The Forbidden Daughter by Zipora Klein Jakob — Book Review

By jculler1972 on July 31, 2024

The author calls this book a "biographical novel." I assume that means that it remains true to the events in the life of Elida Friedman, but it includes conversations and thoughts that cannot be verified.

In Lithuania, during WWII, Nazi law forbade Jewish women from giving birth! Sounds incredible, doesn't it? It also reminds us instantly of the story of the Exodus, and the way Moses was saved by his mother. In the same way, Elida should not have been born.r name actually means "unbirth" in Hebrew. Yet her parents, Dr. Jonah and Tzila Friedman, decided not to abort their child. They hid the pregnancy and birth, and at the age of three months passed her on to a Christian family who raised her until the war was over.

Elida's life was marked by turmoil and change. After the war she was passed on to a poor Jewish family who raised her for some years. Together they emigrated to Israel, where she connected with relatives (her parents died in the ghetto). A cousin then adopted her and took her to the United States. Years later she and her husband died in a plane that was blown up by a terrorist.

The interesting part about her story for me is this: at several points during her life Elida expressed a desire to convert to Christianity. Each time she was dissuaded by family members who would have rejected her had she followed through. Why did Christianity appeal to her so strongly? Was it the early influence of the Christians who took her in? The Catholic school she attended in the United States, a place where she felt comfortable and appreciated? Or was God simply calling her? I can't help but think Christianity would have been a peaceful oasis for Elida, whose life was marked by unease and grief.

VERDICT: 3 STARS. An easy and interesting read.

For more about WWII see these posts:

The Swiss Nurse by Mario Escobar–Book Review

A Hidden Life

Memories of a Devil: My Life As a Jesuit in Dachau by Father Chester Fabisiak–Book Review