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Why Do Jewish Women Join Partisan Groups

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Jewish women fighting within the partisan groups faced an uphill battle in their attempt to gain respect and find their place within the group. Being both Jewish and women, just gaining access into the group was difficult but then once they were in, they faced being bound by traditional feminine role and the threat of sexual abuse. Many partisan women though, did not let racism, and sexism define them and proved themselves valuable through their work ethics, skills, and strength. Through several stories we have learned about, we can see the heroism that these women showed and how they broke away from the traditional roles that women were expected to play, shattering the stereotypes that were put on them. These women survived not only being a partisan but also the “evil twins of anti-Semitic and sexual violence (JPEF1).” …show more content…

Many Jewish women did not join the partisans out of fear, and felt that their role was to remain loyal to their family, even if that meant death, and many men agreed with this. We see this with Meyer Orbuch who refused to take his sister into his partisan group saying, “no girls can go with us. Only boys can go (JPEF2).” So the women that did join partisans were already breaking free of the traditional roles that many people felt they should be playing as women. Women that joined the partisans wanted to live, and to avenge the humiliation that had been thrown upon them and their families. This concept of women wanting to fight and use a gun broke conventional roles and shows that they were not bound by

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