Schmelvis: In Search of Elvis Presley's Jewish Roots

Author: Jonathan Goldstein and Max Wallace

Publisher: ECW Press

ISBN: 1-55022-462-X

The number of new books that have some connection with Elvis, however, tenuous, is a clear indication that the publishing world is not going to allow the 25th anniversary of Elvis's death go past without some considerable effort to reap at least some financial benefit! No doubt other elements of the media will also get into the act and, indeed, "Schmelvis" is a book that ties in with a planned film that handles the apparently unlikely thesis that Elvis was Jewish.

Well, unlikely, to some extent -- most Elvis fans are already well aware of Elvis's roots, thanks to a number of titles that have already delved into the topic, including Elaine Dundy's quite excellent "Elvis and Gladys" (and if that book isn't already a part of your Elvis collection, buy it now!). As "Schmelvis" explains, although Elvis was not raised a Jew, Jewish law stipulates that Jewish identity is passed along the maternal line, and as Elvis's Jewish great-great-grandmother along that line was Jewish, Elvis automatically "qualifies."

That's fair enough. Indeed, I would have no problem if Elvis were Buddhist, Atheist, Animalist, or any other -ist, come to that -- as far as I'm concerned, he was Elvis, and that's more than enough. And, to be quite honest, that's all that really seems to matter to the authors of "Schmelvis," for the book is in no way some form of ethnic justification, or a detailed family history; it is, instead, just a sort of diary that follows the nascence of the idea to produce a film documentary to prove that Elvis was Jewish and the resulting journey across North America and then to Israel and back.

This odyssey (schmodyssey?) is not told as a narrative, but as a series of shorter and longer texts, including emails, dialogues, poetry, and notes. Some of these texts are highly amusing, some are far less so! Altogether, however, they give a good feel for the relationships that developed among the film crew, producers, directors and "star" (a Chassidic Jewish Elvis impersonator whose stage-name is Schmelvis, but who doesn't know the words to any Elvis song and seems to dislike performing, anyway!), all of whom travel from Canada to Memphis in a Winnebago (a sort of mobile home, recreational vehicle), which is referred to as the "Winnebagel, " in search of undeniable evidence. The interactions that develop are further complicated by an Orthodox Rabbi, who comes along as a sort of advisor, but travels separately and has regular fallings-out with Schmelvis himselvis.

Prior to setting out, the producers hire a private investigator to look into Elvis's Jewish roots. His report, reproduced in the book, is remarkable in its inaccurate account of recent history (he writes that Elvis was in Germany when Gladys died!) and should be a warning to all North Americans who are thinking about hiring a PI to investigate anything that is less well documented -- just about anything, in other words!

So what does Schmelvis have to offer the Elvis fan. Well, not a great deal in all honesty. If it weren't for the occasional bad language (Evan, the producer, and the man who originally came up with the idea of the documentary, is especially vulgar), the book would be a reasonable couple of hours escapism with the occasional laugh. Some parts are poignant, too, especially where Schmelvis puts on an impromptu performance for a group of Palestinian schoolchildren at the Elvis Inn outside Jerusalem, but overall there will probably be far more relevant books published in 2002.

David Neale

copyright May 2002

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