Brotherhood Of Warriors

I picked up a copy of a book about a Beverly Hills kid who decides to move to Israel and try out for the most elite Counter Terrorist organization in the world. I was attracted to the book for several reasons. I have read Eric L. Haney's Inside Delta Force book multiple times and enjoyed it. I have also read Douglas Waller's book, Commandos. It's about different Special Forces (including Navy SEALs) selection and training, so I have found that this kind of book actually interests me. (Who Knew?)

The book is very easy to read, very conversational in tone, sort of like you are both sitting down at a table talking about things. I had a bit of trouble with some of the Hebrew terms, but I found that I eventually got most of it.

One of the first things Aaron Cohen explains is how he could join the Israeli Army at all. He, as a Jew, is automatically allowed citizenship, under the Law Of Return. I knew that my husband was probably allowed Israeli citizenship, but didn't know how extensive this Law of Return actually is.

Here's a small piece of the law:

4A. (a) The rights of a Jew under this Law and the rights of an oleh under the Nationality Law, 5712-1952,*** as well as the rights of an oleh under any other enactment, are also vested in a child and a grandchild of a Jew, the spouse of a Jew, the spouse of a child of a Jew and the spouse of a grandchild of a Jew, except for a person who has been a Jew and has voluntarily changed his religion.

So what I learned is that I can immigrate to Israel, with my husband, even though I am not Jewish and so can my son, even though he does not have a Jewish mother. Not like I was planning to do so, but I found it very interesting.


Most of the book explains the unrelenting training that Aaron went through, something like 14 months of extensive training, to get to the point where he could be sent out on missions. I have never heard of a more heartless training regime and he confides in a friend, that it took a great mental toll on him.

The missions he goes out on each seem similar to things I see on The Unit. Small groups of men are given orders from the Command Center and usually are sent to retrieve people who the Jewish State feels are trouble makers and hopefully bring them back alive for questioning. Of course, those people do not want to be taken alive, they want to go out in a blaze of glory...and thus, the trouble with the work.

All in all, it was a good read and I recommend it to any who find Special Forces tactics and training of interest.