The Shpilmans or the Corleones

In Chabon's fictional world of Sitka there are different families or sects of Jews that divide the district into neighborhoods. The Shpilmans are part of the Verbover sect. When we first meet this family, Landsman and Berko are met with heavy opposition. Even with Zimbalist with them, they have a hard time getting to see the Verbover rebbe. This is ironic since these people are supposed to be religious Jews, so why all the protection. Landsman and Berko must first pass three bodyguards, known a s Rudashevskys (another family), to get into the house. As if thats not enough, the two dectective must then face the family lawyer. In this scene, Chabon is playing with the fact that the minority races must stand together so they can hep protect each other. Through this network of Jews that are just trying to make it, Chabon has made many parallels to The Godfather. The Corleones are an Italian family trying to make it in New York. Similarly to Sitka, New York is divided into neighborhoods of families. The Corleones started as a respectable family, as I’m sure the Shpilmans did, but had to turn to crime for protection. By Chabon turning this religious group into a corrupt family of paying off people with influence and having power with in the precinct, he is playing with the reality that people will do what ever they have to do to survive.