THE JEWISH DOG

In 1930s Germany, an exceptionally intelligent dog is born into a Jewish family.

Caleb immediately notices that he has some inherent traits that set him apart. Not only is he unusually sensitive to humans’ emotions, he is determined to fully comprehend human speech. These talents, along with his highly developed canine skills, lead to heroism and heartbreak as he negotiates his way through World War II in Europe. All the love he knows comes from the Gottlieb family, as does his understanding of his distinctly Jewish attributes, the most important being his compulsion for survival. A Nazi decree forces the family to part with Caleb. He undergoes several name changes and increasing danger as he becomes ever more deeply involved in the war. At various times he is a stray, part of a wild pack, an SS Nazi guard and attack dog at Treblinka, and a member of an underground cell. Throughout his tribulations he yearns for reunion with the Gottlieb family. Kravitz employs harrowing, detailed imagery and fluidity of language, assuming that readers have more than a cursory knowledge of the era’s events and that they willingly accept and believe a canine narrator who hears heavenly messages from a divine being. The result is powerful and heart-wrenching, and Caleb is unforgettable.

A remarkable achievement.