SOLVED. Jewish YA Survival fiction - Kids transporting a torah scroll are in a plane crash, the usual survival hijinx ensue. Read around 1985. [s]

[Matt]

This is an old one. I would've been reading this somewhere around 1985 or so--maybe as early as 1983, or as late as 1988.

I suspect it was probably published by a Jewish specialty publisher, but don't know for sure. Written in English, almost certainly published in America (with an outside chance that it was Israel).

It was a YA book about a group of kids transporting a torah scroll by plane. (I think they were maybe taking it to Israel? Maybe?)

The plane crashes and they are forced to survive, like in so many other books, only with a heavy Jewish twist. (There are rules for treatment of a torah scroll that they try to follow, dietary restrictions, etc.)

A few very specific things I remember:

They dig up vegetables to eat, and are astounded to learn that those vegetables are called "jerusalem artichokes".

One of the boys wears glasses; there is a scene where he's in the rain and he takes the glasses off and is then described as looking "ingenuous" (or MAYBE "disingenuous," but this was the first time I ever encountered the word and remember thinking it was a misspelling of "ingenious," which made no contextual sense at all).

I think their plane was named something, maybe after a bird or something? Maybe the name of the plane was in the title of the book? I don't know.

I've been looking for this thing for YEARS, and definitely posted about it on a forum like this one a decade ago or more, to no result. Hoping for better luck this time. Thanks, all!

EDIT TO ADD: I've checked other sites, looked at the lists on LibraryThing, etc. etc. etc. I swear to you all I've done my best before asking!)

[Kris]

Matt, what is the story's time period and location (country, region, near a well-known city)?

Where are the kids transporting the torah scroll from and to - and why?

About how many kids and adults survive the plane crash? Who were the kids travelling with? What caused the plane crash? (Spoilers in the comments are okay - just give us a clear warning before revealing a spoiler.)

[Rainbowheart]

I found a mystery series called EMES Interpol by a Jewish press.

The Hostage Torah, The Egyptian Star and The Secret of Sambatyon are three of the titles.

Not sure any of the plots match exactly, though.

[Matt]

Kris wrote: "Matt, what is the story's time period and location (country, region, near a well-known city)?

Where are the kids transporting the torah scroll from and to - and why?

About how many kids and adult..."

Sure thing. Time period and location are, I believe, roughly contemporaneous to when I was reading it. So early- to mid-eighties -- maybe back to the 1970s but almost certainly not before.

I don't remember where they're bringing the torah to or from, but it is, within the story, a Big Deal. They are honored to be doing it but it is a LOT of responsibility. I believe they were with a teacher, maybe two. But maybe they were more like counselors or guides? I don't remember any adults (and I also *spoiler, I guess, for a 35 year old book we can't find* don't remember any gory deaths or anything. It's a pretty clean, old-school youth adventure type book.)

Sorry not to be more helpful ... weird how I remember the jerusalem artichokes but not any general plot details.

[Matt]

Rainbowheart wrote: "I found a mystery series called EMES Interpol by a Jewish press.

The Hostage Torah, The Egyptian Star and The Secret of Sambatyon are three of the titl..."

Yeah, none of these are quite it. But they're certainly at least in the same general ... well, the same sport, if not exactly the same ballpark. If nothing else, I can at least start probing Judaica Press titles from that era.....

Thanks!

[Kris]

Fiction or non-fiction?

[Rainbowheart]

I did a deep dive into Jewish publishers recently for another thread.

Do you know what branch of Judaism? Some Reform publishers are UAHC Press, URJ Press, CCAR Press, Behrman House, Bloch Publishing, and the Jewish Publication Society.

[Matt]

Kris wrote: "Fiction or non-fiction?"

Fiction, for sure.

[Matt]

Rainbowheart wrote: "I did a deep dive into Jewish publishers recently for another thread.

Do you know what branch of Judaism? Some Reform publishers are UAHC Press, URJ Press, CCAR Press, Behrman House, Bloch Publish..."

Good question. I actually don't know for sure. Probably conservative, mayyyybe orthodox. Almost certainly not reform, as the level of importance the kids put on maintaining Jewish traditions in a crisis is higher than I think would be expected from reform kids.

[Rainbowheart]

The Mysterious Cargo?

It's from '89, so might be pubbed too late. The author wrote other stories in this vein, notably Hijacked, but I think that's definitely outside the time frame.

[Matt]

Rainbowheart wrote: "The Mysterious Cargo?

It's from '89, so might be pubbed too late. The author wrote other stories in this vein, notably Hijacked, but I think that's definitely outside..."

It's not that one, nor any of the author's other listed books, but the kinda janky covers are in the right wheelhouse. Maybe I'll see if there's something else from that publisher. Thanks!

[Matt]

I have this nagging feeling that their plane was named after a bird of some kind, and that the title may have been "Flight of the [Whatever Kind of Bird]" or "Crash of the [Bird]" or something.

Eagle? Dove? I feel like maybe it was a bird that lives on or near water, maybe? Crane? Gull?

I could be wrong about all of this, but figured it was worth mentioning.

[Rainbowheart]

That was a great clue!

The Flight to Seven Swan Bay

Fifteen travelers, including four young children and six teenage boys, are aboard a small seaplane. They are bringing a sefer Torah to Seven Swan Bay, a tiny Jewish community on a lonely inlet in the far north. Suddenly, their plane is caught up in a fierce storm. Compelled to make an emergency landing, they find themselves downed in an isolated section of the northern woods. With no means of communication, practically no food, and no medicines, they settle down for a night or two outdoors. But when days go by with no sign of rescue or help, they are forced to learn new arts of survival in the plentiful world around them. “I don’t know exactly how to get us out of the wilderness,” said their pilot Paltiel, “but I do know how to live here. G-d’s earth is truly a wonder. We are surrounded by everything we need.” Based on her own first-hand experiences in the woods, June Leavitt tells an exciting, true-to-life story of a highly unexpected adventure. And along each step of the way, she shows how the world of Torah and mitzvos are an integral part of Jews’ lives - even in the wilderness!

[Matt]

Oh. My. Goodness. That's the answer to a question that's been nagging at me for like 20 years. Thank you so much!!!

[Rainbowheart]

Awesome, glad to help out!

Now if I could only find the other Jewish press book Rosa is looking for. That one is proving elusive, lol.

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

[Matt]

Rainbowheart wrote: "Awesome, glad to help out!

Now if I could only find the other Jewish press book Rosa is looking for. That one is proving elusive, lol.

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...-..."

You all are (obviously) vastly better at the internet sleuthing than I'll ever be, but I'll ask around to some of the Jewish day school teachers around here and see if maybe someone happens to know something.

[Rainbowheart]

They just might know!

Thanks for asking around. :)