In the heart of an L.A. delicatessen, amidst the sizzle of pastrami and the clatter of dishes, the air thrums with tales of a bygone era—an era where the streets of Brooklyn were ruled not by lawmen but by Jewish gangsters, men with names like Meyer Lansky, Bugsy Siegel, and Louis "Lepke" Buchalter. "Tough Jews" by Rich Cohen delves deep into the heart of this shadowy world, where loyalty was written in blood and honor among thieves was more than just a saying. From the gritty candy stores of Brownsville to the opulent corridors of the Waldorf, Cohen escorts us through a landscape teeming with fixers, fighters, and those who dared to dream big in the face of adversity. With a narrative as sharp as a switchblade, Cohen cuts through the myths to present a vivid mosaic of the Jewish underworld—a world where Red Levine would refuse to kill on the Sabbath, and Abe "Kid Twist" Reles could bury a man alive without batting an eye. "Tough Jews" is not just a history of crime; it's a chronicle of survival, ambition, and the relentless pursuit of the American dream through whatever means available. Through meticulous research and gripping anecdotes, Cohen resurrects a forgotten chapter of Jewish history, painting a portrait of men who, in their quest for respect and power, became legends in their own right. This is their story, raw and unvarnished, told with the finesse and detail only Rich Cohen could muster.