The Light of Days by Judy Batalion

PROCEED WITH CAUTION... this one is heavy.

The Light of Days by Judy Batalion had to be in my top 5 because of the impact it had on me. This book demands your full attention and forces you to experience the horrors of war that aren’t readily discussed or shared. 

“Many of the earliest chronicles of resistance were written by women. As authors, they reported others’ activities- usually men’s- rather than their own. Their personal experiences fell into the background.”

Judy Batalion combed through countless memoirs, testimonies and diaries to build a full picture of the lesser known roles women played in the underground resistance against Hitler. “Each time I revisited the story from another lens, I learned more, dug deeper, felt that I was truly entering their universe.” It’s an unforgettable re-telling of the accomplishments of brave Jewish women and their fight for freedom, female friendship and survival in the face of staggering odds. Their exploits have never been chronicled in full until now.

The Light of Days follows many women and their involvement in the network fuelling the underground resistance. I commend Batalion for resurrecting these heroes and telling their stories before they are lost forever. 

A resistance fighter recalls meeting Chajka, leader of The Young Guard and the fighting organization in Bedzin:

“An entire generation was screaming through her mouth. She talked for hours and hours, as if fearing that she would not have time to deliver all the information… And I was listening to her, occasionally holding her hand, to feel the person who is carrying all of this on their heart and soul.”

This is one of those books you finish, but never stop thinking about. It is considered to be one of the most important untold stories of WWII.