NONFICTION - Jan. 8, 1995

THE JEWS AND EUROPE 2,000 Years of History by Elena Romero Castello and Uriel Macias Kapon . (Henry Holt: $50; 239 pp.) , THE JEWS IN AMERICA A Treasury of Art and Literature edited by Abraham J. Karp . (Hugh Lauter Levin Associates Inc.: $75; 376 pp.) Though their titles are similar, these books are not part of a series, and no one should anticipate that other publishers will chime in with titles like “Jews Beyond the Arctic Circle” or, a Mel Brooks favorite, “Jews in Space.” Still, if they did, these substantial volumes, both handsomely produced but with divergent approaches to their material, would serve nicely as models.

“Jews and Europe,” as befits a venerable continent laden with 2,000 years of history, takes a more traditional approach. It is a survey book, attempting to cover considerable territory in the fewest possible words and counting on the beauty of its illustrations to pull readers along. These range from romanticized visions such as “The Little Jewish Orphan” to a chilling piece of 15th-Century calumny by Paolo Uccello called “Profanation of the Host.” Because the book was originally published in Spain, its sections on Sephardic culture are richer than most, and its treatment of all the facets of Jewish literature is especially strong.

Though its illustrations are also striking, especially its collection of Jewish-oriented posters and ephemera, “Jews in America” conversely focuses on excerpting both original documents and celebrated works of literature. The list of authors used is impressive, ranging from the usual suspects such as Isaac Bashevis Singer and Leo Rosten to rarely revived writers such as Mary Antin and Morris Rosenfeld, the once-celebrated “poet of the sweatshops.” The richness of the Jewish experience in this country comes through in all its colorful strength: Where else will you see a 1910 Jewish New Year card from Nome, Alaska, engraved in Hebrew on a walrus tusk? Truly, this is a great country.