A well-crafted work that highlights the value of the arts in remembering the past.
A group of scholars, writers, and artists remember the Holocaust in this anthology.
“Remembrance is a sacred responsibility in Judaism,” write editors Berman and Humphries in their introduction to this collection of “poetic personal reflections and artistry.” Bringing together two dozen Jewish artists, playwrights, poets, and scholars, this volume highlights the centrality of the Shoah to Jewish cultural productions. While the chapters are written by different authors, they are all centered around a common question: “Can Art Heal Trauma?” The topics range from a staged production of The Diary of Anne Frank and the use of children’s stories from the Terezín concentration camp in the musical I Never Saw Another Butterfly to explorations of LGBTQ+ themes and the experiences of Jewish sex workers during the war. The first book in an anticipated two-volume collection, this offering pays particular attention to theater, dance, concerts, and other “arts onstage”; the second volume will highlight fine arts and television/film. The idea that the Holocaust should serve as a constant reminder of our responsibility to remain vigilant against racism, extremism, and political violence is a recurring theme in the work; artistic expressions do not only prompt us to recall the past but also function as catalysts for change in response “to current political hate messages, antisemitism, and violence.” This is a well-researched work—the scholarly underpinnings and thorough research citations will appeal to academic readers (co-editors Berman and Humphries are both Dean Emerita of the College of Fellows of the American Theatre and Humphries is a Professor Emerita at American University). The book is accessible to general readers as well, and the text is supplemented by a plethora of high-resolution color photographs. It’s also a pragmatic resource for educators at all levels—many chapters include lesson plans, study guides, discussions of methodologies, and other resources.
A well-crafted work that highlights the value of the arts in remembering the past.Pub Date: June 18, 2025
ISBN: 9781956864670
Page Count: 486
Publisher: International Psychoanalytic Books
Review Posted Online: Oct. 29, 2025
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
An eye-opening and thought-provoking read.
Antisemitism is alive and well and worth talking about.
Fersko, senior rabbi at the Village Temple in Manhattan and vice president of the Women’s Rabbinic Network, argues that Americans of all backgrounds must discuss antisemitism. The author notes that many people view antisemitism as a problem of the past, an issue that is rare and isolated in 21st-century America. She demonstrates convincingly that this mindset is misinformed and that antisemitism is on the rise. Early on Fersko provides a lengthy explanation of antisemitism as “the longest-held, farthest-reaching conspiracy theory in the world.” She explains that antisemitism is a belief in a variety of lies and stereotypes about Jews and Judaism, which manifests in everything from seemingly innocuous remarks to outright physical violence. Fersko points to seven points of dialogue that Jews and non-Jews need to address in order to help battle antisemitism, including race, Christianity, microaggressions, the Holocaust, and Israel. Throughout, she urges readers to educate themselves about the past and to learn to recognize the prejudices about Jews that many Americans inherit unknowingly. Though Fersko addresses such obvious sources of antisemitism as right-wing and racially based extremist groups, she makes it clear throughout the book that the American left is also a major source of antisemitism today. In some cases, this is seen in virulent anti-Israel stances, where left-wing activists portray Jews as racists and oppressors. In other cases, American liberals simply perpetrate tropes and stereotypes about their Jewish friends and neighbors, often through microaggressions, misplaced humor, miseducation about the Holocaust, etc. Though there are certainly points for debate, the text serves as a meaningful starting point for dialogue. If nothing else, she provides the important reminder that the age-old specter of antisemitism is not extinct; in many ways, it’s stronger and more dangerous than at any time since the Holocaust.
An eye-opening and thought-provoking read.Pub Date: Aug. 29, 2023
ISBN: 9781541601949
Page Count: 240
Publisher: Seal Press
Review Posted Online: May 24, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2023
An important dialogue at a fraught time, emphasizing mutual candor, curiosity, and respect.
Two bestselling authors engage in an enlightening back-and-forth about Jewishness and antisemitism.
Acho, author of Uncomfortable Conversations With a Black Man, and Tishby, author of Israel: A Simple Guide to the Most Misunderstood Country on Earth, discuss many of the searing issues for Jews today, delving into whether Jewishness is a religion, culture, ethnicity, or community—or all of the above. As Tishby points out, unlike in Christianity, one can be comfortably atheist and still be considered a Jew. She defines Judaism as a “big tent” religion with four main elements: religion, peoplehood, nationhood, and the idea of tikkun olam (“repairing the world through our actions”). She addresses candidly the hurtful stereotypes about Jews (that they are rich and powerful) that Acho grew up with in Dallas and how Jews internalize these antisemitic judgments. Moreover, Tishby notes, “it is literally impossible to be Jewish and not have any connection with Israel, and I’m not talking about borders or a dot on the map. Judaism…is an indigenous religion.” Acho wonders if one can legitimately criticize “Jewish people and their ideologies” without being antisemitic, and Tishby offers ways to check whether one’s criticism of Jews or Zionism is antisemitic or factually straightforward. The authors also touch on the deteriorating relationship between Black and Jewish Americans, despite their historically close alliance during the civil rights era. “As long as Jewish people get to benefit from appearing white while Black people have to suffer for being Black, there will always be resentment,” notes Acho. “Because the same thing that grants you all access—your skin color—is what grants us pain and punishment in perpetuity.” Finally, the authors underscore the importance of being mutual allies, and they conclude with helpful indexes on vernacular terms and customs.
An important dialogue at a fraught time, emphasizing mutual candor, curiosity, and respect.Pub Date: April 30, 2024
ISBN: 9781668057858
Page Count: 256
Publisher: Simon Element
Review Posted Online: March 13, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2024
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