We all have gotten a mysterious letter, telephone call or in today’s world, an email, but few of us pay much attention. But not Dr. Mendy Ganchrow of Fort Lee, who just released his first novel, “The Five Day War,” which grew out of an invitation he received about 15 years ago from the Saudi Royal Air Force asking him to join its military hospital as a surgeon.
Ganchrow regaled a crowd of fellow congregants at the Young Israel of Fort Lee on Wednesday night, spinning a fictional tale of what might have been, had he decided to accept that offer, move to Riyadh and become a spy for the Israeli government and ultimately alter the fate of the Middle East.
“For 15 years I have thought about what might have happened had I accepted that offer,” he said. “The book allowed me to let my imagination run free with what could have been, if I had accepted the position and been able to serve the state of Israel as their likely emissary in the court of the Saudi Crown Prince.”
The former head of several major Jewish organizations including the Orthodox Union (OU) and the Hudson Valley PAC, Ganchrow shared some of his research around the book, its themes and plots, which all tie into current events relating to the Iran nuclear problem. Ganchrow also shared that local rabbi Zev Goldberg was instrumental in offering expert opinions on various themes and chapters in the book. The book taps into Ganchrow’s expert knowledge of U.S.-Jewish political advocacy and his vast personal experience advocating for the Jewish state in the halls of power in various countries around the globe.
“The Five Day War” is based on Ganchrow’s receipt of a recruitment letter from the Saudi government to be a colorectal surgeon at their leading hospital and then delves into a fictional account of what might have happened if an Orthodox Jewish Zionist had accepted the offer. The story evolves into how a young Orthodox surgeon from the diaspora becomes Israel’s most well-positioned spy and protects the Jewish state (and most of the Middle East) from Iranian nuclear aggression. The 293-page book was published by Penoaks Publishing and is available for purchase at https://www.amazon.com/Five-Day-Mendy-Ganchrow-M-D-ebook/dp/B075JSL6L5/.
“For the past few months this novel has been at the forefront of my mind and I appreciate the Young Israel and Rabbi Zev Goldberg supporting me through the process of writing the book and hosting its launch party. Tonight’s launch was a success with not only significant attendance but also in developing further interests in the novel. People are already asking ‘When’s the sequel coming out?’” said Ganchrow.
Mendy Ganchrow, MD, a retired colorectal surgeon, is the former president of the Orthodox Union and creator of the Hudson Valley Political Action Committee, which under his leadership was the largest local pro-Israel PAC in the United States. He served on many boards of non-profit organizations, including AIPAC, Yeshiva University’s RIETS Rabbinical School, the Jim Joseph Foundation and the governing board of the Jewish Agency. He was appointed by President Clinton to serve as a commissioner on the U.S. Commission for the Preservation of America’s Heritage Abroad.
