The Letter

The Letter by W. Gunther Plaut Toronto: McClelland and Stewart, 1986Rabbi W. Gunther Plaut is a most gifted man. He was - among other things - the rabbi of Holy Blossom (Reform) Temple in Toronto for nearly twenty years; as well as author of numerous scholarly works on the Torah; novelist; and a social justice activist. His deep insights into humankind; based on his wide range of life experiences; his love of the Jewish people and deep commitment to Judaism; all shine through in this most gripping novel.The Letter is an excellent spy-thriller, which moves like a whirlwind from one fascinating encounter to another - there is never a dull moment here! The setting of the novel is WWII Europe and the U.S.A. The main protagonist is a woman, German-born Jew, Helga Raben. She falls in love with a German soldier, Rolf Baumgarten, who hates and resists everything that Hitler and the Nazi ideology represent. Rolf, along with several other high-ranking German army officers, plot to kill Hitler.However, on the Russian front, Rolf is separated from Helga and loses contact with her. Helga then falls in love with an American embassy man, Ken Driscoll. Together they secure false documents and flee Germany into Switzerland. In their possession is a letter from Hitler. The novel has many fast-paced passages of episodes involving espionage activities of both the Germans and the Allied forces. Helga is always on the run, keeping one step ahead of German spies. She also continues courageously - against much resistance from Jews and allied leaders - to spread the message of Hitler's antisemitic plans and atrocities. In the end, all is well for most of the protagonists in the novel. There is also an interesting twist in the closing plot of the story involving Ken Driscoll, in particular. This novel is so brilliantly written that it becomes next to impossible to remain an observing bystander. The characters are so real, that one is captivated by their lives, almost as if one was right there, in the thick of things with them. The novel profoundly celebrates the resilience of the Jewish faith and the integrity of righteous Gentiles. I highly recommend this novel to everyone with an interest in Jewish-Christian relations.