Brothers Emanuel: A Memoir of an American Family

The oldest of three boys, Emanuel recalls growing up in Chicago in the 1960's and 70's with his brothers, Rahm and Ari, their pediatrician father Ben, and activist mother Marsha. Rahm would grow up to advise Bill Clinton and become mayor of Chicago. Ari is a Hollywood talent agent and Ezekiel a bioethicist specializing in end-of-life care decisions. The story begins with Ben's journey from Israel to medical school in France, then to Chicago's Mount Sinai Hospital. . He opened a private practice, serving Chicago's melting pot by speaking four languages and charging on a sliding scale. Marsha joined picket lines for desegregation and encouraged her sons to devote themselves to social justice, even bringing them to a 1966 march attended by Martin Luther King. Ezekiel recalls blatant anti-semitism, from racial slurs to bigoted country clubs. The Emanuels immersed themselves in culture, from the symphony and ballet lessons to Jewish theology. The family traveled often, ranging from a trip along Route 66 in a sky-blue Rambler to whole summers spent in Israel which Ezekiel recalls with vivid description. This book is a beautiful portrait of growing up Jewish in an urban environment during an era of profound social change. (Apr.)