Set in Russia and New York between 1860 and 1912, this epic novel uncovers a rich legacy of Jewish lesbians whose stories have until now fallen between the cracks of history.

Among the women is Gutke, a midwife who immigrates to the Lower East Side with her partner, a woman who passes as a man. Their story intertwines with that of Chava Meyer, a girl orphaned by the Kishinev pogrom of 1903, who comes to America with her cousin Rose's family. Becoming workers at age fourteen, Chava and Rose walk a tightrope over the oppressions and tragedies of their time: sweatshop labor, anti-Semitism, strikes, sexual harassment. Over time they become lovers, and they search for community with others of like mind. Immersed in the political passions of the Progressive Era -- the Women's Trade Union League, anarchist and socialist movements, women's suffrage -- they lead extraordinary lives with ordinary lesbian courage. Their insistence on finding joy despite the grief and hardships which overshadow their lives, makes theirs a legacy to celebrate.

Meticulously researched and creatively inspired, it offers a cherished ancestral story for contemporary Jewish lesbians.