Gitel's Freedom - by Iris Mitlin Lav (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

For fans of Georgia Hunter's We Were the Lucky Ones and Anita Abriel's The Light After the War comes a historical narrative about the lives of Jewish immigrants in the early twentieth century and one woman's journey through adversity toward personal freedom.

At an early age, Gitel questions the expected roles of women in society and in Judaism. Born in Belorussia and brought to the US in 1911 as a child, she leads a life constrained by her religious Jewish parents. Forbidden from going to college and pushed into finding a husband, she marries Shmuel, an Orthodox Jewish pharmacist whose left-wing politics she admires. They plan to work together in a neighborhood pharmacy in Chicago--but when the Great Depression hits and their bank closes, their hopes are shattered.

In the years that follow, Shmuel's questionable decisions, his poor health, and his bad luck plague their marriage and leave them constantly in financial distress. Gitel dreams of going back to school to become a teacher once their one daughter reaches high school, but an unexpected pregnancy quashes that aspiration as well. And when, later, a massive stroke leaves Shmuel disabled, Gitel is challenged to combine caring for him, being the breadwinner at a time when women face salary discrimination, and being present for their second daughter.

Offering an illuminating look at Jewish immigrant life in early-1900s America, Gitel's Freedom is a compelling tale of women's resourcefulness and resilience in the face of limiting and often oppressive expectations.

Review Quotes

"Lav (author of A Wife in Bangkok) paints an intimate picture of Jewish life, smattering the chapters with Yiddish words, rituals, and religious lessons from the Torah that give the narrative both depth and authenticity. There's also a deep awareness of the historical forces that drive the plot, as the characters' personal events hold court with the political and economic developments of the time. That all adds up to a myriad of moving parts, but Lav juggles them well, sketching out how each generation processes, and transcends, the problems faced by the previous generation. The progress is incremental, but the results, when they do come, are beautifully rewarding."--Publishers Weekly

"Lav's attention to juxtaposing family relationships and transitions with social changes in women's roles and economics creates a story perfect for book club discussion topics ranging from Jewish heritage, identity, and culture to changing mother/daughter relationships as the decades introduce new challenges to all Americans."--Midwest Book Review

"Gitel's Freedom by Iris Mitlin Lav is a vivid account of one girl's deeply observant Jewish family as they make their way from Belorussia in the early twentieth century. Despite cultural barriers that mitigate against her, Gitel finds the strength that will propel the next generation. This book will engage readers eager to learn of one family's challenges, heartaches, and joy as they strive to realize the American dream."--Jean P. Moore, author of Crossing from Shore to Shore

"Gitel's Freedom immerses the reader in the complex lives of Jewish immigrant families, providing a thought-provoking and detailed examination of what it means to start anew in America, the joys that might be nearby, and the costs that sometimes must be paid."--Bruce J Berger, author of A Covo Family Saga

"Gitel's Freedom is an engaging tale! Especially striking is the depiction of the painful choices faced by the observant Jewish immigrant poor. The common view is that our ancestors gleefully abandoned religious strictures when they came to this country. This book serves as a welcome reminder that the truth may not be so simple." --Ethan Seidel, Rabbi Emeritus, Tifereth Israel Congregation

"Iris Mitlin Lav's engaging historical novel is a moving testimony that portrays a vivid picture of three generations of an immigrant Jewish family struggling to find its place in America. Gitel's Freedom is a deeply felt and well told family saga." --Florence Reiss Kraut, author of How to Make a Life and Street Corner Dreams

About the Author

Iris Mitlin Lav grew up in the liberal Hyde Park neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois. She went on to earn an MBA from George Washington University and an AB from the University of Chicago, and to enjoy a long career of public policy analysis and management, with an emphasis on improving policies for low- and moderate-income families. She also taught public finance at Johns Hopkins University and George Mason University, and in 1999 received the Steven D. Gold award for contributions to state and local fiscal policy, an award jointly given by the Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management, the National Conference of State Legislatures, and the National Tax Association. Gitel's Freedom is her second novel; her first, A Wife in Bangkok, was published in 2020 by She Writes Press. Lav and her husband now live in Chevy Chase, Maryland, with Mango, their goldendoodle, and grandchildren nearby.