The Daughter We Left Behind: A WW2 Historical Novel Based on a True Story of Jewish Holocaust Survivors

by Haim Gan Tov

To save their baby’s life, they will have to make a choice no parent should ever have to face.

September, 1941. Rachel and Israel Gantovnik are busy preparing for the Sabbath when their peaceful life in a Lithuanian village is instantaneously shattered. As the Nazis announce that all Jews must pack their belongings and report to the village square, Israel is ready with an escape plan he’s been preparing for months. Leaving everything behind, Israel, Rachel, and their three-week-old daughter Rivka head to the forest, bracing for the dangers ahead.

Surviving on food they forage, they search for safety throughout the treacherous terrain. Barely making it through the harsh winter, they miraculously survive a whole year outdoors. But as winter approaches again, they know their luck is running out. Finding shelter from a raging storm in a generous farmer’s home, they are faced with an impossible choice—leave Rivka with the farmer’s daughter who promises to keep their baby safe until the war is over, or risk the forest together.

After making the most agonizing decision a parent could ever have to make, Rachel and Israel are determined to make it through the war, no matter the cost. They must survive for Rivka. But will she still be waiting for them after the dust settles?

Based on an extraordinary true story, The Daughter We Left Behind is an emotional and heart-wrenching testament to the power of unconditional love, resilience, and courage, perfect for fans of We Were the Lucky Ones, Kelly Rimmer, and Kristin Hannah.

Genres: Historical Fiction

347 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 14, 2025

Reviews

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story gripped me from start to finish. I am always amazed at what people can experience and still survive. This story was written based on information the son (author) had from his mother’s experience. His father lived to be 99 years old and no doubt filled in some details. I have read many books about the Holocaust and still marvel at how some people made it out alive. I visited the museum in DC and was gripped by the enormous loss of life and the individual stories. I applaud the author who wrote this as a kind of memorial for family members who were murdered so they wouldn’t be forgotten. If you get inspired by stories of survival this book is for you.

[Karen Ladanye · Rating 2 out of 5]

sub-par book

I have read many books, both fiction and non-fiction, about the Holocaust and World War II. Despite the subject matter, it was hard to really get into this book. There isn’t much character development, so I found myself caring about the individuals about the same, or less, as if I read a newspaper article. I think it’s commendable that the author wrote about his family’s tragic history, but I don’t feel he did it in a way to make it good reading. Furthermore, the title “The Girl We Left Behind” is a very small part of the story. There are better books out there about the tragedy of the Holocaust

[Lori · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Very Memorial Family

This book was written with such careful and intentional realism that I gained an almost personal experience to what was one family's real life. It was hard to have my mind visualize what they saw, heard, felt, feared, imagined, and hoped for on a daily basis.

Thank you for sharing such a beautifully written story of their lives and losses.

This truth will stay with me forever.

[Myrtle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredible True Story

This isn’t your typical World War II book. It pulled me in and kept me reading until the end. It’s a story of survival and realism, you couldn’t make this up. Truly a remarkable job in writing and recounting. There was a lot of names and some confusion with characters, but that didn’t matter, the narrative hooked me in.