The bold, innovative, and globe-spanning Jewish women in this book all triumphed over bad luck, prejudice, poverty, and war. Their successes — from winning Olympic gold medals to rescuing imperiled Jews — are presented in detailed yet readable vignettes that will inspire many readers to reach beyond what they think they can achieve.
These little-known Ashkenazi and Sephardic women include an astronaut, a chess champion, a World War II spy, and the director of an international NGO, among others. They are waiting for today’s young readers to discover them — and that’s where this wonderfully illustrated book comes in. It’s the third in the Do You Know My Name? series, which introduces readers to a variety of women and their incredible accomplishments.
While “mensch” has a masculine connotation, its meaning here is stretched to include the women who, with courage, ingenuity, and intellect, met the challenges that life sometimes throws. They are role models who can now be admired and emulated by a broader audience.
Award-winning journalist and freelance writer, Helen Weiss Pincus, has taught memoir writing and creative writing throughout the NY Metro area to senior citizens and high school students. Her work has been published in The New York Times, The Record, The Jewish Standard, and other publications. She recently added “Bubby” to her job description.
