Jewish Trivia: Shark attacks

By Mark D. Zimmerman

Mark D. Zimmerman
Mark D. Zimmerman

MELVILLE, New York — Shark attacks are on the rise around the world, with numerous attacks off the Carolina coast this summer and a recent fatal attack off the Australian coast. What was  unusual about a shark attack in the Middle East in 2010?

A. The Israeli navy was engaged in anti-terror training near Eilat on the Red Sea coast. The Israelis launched a small dinghy with two sailors on board, to mimic the situation where terrorists might try to land on the beach in a small craft. The dinghy, however, was overturned by a shark that proceeded to attack the sailors. Thankfully other sailors on a nearby Israeli warship were able to shoot the shark before the two men were severely injured.

B. Following a number of shark attacks in the Red Sea waters near Sharm el-Sheikh, including the fatal mauling of a 70-year-old German woman, an Egyptian authority suggested that the Israeli Mossad was responsible. “What is being said about the Mossad throwing the deadly shark (in the sea) to hit tourism in Egypt is not out of the question,” said South Sinai Governor Mohamed Abdel Fadil Shousha.

C. The Israeli military was participating in war games over the Red Sea. A huge bomb was accidentally dropped very close to the Eilat coast. The explosion was so large that fish, coral, and even a few sharks were blasted out of the water and rained down upon the nearby beach. Thunder Levin, who had previously written such films as Mutant Vampire Zombies from the ‘Hood! happened to be vacationing on that beach and used the event as inspiration for the writing of Sharknado, which became a huge cult hit.

D. In what was the world’s first indoor shark attack, an incident occurred at the Underwater Observatory Marine Park in Eilat. The facility, which includes a 1000 square meter shark pool, suffered a failure in a glass wall, enabling some sharks to come crashing through into the viewing area, where a number of tourists were attacked, though none seriously.

E. The Jerusalem Biblical Zoo created an exhibit called “Mysterious Animals of the Bible” featuring animals mentioned in the Old Testament that are either mythical, now extinct, or not able to be identified as modern species. The animals, such as the attacus (a kind of locust), basilisk (believed to be a cobra or viper) and cockatrice (a serpent), were represented in the exhibit by living animals that were reminiscent of the biblical animals in some way. One biblical animal, the Leviathan, or sea monster, was represented by a great white shark. According to the Talmud Baba Bathra 75a, the Leviathan is to be slain and served to the righteous at the Time of Redemption. A mentally deranged person reached into the tank to remove the shark, shouting that he was going to eat the creature to help bring about the coming of the Messiah. The shark bit the man’s arm before he was rescued and apprehended by guards.
Link to answer:
http://rrrjewishtrivia.com/answers/shark-attack-answer.html

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Mark D. Zimmerman is the author of Rashi, Rambam and Ramalamadingdong series of Jewish trivia e-books. Learn more at rrrjewishtrivia.com.