Strange Ways (of fremde Vegn), by Rokhl Faygenberg, was written in Yiddish in 1925. That might not sound so unusual, but the fact that a full length novel was written in Yiddish by a Polish-Jewish woman was quite unusual for that time period. Faygenberg was a woman who was determined, and had aspirations and goals to achieve. And, she endeavored to do so, much like the main female character in the story, a woman named Sheyndel.

Sheyndel is strong-willed, and has a mind of her own. She is extremely intelligent, and a woman of independence who has career goals. She develops an attraction for Borukh, whose desires are to become successful in the business world. He is enthralled by worldy possessions, and so is Sheyndel. She loves material things, and the effect they have on others. She is seeking attention and validation in how she presents herself to the world.

Although Borukh is attracted to Sheyndel, he marries a woman who his family approves of, and Sheyndel is left to dwell in her misery and love for Borukh. She becomes obsessive over the fact that he is married. She wants nothing more than to be married to him, living a life with him in Palestine.

Strange Ways takes place at the turn of the twentieth century in a Polish shtetl. The characters are vividly presented, and people that you find in any city in the world, each with their own personality and opinions. The shtetl is undergoing change in the form of a new railroad. The railroad will link the residents to larger cities and towns they never dreamed they would ever travel to. The advent of the railroad is the beginning of the shtetl’s transition to a much larger world than their own.

The villagers resist the advances that the railroad brings, and sees it as an imposition, rather than an advantage. It is a disruption in their daily lives. They are resistant to change, even though the railroad brings monetary value to their village. The railroad station is the scapegoat and blame for anything and everything that occurs in a negative light in their lives.

That blame includes the relationship that develops between Sheyndel and Borukh. They become involved romantically. She becomes his mistress. Their illicit relationship is a constant source of the town’s rumor mill, he being married, she being unmarried. She is the primary subject of the town’s gossip, not only due to her romantic involvement with Borukh, but also due to the fact that she entertains men in her salon when Borukh is unable to see her, or he is out of town on business. She is a constant wellspring of talk, as male admirers come and go. She has basically created her own conclusion, reminiscent of women in other literary classics such as Anna Karenina.

Strange Ways is a strong work of historical fiction, if one perceives it through time and place, and written through the eyes and imagination of a female author in 1925. I didn’t find it to be a novel that is compelling, or modern in its content. That doesn’t mean I don’t recommend it. I view it as a novel that is a period piece, and in that respect it is most definitely a novel ahead of its time, and one with filled with historical fact and visuals.

Faygenberg writes with the familiarity of the shtetl environment, and the insight to the reactions of the modern world taking over the old world. Her word paintings are vivid concerning village life, its people, and the reactions of the residents to an ever changing world.

We are given glimpses of every day individuals, the elderly versus the new generations. The older generations strive to hold on to traditions and cultural mores, familial businesses and the old school of thought. The new generations endeavor to move forward, and accept the modern world and what it has to offer.

It is a conflict as old as time, so to speak. So, from that perspective, the reader can comprehend and understand that time doesn’t change the outlook of the newer generations. Each new generation is ready to move forward in their modern environment, embracing all it has to offer, often to the chagrin and/or mortification of their parents and other family members.

I recommend Strange Ways, by Faygenberg to everyone who wants to have a deeper understanding of Jewish life in the old world. She is masterful in her depiction of the various characters and their reactions to the situations presented to them. The individuals are colorful, and reminiscent of what most of us perceive those from the old country to be, both on the exterior and their inner thoughts within their daily lives. This is an excellent historical source from that viewpoint. Faygenberg writes with forthrightness regarding the transition from the old to the modern, infusing the pages with facts that cement time and place. Rokhl Faygenberg overcame much adversity, as a woman, in order to have her book published, and for that we should be grateful.
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Sunday June 14, 2009 – 22nd of Sivan, 5769