached via fred.reiss@sdjewishworld.com.
Interesting review!