Baskin, Judith R. Jewish Women in Historical Perspective. Wayne State Univ. Press, 1991. 

This book explores all aspects of what a Jewish woman’s life would be like throughout European history. It provides a stunning background to what casual life would have been like, exploring a wide range of topics like sexual expectations, the ways women were used in religion, and how they were expected to behave in any given situation. It highlights just how restrictive life could be and how much women were at the will of their husbands and fathers. While their rights were restricted and they were seen as second class citizens, they were often left to their own devices when it came to their daily lives as men would often be out of the house. This limited freedom allowed them to develop rich customs and rituals of their own.

Compiled of several essays written by different authors, each an expert in their field, Jewish Women in Historical Perspective is the perfect book to give one a foundational understanding of female Jewish life in Europe through the ages. It also provides a historical background to the lives of women in the late nineteenth century, showing where Jewish women came from and the historical weight of their actions. This book is filled with useful information on topics I would not have even thought of. It is a fantastic resource when it comes to understanding the intricacies of Jewish female life.

The information in this book has allowed me to see the historical expectations that women living in late nineteenth and early twentieth century shtetls would have been facing. It also shines a light on the ways they were expected to behave and the roles they were expected to fill during this time. Jewish Women in Historical Perspective shows just how much cultural, societal, and religious pressure was shoved upon Jewish women throughout history and the ways they either bent under or over came it.