Joseph Blumenthal
Encyclopedia
Joseph Blumenthal is one of the main characters in the novel The Hope by Herman Wouk
. He is more commonly known as "Yossi," and also as "Don Kishote" (Hebrew for Don Quixote). Americans call him "Joe" and Yiddish-speakers call him "Yussele." He earns his "Don Kishote" nickname when he appears at the Battle of Latrun. Tall, lanky, bespectacled, wearing an old rusty British helmet, riding a muddy mule, using a broomstick as a goad, he indeed looks like Don Quixote - only a lot younger. He is sixteen (which means he was born in 1932), but claims to be eighteen.
Born in Poland
, he survives the Holocaust and makes his way to Israel
by way of Cyprus
. He impulsively volunteers to fight in the Israeli War of Independence and is assigned as driver and aide-de-camp
to Zev Barak, who in turn is aide and liaison to Mickey Marcus
. Zev and Yossi enter the Jewish Quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem through underground tunnels. Kishote, living up to his nickname, quixotically volunteers to help defend the besieged quarter. The defenders, overwhelmingly outnumbered and outgunned, are soon forced to surrender. A massacre is prevented by the presence of British officers and of the Red Cross, but all the synagogues of the Old City are blown up and destroyed by the Arab Legion
.
Meanwhile, Yossi, who is blessed with excellent spatial memory, escapes through the same tunnels through which he entered the Old City and is not part of the surrender. His next assignment is to carry sacks of flour to relieve the siege of Jerusalem. After this he returns to his job as Zev Barak's driver. Not long afterwards, however, he enters a unit commanded by Moshe Dayan
and is given a lightning course on artillery. As the gunner of an armored vehicle, he is a very important element in Dayan's takeover of the towns of Lydda
and Ramleh.
Over the next few years, Joseph grows from tall and lanky to big and muscular, and becomes a member of Israel
's most distinguished elite combat unit, the Paratroopers. He performs acts of great heroism during the 1956 war, in which Israel clears the Sinai of Palestinian terrorists and Egyptian armies, and restores freedom of navigation through the Gulf of Aqaba.
Yossi has a brother, Leopold Blumenthal, who leaves Israel for America and changes his name to Lee Bloom. He becomes a real estate
tycoon, but continues to help Israel acquire desperately needed weaponry.
Don Kishote has romantic connections with several women, but his true love is Shayna, a religious but independent-minded Jerusalem girl. However, instead of marrying her he marries Yael Luria, because she becomes pregnant
in a sexual encounter both had intended to be a casual, one time affair. At the time of his marriage he changes his last name to Nitzan, the Hebrew version of the name "Bloom" adopted by his brother.
Joseph transfers from the Paratroopers to Armor. His creative exploits during maneuvers win high praise from David Ben Gurion himself. In the Six-Day War
he is injured and knocked off his tank. With the help of a nurse and of another soldier he escapes from the hospital and takes part in the Liberation of Jerusalem.
In The Glory
, sequel to The Hope, Yossi is Operations Officer for Northern Command, and his advice is sought by Moshe Dayan
. Later he becomes Chief of Staff for Southern Command, under Ariel Sharon
. In this position, Kishote is largely responsible for the success of the Israeli crossing of the Suez Canal
into Africa
, which turns the tide of the Yom Kippur War
.
From 1974 to 1976, Yossi Nitzan lives outside Israel. He travels in the western USA for fun, and in the Far East on business. In Australia, he reconnects with Shayna, now widowed. He manages to bring her, and her stepson Reuven, back to Israel, largely with help from Yael, who also gives Yossi what he most wants from her - a divorce. In 1976, Yossi and Shayna are at last married. Their honeymoon is cut short by the Entebbe
crisis. Aryeh participates in the Entebbe Rescue (known as Operation Entebbe
, Operation Thunderbolt, and Operation Yonatan). His father Yossi also has a hand in that famous deliverance.
Joseph Blumenthal/Yossi Nitzan is a Don Quixote who does not get wallopped by windmills, but instead defeats the Dragons and Giants, delivers his people and nation, and wins the heart of the virtuous and beautiful lady he loves, and marries her.
Herman Wouk
Herman Wouk is a Pulitzer Prize-winning American author of novels including The Caine Mutiny, The Winds of War, and War and Remembrance.-Biography:...
. He is more commonly known as "Yossi," and also as "Don Kishote" (Hebrew for Don Quixote). Americans call him "Joe" and Yiddish-speakers call him "Yussele." He earns his "Don Kishote" nickname when he appears at the Battle of Latrun. Tall, lanky, bespectacled, wearing an old rusty British helmet, riding a muddy mule, using a broomstick as a goad, he indeed looks like Don Quixote - only a lot younger. He is sixteen (which means he was born in 1932), but claims to be eighteen.
Born in Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
, he survives the Holocaust and makes his way to Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
by way of Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
. He impulsively volunteers to fight in the Israeli War of Independence and is assigned as driver and aide-de-camp
Aide-de-camp
An aide-de-camp is a personal assistant, secretary, or adjutant to a person of high rank, usually a senior military officer or a head of state...
to Zev Barak, who in turn is aide and liaison to Mickey Marcus
Mickey Marcus
David Daniel "Mickey" Marcus was a United States Army colonel who assisted Israel during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, and who became Israel's first general . He was killed by friendly fire, when he was mistaken for an enemy infiltrator while returning to Israeli positions at night.Marcus is the best...
. Zev and Yossi enter the Jewish Quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem through underground tunnels. Kishote, living up to his nickname, quixotically volunteers to help defend the besieged quarter. The defenders, overwhelmingly outnumbered and outgunned, are soon forced to surrender. A massacre is prevented by the presence of British officers and of the Red Cross, but all the synagogues of the Old City are blown up and destroyed by the Arab Legion
Arab Legion
The Arab Legion was the regular army of Transjordan and then Jordan in the early part of the 20th century.-Creation:...
.
Meanwhile, Yossi, who is blessed with excellent spatial memory, escapes through the same tunnels through which he entered the Old City and is not part of the surrender. His next assignment is to carry sacks of flour to relieve the siege of Jerusalem. After this he returns to his job as Zev Barak's driver. Not long afterwards, however, he enters a unit commanded by Moshe Dayan
Moshe Dayan
Moshe Dayan was an Israeli military leader and politician. The fourth Chief of Staff of the Israel Defense Forces , he became a fighting symbol to the world of the new State of Israel...
and is given a lightning course on artillery. As the gunner of an armored vehicle, he is a very important element in Dayan's takeover of the towns of Lydda
Lod
Lod is a city located on the Sharon Plain southeast of Tel Aviv in the Center District of Israel. At the end of 2010, it had a population of 70,000, roughly 75 percent Jewish and 25 percent Arab.The name is derived from the Biblical city of Lod...
and Ramleh.
Over the next few years, Joseph grows from tall and lanky to big and muscular, and becomes a member of Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
's most distinguished elite combat unit, the Paratroopers. He performs acts of great heroism during the 1956 war, in which Israel clears the Sinai of Palestinian terrorists and Egyptian armies, and restores freedom of navigation through the Gulf of Aqaba.
Yossi has a brother, Leopold Blumenthal, who leaves Israel for America and changes his name to Lee Bloom. He becomes a real estate
Real estate
In general use, esp. North American, 'real estate' is taken to mean "Property consisting of land and the buildings on it, along with its natural resources such as crops, minerals, or water; immovable property of this nature; an interest vested in this; an item of real property; buildings or...
tycoon, but continues to help Israel acquire desperately needed weaponry.
Don Kishote has romantic connections with several women, but his true love is Shayna, a religious but independent-minded Jerusalem girl. However, instead of marrying her he marries Yael Luria, because she becomes pregnant
in a sexual encounter both had intended to be a casual, one time affair. At the time of his marriage he changes his last name to Nitzan, the Hebrew version of the name "Bloom" adopted by his brother.
Joseph transfers from the Paratroopers to Armor. His creative exploits during maneuvers win high praise from David Ben Gurion himself. In the Six-Day War
Six-Day War
The Six-Day War , also known as the June War, 1967 Arab-Israeli War, or Third Arab-Israeli War, was fought between June 5 and 10, 1967, by Israel and the neighboring states of Egypt , Jordan, and Syria...
he is injured and knocked off his tank. With the help of a nurse and of another soldier he escapes from the hospital and takes part in the Liberation of Jerusalem.
In The Glory
The Glory
The Glory is the sequel to The Hope written by American author Herman Wouk.-Plot introduction:Interweaving the lives and fates of fictional characters and real-life notables, the sequel to The Hope continues the story of Israeli history to the climactic events of the Yom Kippur War and the promise...
, sequel to The Hope, Yossi is Operations Officer for Northern Command, and his advice is sought by Moshe Dayan
Moshe Dayan
Moshe Dayan was an Israeli military leader and politician. The fourth Chief of Staff of the Israel Defense Forces , he became a fighting symbol to the world of the new State of Israel...
. Later he becomes Chief of Staff for Southern Command, under Ariel Sharon
Ariel Sharon
Ariel Sharon is an Israeli statesman and retired general, who served as Israel’s 11th Prime Minister. He has been in a permanent vegetative state since suffering a stroke on 4 January 2006....
. In this position, Kishote is largely responsible for the success of the Israeli crossing of the Suez Canal
Suez Canal
The Suez Canal , also known by the nickname "The Highway to India", is an artificial sea-level waterway in Egypt, connecting the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea. Opened in November 1869 after 10 years of construction work, it allows water transportation between Europe and Asia without navigation...
into Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
, which turns the tide of the Yom Kippur War
Yom Kippur War
The Yom Kippur War, Ramadan War or October War , also known as the 1973 Arab-Israeli War and the Fourth Arab-Israeli War, was fought from October 6 to 25, 1973, between Israel and a coalition of Arab states led by Egypt and Syria...
.
From 1974 to 1976, Yossi Nitzan lives outside Israel. He travels in the western USA for fun, and in the Far East on business. In Australia, he reconnects with Shayna, now widowed. He manages to bring her, and her stepson Reuven, back to Israel, largely with help from Yael, who also gives Yossi what he most wants from her - a divorce. In 1976, Yossi and Shayna are at last married. Their honeymoon is cut short by the Entebbe
Entebbe
Entebbe is a major town in Central Uganda. Located on a Lake Victoria peninsula, the town was at one time, the seat of government for the Protectorate of Uganda, prior to Independence in 1962...
crisis. Aryeh participates in the Entebbe Rescue (known as Operation Entebbe
Operation Entebbe
Operation Entebbe was a counter-terrorist hostage-rescue mission carried out by the Special Forces of the Israel Defense Forces at Entebbe Airport in Uganda on 4 July 1976. A week earlier, on 27 June, an Air France plane with 248 passengers was hijacked by Palestinian and German terrorists and...
, Operation Thunderbolt, and Operation Yonatan). His father Yossi also has a hand in that famous deliverance.
Joseph Blumenthal/Yossi Nitzan is a Don Quixote who does not get wallopped by windmills, but instead defeats the Dragons and Giants, delivers his people and nation, and wins the heart of the virtuous and beautiful lady he loves, and marries her.