Women, cocktails and crowns

“The message of this book is to use the things you’ve been given – or the things you haven’t – to make your contribution and step into your light.”

It was with this in mind that book publisher-come-author Batya Bricker began her journey to write the newly published Goodnight Golda: a handbook for brave Jewish girls (and their mighty friends).

The book, co-written with Ilana Stein, is a celebration of 32 brave Jewish women, from different social backgrounds, historical periods and cultures. It provides short and entertaining snippets of the stories of these women, accompanied by gorgeous illustrations by Mary-Anne van der Byl and Ronel Pienaar.

The launch took place last Sunday, 6 March, at Exclusive Books in Hyde Park. The bookstore was abuzz with the sound of clinking glasses and energetic chatter. The event featured a variety of delicious food and cocktails, each relating to a different character in the book – Judith Kerr’s scones and cream paired perfectly with Donna Karan’s whisky smash.

In conversation with award-winning journalist Mandy Weiner, Bricker said the book was about “authenticity, courage and owning your crown”.

It was born out of a spark of inspiration following the publishing of a book within the same genre. “[Writing a Jewish version] is a minefield of religion, race, politics. It’s a very delicate area in which to tread,” Bricker said.

However, once COVID-19 lockdown was in full effect, Bricker escaped by writing the book. “It took me to exotic lands, where I spent time with amazing women who did amazing things.”

She described how, during that time of darkness and isolation, we all yearned for the ordinary. However, these women and their stories of courage and bravery showed Bricker the possibility of the extraordinary.

“[The book] took three years because we debated what bravery looked like. We decided it was being courageous and affecting change.” Indeed, the book is filled with familiar faces, such as  Golda Meir and Anne Frank, but it also showcases many personalities whom we have probably never met, such as Asenath Barzani, an Iraqi poet, and Pramila, a Bollywood star. “Diversity was very important to us; we tried to touch on all locations, on people who all had different vocations and contributions.”

Golda Meir, the first and only female Israeli prime minister, is the title figure of the book. “Golda wasn’t the perfect role model. Perhaps [that’s because] the phrase ‘role model’ itself is flawed; humans are flawed, our contributions are flawed. She started small, but she acknowledged the gifts she was given and harnessed them for change and impact.”

If young readers are able to recognise this message, Bricker says, then the job of the book is done. “It’s not always about the grand gesture,” she says. In line with this, the closing pages of the book have been left blank so that readers can fill in their own personal Jewish heroines. “It can be mothers, sisters, grandmothers – the people who touched you in a very ordinary way, but showed bravery and courage in those ordinary acts.”

It takes as much bravery to make small contributions as it does large ones and Bricker consistently emphasised her own major takeout from her writing experience: “Women fixing other women’s crowns.”

This book is an inspiring call to action for women of all ages wishing to effect change. Bricker closed the evening with words of advice to women wishing to do so: “Start by thinking about what the worlds needs and what you have – where those two intersect is the sweet spot where your contribution is likely to be. And when it’s authentic – when you truly own it and it’s yours – blessings will come.”

‘Goodnight Golda’ is available at Exclusive Books stores nationwide, both in store and online. It can also be purchased internationally on bookdepository.com.