Book Review: Gitel's Freedom by Iris Mitlin Lav

 

One woman's story of facing insurmountable odds to secure the life she desires is what the reader finds in Gitel's Freedom by Iris Mitlin Lav. 

Gitel is just a baby when her mother Rayzel works in the bakery alongside her sister. When her husband, Yankel, decides to leave the Russian army and emigrate to America, he leaves them behind until he can earn the money to bring them along. 

Years later, they secure passage to America and reunite. As Gitel grows up, she realizes that the rules for girls and women remain different than those for boys and men. She is blocked by her parents from attending college and exploring her interests. Instead, Gitel is expected to marry a Jewish husband. But if Gitel thinks married life will bring the fulfillment of her dreams, she is sadly mistaken, especially when the Great Depression shatters their hopes for financial security. 

Plagued by financial struggles, when Gitel's husband Shmuel is stricken by a massive stroke, she must juggle his care and the care of their second daughter while taking on the role of breadwinner in an environment where women face discrimination. The life she yearns for seems like it is always just outside of her reach. 

Gitel's Freedom dives deep into the life of Jewish immigrants in America in the early 1900s. Based on the author's family's experiences, this historical novel explores the challenges facing Jewish women in a society where by law or custom they were tethered to husbands and homes, whether they liked it or not or dreamed of exploring careers or other interests. I applaud the author for having the strength to shine the light on those experiences. I also appreciate the helpful glossary of terms and additional resources. 

Where I struggled with Gitel's Freedom is with its shallow point of view, marked by telling the story, rather than showing it to me through the lives of the characters. What could have been inspirational, fell short because I couldn't connect with the main character or her struggles. Not because they weren't my own, but because there was a lack of any real emotion from her. Gitel seemed to feel nothing deeply, so as the reader, I couldn't feel deeply either. What could have been moving, left me feeling like I missed out on something. 

That said, if you are looking for a story about Jewish immigrant life in 1900s America, this will be an insightful read. 

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ She Writes Press (March 25, 2025)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Paperback ‏ : ‎ 312 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1647428580
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1647428587

I received an advanced reader copy of this novel from the author. This review contains my honest opinions, which I have not been compensated for in any way.