The Last Jewish Gangster?

The Chronicles of The Last Jewish Gangster: From Meyer to Myron by Myron Sugerman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Italian and Jewish Immigrants got along really well together , especially in the underworld . Both groups were underdogs and often had to rely on their own community for justice and protection . The mob certainly provided that to both communities.
In fact the Italian mob and the Jewish mob grew up right along side each other, influenced each other worked together to form Murder incorporated.

Reading this tome will give good insight as to how things worked in the Jewish Underworld. Myron’s father was involved in bootlegging booze and selling slot machines, pinball machine and video poker machines. Myron got in on this business. His adventures in selling machines would take him all over the world to places like Nigeria, Greece, Israel , and several locations in South America.

I expected this to be more like The Godfather or Scarface. It instead this is an autobiography of a businessman man who deals with gambling machines. Not so much violence, but there is plenty of honor.a handshake seals the deal and everyone is as good as their word. That’s more honesty than you’ll find dealing with Attorneys or other people who work on the right side of the law.

I look at Myron Sugarman is a legit businessman not a criminal. Here is why, places like Atlantic City And Vegas can run legal gambling joints that people dump their money into but heaven forbid if they try it somewhere else. The government acts in favor of Atlantic City and shuts down the smaller gambling joints. Why is that? Why is it ok in Atlantic City but not Newark? The government makes arbitrary decisions, in fact they are a mob unto themselves.

Like mentioned earlier the immigrant communities often relied on the mob for justice and protection. Law enforcement and the outside world are not often friendly to immigrants , so who you gonna call? It was the Jewish mob that broke up the Nazi Bundt rallies and often quite violently. The Jewish mob also made sure that the Haganah was able to run the British blockade and get the weapons they needed.

Myron had a great relationship with Rebbe and Simon Wiesenthal. It was shortly after the Rebbe died that Myron lost a trial and pulled a two year prison term. Whenever things went awry on the legal front the Rebbe would always have advice that kept him out of jail.

The Jewish mob also helped bring Nazis to justice. Myron would meet Simon Wiesenthal in Vienna. The two would for a very close relationship. Myron would send donation and relay messages regarding the capture or elimination of Nazi war criminal. He was almost instrumental in capturing Joseph Mengele.

Despite being called a gangster I think Myron is a righteous man. It is not unethical to sell gambling machines when the govt arbitrarily decides who it is legal for and who it is not. He never killed anyone or sold drugs. Even when involved in less than legal ventures Myron always kept his eye open for the Jewish people.

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