Bella Abzug
| Bella Abzug | |
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| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New York's 20th district |
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In office January 3, 1973 – January 3, 1977 |
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| Preceded by | William Ryan |
| Succeeded by | Theodore Weiss |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New York's 19th district |
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In office January 3, 1971 – January 3, 1973 |
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| Preceded by | Leonard Farbstein |
| Succeeded by | Charles Rangel |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Bella Savitsky July 24, 1920 New York City, New York, U.S. |
| Died | March 31, 1998 (aged 77) New York City, New York, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse(s) | Martin Abzug |
| Children | Eve Liz |
| Alma mater |
City University of New York, Hunter Columbia University |
| Religion | Judaism |
Bella Savitsky Abzug (July 24, 1920 – March 31, 1998), nicknamed "Battling Bella", was an American lawyer, U.S. Representative, social activist and a leader of the Women's Movement. In 1971, Abzug joined other leading feminists such as Gloria Steinem, Shirley Chisholm, and Betty Friedan to found the National Women's Political Caucus.
Abzug declared, "This woman's place is in the House—the House of Representatives", in her successful 1970 campaign. She was later appointed to chair the National Commission on the Observance of International Women's Year and to plan the 1977 National Women's Conference by President Gerald Ford and led President Jimmy Carter's commission on women.
Bella Savitzky was born on July 24, 1920 in New York City. Both of her parents were Russian Jewish immigrants. Her mother, Esther (née Tanklefsky), was a homemaker, and her father, Emanuel Savitzky, ran the Live and Let Live Meat Market. Even in her youth, she was competitive and would beat everyone, including the boys in all sorts of competitions.
When her father died, Abzug, then 13, was told that her orthodox synagogue did not permit women to say the (mourners') Kaddish, since that rite was reserved for sons of the deceased. However, because her father had no sons, she went to the synagogue every morning for a year to recite the prayer, defying the tradition of her orthodox congregation.
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