The Rise of David Levinsky

The Rise of David Levinsky (1917) by Abraham Cahan describes the life of a Russian Jew who immigrated to America in 1885. Cahan, a Lithuanian Jewish immigrant, stated that The Rise of David Levinsky mirrored his own experience with Americanization. Harper & Brothers published the book in 1917. The book experienced a warm reception and was adapted into a musical in 1987. The musical never achieved much success, but it was revived in 2007. The book started as a series for McClure’s Magazine titled “The Autobiography of an American Jew: The Rise of David Levinsky.” Cahan stated the story is not his own but that he was a literary realist. Abraham Cahan wrote for socialist papers and advocated for maintaining cultural customs. These beliefs show in the major thematic arcs of the novel, such as assimilation and religion versus spirituality.

This guide references the Project Gutenberg e-book. The page numbers referenced are from that version.

Content Warning: This guide contains discussion of antisemitism and pogroms. It also references misogynistic views. This novel sometimes uses language that is offensive to people with mental health concerns and contains a depiction of sexual assault.

Plot Summary

David Levinsky was born in Antomir, Russia (present-day Lithuania) in 1865.