Several of the authors who participated in our recent Holocaust Narratives virtual salon are holding their own online events! As a part of our mission to honor Holocaust narratives generally, not just our featured presentations, we recommend your attention to these two worthwhile events. The first event, a rumination on "Time, Memory, and the Present Moment" hosted by author Ellen Korman Mains, is live on Zoom this coming Sunday. The second, a lecture "Yiddishkayt, God and the Holocaust" by scholar Miriam Hoffman and performed by her son, actor Avi Hoffman, ran last evening on Facebook Live but is available to view at any time.
The occasion of the 100-year anniversary of the birth of the author's mother in Lodz, Poland, opens a conversation about family, remembrance and spirituality. Michael Schudrich, chief rabbi of Poland, will give a blessing. Read Ellen's book Buried Rivers to learn of her own journey of discovery. This session runs 90 minutes on Sunday, May 3, beginning at 1 pm ET. Registration is available now. RSVP to Ellen here.
Salon attendees and website visitors have heard Yiddish actor Avi Hoffman reading from Live Another Day in the voice of the author Michael Edelstein. You may also have seen the book endorsement on our LAD website by Yiddish scholar Miriam Schmulewitz Hoffman, Avi's mother, a long-time friend of Florence and Michael Edelstein. Last evening, the Hoffmans' Yiddishkayt Initiative produced an audiovisual presentation of a lecture by Miriam Hoffman, performed by Avi Hoffman, on the difficult question of God and the Holocaust. While there can be no easy theological answers, as revealed in the responses of the cited Yiddish writers and intellectuals, the Hoffmans find resolution in a cultural embrace of Jewishness—yiddishkayt. The 55-minute Facebook Live program is available to view here. Start at the 10:50 mark in the stream to catch the beginning of the program.