THE GIRL BANDITS OF THE WARSAW GHETTO
With Historian Elizabeth R. Hyman
Thursday, November 6, 2025, 12:00 PM
Five women. One uprising. Countless acts of courage. This is your chance to hear the untold stories of the Jewish women who fought, smuggled, and sabotaged during the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising. History overlooked them. You don’t have to.
Hyman tells this riveting history through the voices and memories of women who refused to surrender… A brilliant testament to Jewish resilience in extremis."
— Joanna Sliwa, former Book Festival speaker and co-author of The Counterfeit Countess: The Jewish Woman Who Rescued Thousands of Poles during the Holocaust
Presented in partnership with the Holocaust Commission of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater.
$15 for JCC members, $20 for potential members. Includes lunch.
Pre-registration required.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Elizabeth R. Hyman is the descendant of Polish Jews who fled Europe in 1939 and made their way, as refugees, to the United States. She earned dual master’s degrees in history and library & information science from the University of Maryland-College Park, and has written the history blog, HISTORICITY (was already taken) since 2011. She lives in New Paltz, New York.
ABOUT THE BOOK
With The Girl Bandits of the Warsaw Ghetto, Holocaust historian, archivist, and history blogger Elizabeth Hyman adds a new dimension to the story of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising during World War II, shining a long overdue spotlight on five young, Polish Jewish women who helped lead the Jewish resistance, sabotage the Nazis, and aid Jews in hiding across occupied Poland and Eastern Europe. The Uprising remains one of the most storied events of the Holocaust, yet previous accounts have almost entirely focused on its male participants. This fascinating new book introduces five young, courageous Polish Jewish women — known as “the girls” by the leadership of the resistance and “bandits” by their Nazi oppressors — who were central to the Jewish resistance as fighters, commanders, couriers, and smugglers.
The Girl Bandits of the Warsaw Ghetto rescues these women from the shadows of time, bringing to light their resilience, bravery, and cunning in the face of unspeakable hardship — inspiring stories of courage, daring, and resistance that must never be forgotten.
ABOUT THE MODERATOR
Elyse Tapper Cardon is a writer and former professional ballet dancer whose therapeutic work explores transformation and acceptance. A Reiki master and seasoned entrepreneur in Pilates and photography, she helps clients reconnect body, mind, and spirit through both her coaching and movement practices. She is currently completing her first memoir—a coming-of-age story about shame, resilience, and the freedom found in discovering her voice. Elyse has been a member of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater’s Holocaust Commission since 2009, where she currently serves as co-chair.
PRAISE
A meticulous portrait of five women central to the resistance movement within the Warsaw Ghetto during WWII.
— Publishers Weekly
‘Sensitive yet ambitious’, like the women it evokes, The Girl Bandits of the Warsaw Ghetto is a powerful and important addition to the literature on the Holocaust.
— Clare Mulley, author of Agent Zo and The Women Who Flew for Hitler
If you have any interest in history, WWII, the Holocaust, or amazing stories of courageous and resilient humans that you likely haven’t heard before, you should definitely check out this book.
— The Gloss
The lives of the young women who led Polish Jewry into a period of confident self-awareness and then, ultimately, to the great and self-annihilating resistance of the Warsaw Ghetto uprising of 1943… come alive in letters, memoirs, and reminiscences. Theirs is a story of friendship against hardship… We have no statues to their courage. Instead, we have this book.
— Kirkus Reviews
Hyman brings these women and their heroic struggles to life. Their stories illustrate the background of organization and activism that provided the basis for Jewish resistance and collaboration with other anti-Nazi and Polish national groups. An interesting and necessary addition to Holocaust and history collections.
— Booklist
Thanks to the generous support of the Bartel Family, in honor of their parents and grandparents, Alan & Dolores Bartel, the following accessibility accommodations are available for UJFT's programs (depending on the program location). Accommodations must be requested at least a week prior to the event.
- Interpreting services for Deaf or non-English speakers
- Assisted listening services to amplify sounds
- Preferential seating near a presenter to aid in comprehension
- Sensory fidget tools
- Noise-reducing headphones
- Stand-assist devices
- Audio recording of written materials for the visually impaired
