So many studies of American Jewish life have centererd on the Northeast that we tend to forget that Jews have had a vibrant life throughout the West. Even more important, Jewish women played a significant role in shaping that life. With eye-opening scholarship, Abrams documents these women's work as attorneys, entrepreneurs and educators, often long before their eastern sisters became active in such fields. They also made significant contributions to the women's suffrage movement. Who knew? This book is a resource for scholars, but it also makes fascinating reading for lay people.