"A book of life and hope. There are few greater documents to the vitality and perseverance of Man than this history of the Jews."

- St. Louis Post Dispatch

"Done with warmth and vitality. Written for laymen by a scholarly layman who has a passion for his theme."

- Max Lerner


"By far the liveliest popular history of the Jewish people that I have ever read. In many ways a strikingly original synthesis of Jewish history."

- Richard B. Morris


"An outstanding contribution to our understanding of Judaism."

- Bishop Gerald Kennedy

"Unquestionably the best popular history of the Jews written in the Englishlanguage"

- Los Angeles Times

I ran into an old acquaintance at a meeting I attended a while back and I received this wonderful letter from a wonderful man.  It also warms my heart to hear how Max’s book, Jews God and History has impacted people’s lives.

Dear Ethel,
         It was so nice meeting you again after so many years.  Your husband Max’s book, Jews, God and History, was very important to me when I read it many years ago.  It satisfied a hunger I had to learn more about the identity I’d been born when I was recommended to read it when it was suggested by a trusted reviewer as an excellent work to read on the subject.
        Max’s broad humanity came of the pages when he pointed out that those who perished at Nazi hands were not just six million Jews but 12 million by their machinery of mass murder.  We Jews shall forever grope, as the world should, of what happened to our people…and extend the reach of “never again” and anti-discrimination in general, as Max opened our eyes to do to all others invidiously targeted because of blood or condition to which they were born.  It was a pleasure to think again about Max’s valuable book. 

 All best wishes,
Tom Mendelson

“Stern and softhearted; gruff and kind; knowledgeable and receptive to new ideas, astute in his perception of history, he was a great husband and father,
the confidant of many people.”

Max Dimont is indelibly inked into each of his books, which clearly portray his concern for people, for the world, for humanity, and reading between the lines one can discern his purpose in life; to convey ideas, to develop productive attitudes, to create understanding, to dispel hatred and anger, and to write and lecture straight-forwardly.

Max was born to a Russian Jewish family and grew up in Helsinki, Finland. He immigrated to the United States in August 1929 with his mother and siblings; a sister and brother. The family was briefly detained at Ellis Island before being reunited with their father while family name and father's name were reconciled. He taught himself to speak and read English by reading Shakespeare, the Bible, and a vast array of American plays. Max spoke five languages fluently and understood even more.  

Uncle Sam was looking for a few good men and Max was chosen to serve in the U.S. Army Intelligence in World War II. Before being shipped overseas, Max met Ethel Kurzfeld on a blind date and shortly after returning from the war, they were married in 1947.  Later he and Ethel moved to St. Louis, Missouri, where he worked in public relations and human resources for Edison Brothers Stores.

In 1962, he published Jews, God and History, which received critical acclaim and has sold over 3 million copies to date.  The St. Louis Post Dispatch claims, "A book of life and hope. There are few greater documents to the vitality and perseverance of Man than this history of the Jews."

With the success of Jews, God and History, Max was invited to lecture around the world.    He and Ethel traveled and lectured extensively on Jewish history throughout the United States, Canada, Israel, South Africa, Brazil, and Finland. His other works include The Indestructible Jews, The Jews in America, and Appointment in Jerusalem.

He died in 1992, after complications from heart surgery. He is survived by his wife Ethel, daughter Gail and son-in-law Michael Goldey, grand-sons; Mark Goldey and his wife Lisa with their two children, Ann and Felix, Peter Goldey and his wife Tiffany with their daughter Eleanor, and Daniel Goldey, who  live in New York City, New York.