This book was absolutely fascinating. My mind just loved taking in all the new information. Would recommend.

Wow! What a compelling read! Where to begin?!

This fantastic book details the story of Russian and East European Jewish women's protests against continually rising Kosher beef prices in 1902 New York. The protests pit Jews against fellow Jewish people, including their trusted butchers. Violence became common as groups of women stormed butcher shops and patrons, literally ripping beef from shelves and hands, throwing it into gutters, reasoning that butchers would therefore need to lower prices. Police became involved and were attacked and injured. Butcher shops were boycotted and those which remained open were destroyed.

Impoverished families were desperate for food and as Jews, especially Orthodox Jews, were limited by strict Hebrew Old Testament laws. Amongst a plethora of other things, the book chronicles the important of railroads, kosher butchering process and struggles on all sides as well as outcomes such as new laws and acts passed under Roosevelt.

I had no idea of the gravity of this, having only read a brief mention. What a revelation! The chronology was helpful and the photographs were brilliant and personalized the accounts. Obviously the author did an unfathomable amount of research. The courage and determination of these women is impossible to grasp.

Anyone interested in Jewish history truly should read this book. It gives a completely different vantage point, very in depth and thorough.