Friendship in the Ghetto, the Forest, and Beyond: A Story of Two Yiddish Poets
Date: Oct 23, 2023
Time: 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm
Sponsor: Online Learning | Public Lectures and Events
Location: Online
Friendship in the Ghetto, the Forest, and Beyond: A Story of Two Yiddish Poets
October 23, 2023
1:00–2:30 p.m. ET
Part of our fall learning series, “Two Are Better Than One:” Friendship in Jewish Text, Thought, and Life
This session is generously sponsored by Berna and Bill Haberman and Rona Solberg in honor of Berna and Bill’s 70th wedding anniversary.
With Dr. David Fishman, Professor of Jewish History, JTS
Imagine two friends surrounded by German soldiers in the forest with a single pistol in their possession. One of them hands the pistol to the other, saying: “Abrasha, you should live, you are the greater poet.” This was the depth of friendship between Yiddish poets Abraham Sutzkever and Shmerke Kaczerginski. They inspired each other to creativity and acts of heroism. We will explore their lives together—as fellow inmates of the Vilna ghetto, living in the same room and working in the same slave labor site—and ultimately how their friendship ended in separation after the war.
If you have previously registered for another session in this series, your registration admits you to all sessions in the series, and you may attend as many as you’d like.
Note: The Zoom link for this session will be in the confirmation email that you receive after you register.
ABOUT THE SERIES
“Two Are Better Than One:” Friendship in Jewish Text, Thought, and Life
Friendship is a critical component of our daily lives, our mental health, and our Jewish communal experiences. Ecclesiastes (4:9) posits, “Two are better than one,” underscoring the significance of companionship and partnership in Jewish tradition and the role they play in a life well-lived.
In this series, JTS scholars will explore the concept of friendship through Jewish texts, history, and thought. They will examine a range of paradigms for friendship and consider what values emerge from each. Together, we will reflect on friendship in times of joy and times of crisis, both with those in our inner circles and with our neighbors and fellow citizens more broadly.
