Heroines, Rescuers, Rabbis, Spies: Unsung Women of the Holocaust

by Sarah Silberstein Swartz

A British intelligence officer. A Partisan photographer. A German rabbi. A Polish nurse.

Discover nine ordinary women who took extraordinary measures to save lives during the Holocaust, resisting terror and torture while undercover or in hiding, in concentration camps, in forests, and in exile.

With compassion and admiration, author Sarah Silberstein Swartz paints portraits of women who stood up for themselves and others in dangerous times. Overlooked by history, they leapt from fear to action with bravery that deserves recognition.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Holocaust, World War II, Biography, Historical, Womens

160 pages, Paperback

Published October 22, 2022

Reviews

[Cari Legere · Rating 5 out of 5]

rtc

[Kidlitter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Terrific. Silberstein Swartz has done a huge amount of research and it shows, with fascinating details about a largely unknown but extraordinary group of women. The use of graphics with photographs and maps makes the book appealing to the eye, and it's surprisingly heavy. This will be an excellent resource for libraries and schools as well as for the reader interested in expanding their understanding of those who found a way to resist, persist and often triumph in in World War Two Europe despite terrible odds. Highly recommended.

[Ren · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is fantastic, and amazingly researched. This is such an approachable way to learn about otherwise unknown Holocaust survivors, and it should be required reading in every classroom. Silberstein Swartz does a fantastic job at exemplifying why these women are so important to the world we live in today, and it shows how much passion she has for the people she grew up around and learned about along the way. This is a beautiful piece of nonfiction that's approachable and interesting.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heroines, Rescuers, Rabbis, Spies is an excellent introduction to the lives of nine different women who were each heroines in their own ways during the Holocaust. Eight of the women survived the Holocaust (Rabbi Regina Jonas having been murdered in Auschwitz), and seven of them were Jewish (Yukiko Kikuchi Sugihara and Irena Gut Opdyke both being Righteous Gentiles), both of these aspects deliberate inclusions on the author's part. The sister survivors included in the book are the mother and aunt of the author. This book feels intensely personal while also offering objective biographical details of the lives of the women featured and how they impacted the world around them during one of history's most heinous moments. It's informative and accessible and very much worth the read. I'm definitely interested in reading more about the women featured (especially interested in reading A Partisan's Memoir: Woman of the Holocaust by Faye Schulman). I would definitely recommend this one (and I did in fact recommend it to my rabbi).

[Tanja Giljevic · Rating 5 out of 5]

In honour of World Holocaust Memorial Day, I am reading about these eight women. Wow, their collective bravery is amazing!

I knew of Yukiko Sugihara's brave husband, Chinese Sugihara, but never of her. Due to her and her younger sister Setsuko, these courageous women helped some 6,000 Jews escape from Kovno, Lithuania.

Regina Jonas became the first Female Rabbi in 1935. Sadly, she would perish at Theresienstadt Concentration Camp in 1944.

Despite all the horrors in Gaza, we cannot forget that Jews in particular were singled out in The Final Solution. This book has opened my eyes, and I am grateful.

[Abby · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick short biographical snapshots of nine women who were alive and worked against the Nazis. Would have liked to see an appendix with where the author got the information she expounds (some of it comes across as “feminist propaganda” but I would like to think this author is trying to be unbiased and truthful and shedding light on historical accounts that aren’t typically discussed on the topic), it did at least have some books on the “for Further Reading” pages and a very basic map at the end.

[Barbra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sometimes the most unlikely people are heroines. This book focuses on nine women whose brave actions went mostly unrecognized in their fight against the Nazis. Although they all came from different cultures and religions, each risked their own lives to save others. After preaching, photographing, journaling, spying, and providing safe shelter, these women were finally honored. Readers will learn about their early lives and what led them to rebel against injustice. These stories of courage and kindness are an inspiration to all.

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an eye-opening book, revealing not only the women's heroism but also how that was kept hidden by men and a society eager to overlook them. I love that the author chose women who contributed in a variety of ways -- as journalists, as photographers, as caregivers -- but all of which took great personal courage. A good read, uplifting, not depressing. I'm trying to figure out how many young pe0ple I can recommend it to.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Background on nine Women who works in various ways to thwart the killing of Jews, particularly in Poland. Some were not Jews themselves. Several survived. Each worked in her own particular sphere to hinder the Nazis.

[Marjorie Ingall · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very well-researched, and hooray for a book that depicts real Jewish women with agency. The writing, alas, is workmanlike. A good resource for school libraries.