Bread Givers

Sara Smolinsky is an immigrant girl growing up on the Lower East Side who dares to challenge her Orthodox Jewish family's narrow conceptions of a woman's place in the world. In defiance of her father, she escapes home to see what the American dream holds for her.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 240 pages
Publication date: 04 January 2024
Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd

A timeless American novel that delves into the life of an immigrant girl growing up on the Lower East Side, challenging the narrow conceptions of a woman's place in the world held by her Orthodox Jewish family.

Born into a family that left Poland in the 1920s in search of a better life in the bustling tenements of New York City's Lower East Side, Sara Smolinsky was the youngest of four daughters. As her sisters grew up under the strict guidance of their rabbi father, they were molded into loveless marriages and destined for unfulfilling futures. They were expected to fulfill their roles as breadwinners, working tirelessly to provide for their family while their father immersed himself in the study of the Torah. According to this belief, a woman without her father or husband was considered less than nothing.

However, Sara's hunger for more drove her to defy her father's expectations. In a moment of defiance, she escaped from her home, embarking on a journey to explore the American dream and discover what it held for her. Through this poignant coming-of-age tale and striking portrait of feminist rebellion, Sara emerges as a strong and independent woman who refuses to be confined by the narrow confines of her cultural heritage.

Weight: 196g
Dimension: 130 x 196 x 17 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780143137719