Shut up, I’m Talking….and Other Diplomacy Lessons I Learned in the Israeli Government by Gregory Levey.
By Sheila Orysiek
SAN DIEGO–A young Jewish university student from Toronto finds himself, at the request of the Israeli Delegation, occupying a seat representing the State of Israel in the General Assembly of the United Nations. A vote begins on a resolution and since the rest of the delegation is not present, he is the only one sitting in the Israeli seats.
He has no idea how Israel wants to vote, or which of several resolutions is being voted upon, and he is not even an official delegate nor an Israeli citizen. His frantic cell phone calls to the Office of the Israeli UN Mission are not answered. What to do? How did this peculiar situation come about? Levey solves this dilemma by….well….you’ll have to read the book!
Beginning as a speech writer for the Israeli UN Mission and then promoted to writing speeches for PM Ariel Sharon in Jerusalem, Levey has an insider’s view of the day to day workings (“machinations” also fits) of the bureaucracy. He witnesses what he considers a miracle of how anything resembling orderly government comes out of seemingly disorganized chaos.
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From the Jewish Library
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Sometimes humorous and occasionally repelling, Levey presents a different view of Israel. Though he admits to culture shock, he does not always retain the reader’s sympathy.
This is not a heavy book detailing the momentous decisions Levey witnessed. Rather, it is a unique and entertaining view; sometimes written (and read) with a smile and just as often with a grimace.
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Orysiek is a freelance writer specializing in coverage of the arts. She may be contacted via sheila.orysiek@sdjewishworld.com
I’m surprised to see this book mentioned today when it’s already 6 years old (it was published in 2008). I remember reading it at the time and being thoroughly disappointed. The author was self-centered and clearly more interested in going for facile effects than writing a substantial reflection on his experience. He failed miserably in both respects. While it is true that the Israeli Mission at the UN has had a series of more or less competent leaders (e.g. Shalev), the current one (Prosor) is quite impressive, and to give readers the impression that what a lazy Levey wrote years ago is still valid today (if it was at all then) is dishonest and misleading. This book was not worth the paper it was printed on, as one reviewer on Amazon.com accurately wrote, and I concur. Check the other reviews there for yourself, and don’t waste a shekel on this book.
Sheila Orysiek has been serving as the librarian at Temple Emanu-El for several years. Her column is called “From the Jewish Library” because we think people should be aware not only of what books are being published this year, but what books might await them in Jewish libraries. — Donald H. Harrison, editor