by Rachel Simon
First published 1992
Rachel Simon examines how Jewish women in Libya navigated centuries of tradition while their world transformed around them. From the mid-1800s through 1967, when most Jews departed the country, these women faced new possibilities and persistent constraints. Simon documents their experiences across shifting political landscapes, from Ottoman rule through Italian occupation, British administration, and Libyan independence. Economic pressures forced families to reconsider women's roles, allowing daughters to work outside homes and pursue education through European Jewish schools. Yet the community maintained its traditional structure and values. Simon analyzes how women's positions evolved within family structures, educational opportunities, work environments, and public participation. She reveals how isolation from other Jewish centers and extended coexistence with Muslim neighbors shaped this community's unique character over two millennia of Libyan residence.
Genres: 20th-century, non-fiction, 21st-century, africa, jewish
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: cultural-identity, gender-roles, social-change
Setting: Libya
Period: Mid-1800s, 1967
230 pages · Hardcover · University of Washington Press