: Unusual Stories in Jewish History Jack Cooper Gefen , 2010 - 242 pages , 2010 - History 5 Reviews Did you know that the great Jewish sage and physician Maimonides practiced medicine while lying flat on his back? That a famous passage penned by George Washington was actually the work of a rabbi? That a Jewish athlete represented Nazi Germany in its infamous 1936 Olympic Games? That Yasser Arafat was made by the KGB? These and many more such intriguing stories make up Jack Cooper's fascinating collection of historical windows on the life of the Jews. Covering biblical times through to today, these unusual vignettes on the sidelines of history come together to form a story that is anything but a sideline, depicting a resourceful people who have survived and thrived despite the worst history has thrown at them. Whether you read it straight through, or pick out individual stories to read as the mood strikes, you're in for a captivating read!