Sun Nov 2, 2008 — by Robert Greenberger

'Jew-Jitsu' Promises to Keep you Safe

Humorous Book uses Tradition for Self-Defense

Pop culture sees a plethora of imitators.  Chicken Soup’s endless variations comes to mind as beating a concept to death.  The ones that stand out, that beg for attention, are the ones at the head of the wave.

Will Jew-Jitsu: The Hebrew Hands of Fury be such a trend-setter?  We don’t know but we’re awfully amused to be seeing former DC Comics and Weekly World News exec Paul Kupperberg co-writing this tongue-in-cheek self-defense book.  Just out from Citadel Press, the 114-page illustrated volume is ostensibly written by Rabbi Daniel Eliezer and promises to show how the tefillin and Tallis can be used as defense weapons.

With clear images from photographer Robert Michael Simses, you can learn how to avoid trouble but when there’s no choice, you’re shown exactly how to find your chai and deliver deadly blows. (See if you can spot ComicMix contributor Ric Meyers in some shots.)

This step-by-step guide takes you through the "Eighteen Forms" of meditation to mastering complex martial arts moves such as "Receiving the Torah," "Throwing of the Star of David" and "The Deadly Punch in the Kishkes."

"The secret to humor," he told the Stamford Times, "is introducing an element of reality that people can relate to, and from there you branch off into crazy."

Kupperberg’s writing is breezy and he thoughtfully provides a glossary for people less than familiar with Yiddish. Heck, there’s even a recipe for Challah bread so what’s not to love. For $12.95, what's not like?

Let’s wait and see if the Mormons offer up their own self-defense tome.

Jump to comments (7)