JL;DR SUMMARY In "Confusion and Illusions: 1939," authors Jehuda Reinharz and Yaacov Shavit discuss the challenges faced by Jewish leaders in Europe, the United States, and Palestine leading up to World War II, particularly focusing on the plight of Polish Jews amidst rising anti-Semitism and deteriorating conditions. A way out west there was a fella, fella I want to tell you about, fella by the name of Jeff Lebowski. At least, that was the handle his lovin' parents gave him, but he never had much use for it himself. This Lebowski, he called himself the Dude. Now, Dude, that's a name no one would self-apply where I come from. But then, there was a lot about the Dude that didn't make a whole lot of sense to me. And a lot about where he lived, likewise. But then again, maybe that's why I found the place s'durned innarestin'.