Modern Judaism: Or a Brief Account of the Opinions, Traditions, Rites, and Ceremonies of the Jews in Modern Times (1816)

Leonard Rattini grew up living in an apartment building located in Collinwood, an eastside neighborhood in Cleveland, Ohio. In his early years, he was unaware of the surroundings beyond his immediate Italian neighborhood. His first emotional experience occurred at age fifteen when his family moved to Euclid, an adjacent suburb. The new home was in a rural area approximately fifteen miles due east and so very different. He felt isolated. Upon graduation two years later, he reluctantly joined the Navy as the U.S. was embroiled in the Korean War. Lennyas Naval experience further forced him out of his cocoon, as he had to quickly adapt to face various adversities during his time of service. Several of his experiences could have been fatal. One unplanned venture was his transfer at sea to a Pakistani naval minesweeper. Be prepared to laugh as Lenny tells his story by his style of humor.