In the Light of Days by Judy Batalion. It is about Jewish women resistance fighters during World War II in Poland and during the holocaust. This book was a difficult read, I had to keep putting it down because of what these women went through and endured being Jewish during the war. These women were strong and courageous and seldom talked about or celebrated for the things they were able to do and had to endure during the war. “These were women who acted with ferocity and fortitude – even violently- smuggling, gathering intelligence, committing sabotage, and engaging in combat; they were proud of their fire.”
One paragraph at the end of the book summed up the feelings for me and put my life in perspective, although I could hardly imagine how they survived their experiences, most didn’t. “Inspired by these women fighter’s memoirs, I began to see the importance of laying out stories that were multifaceted, telling tales that were not black and white, that ached in their ambivalence. History needs to account for complexities; we must all confront our pasts honestly, fact the ways we are both victims and aggressors. Otherwise, no one will believe the storyteller, and we will write ourselves out of any real conversation. Understanding does not have to mean forgiving, but it is a necessary step for self-possession and growth." The author made each person come to life and told their story in the dark days of Hitler.
