The Stage of Her Life - by Yaniv Shimon Goldberg (Hardcover)

About the Book

Lea Koenig, one of the most loved and appreciated Jewish actresses, sat down with Dr. Yaniv Goldberg for conversations about theater and life. In an exciting way, Lea recalls defining moments of her life, weaves memory after memory, and discovers how life and the theater are intertwined.

Book Synopsis

Lea Koenig, one of the most loved and appreciated Jewish actresses among audiences and critics alike, sat down with Dr. Yaniv Goldberg for conversations about theater and life. In the conversations, Lea talks about her experiences from World War II, life in a communist regime, the choice not to have children, her professional path, and her way of working on roles. She also discusses the choice to give up her mother tongue, Yiddish, and perform in Hebrew. Lea shares her perspective on Judaism, Zionism, and Israeliness, and about the way she observes the world.

In an exciting and humorous way, Lea recalls defining moments of her life, difficult moments and happy ones, weaves memory after memory, and discovers how life and the theater are intertwined, and as Shakespeare's cliché says, indeed, the whole world is a stage.

This story is the stage of the life of the great Israeli actress Lea Koenig.

And if you look closely, the tale reflects the stage of our lives...

Review Quotes

"This unusual volume is an important contribution to rebuilding the broken bridge from the Yiddish past to the Yiddish future. It is an oral history, yet it has been written down and meticulously annotated. The interviewer is a knowledgeable scholar, but also a close friend of the subject. Thanks to this combination of spontaneous orality and written precision, scholarly rigor and personal trust, readers are treated to a range of professional and personal insights and experiences that rarely make it into print. This treatment accords this history, and the singular figure of Lea Koenig, the respect they deserve."

--Jake Schneider, Yiddish cultural activist and poet

"This book offers a rare opportunity to encounter one of the most important Yiddish actresses of recent generations, who continues the tradition of Yiddish theater as it developed before World War II. Lea Konig's tumultuous life story unfolds the history of the Jewish people from the war and the refugees in Uzbekistan, through Jewish and theatrical life under communism, to the world of Israeli theater. The struggles she faced--against the Communist regime and later the Israeli establishment--mirror broader battles within Jewish and Yiddish culture. The author's outstanding scholarly work enriches the reader's understanding of the cultural, historical, social, political, and legal contexts of Yiddish theater, offering unique insights into the challenges and transformations that shaped its survival. This book is essential reading for anyone interested in Jewish history, theater studies, or the enduring legacy of Yiddish culture in the modern era."

-- Dr. Shaul Sharf, Lecturer in Law at the Peres Academic Center in Rehovot, Israel, and Editor of "Rashut Ha'Rabim" Legal Journal

About the Author

Dr. Yaniv Goldberg is a Rabbi, Attorney, Director, and Law and Theater Researcher. His book, I Shall Do It My Way, deals with the analysis of various legal issues arising from Yiddish plays.

Dr. Goldberg has published many articles about Jewish law and theater. He is a theater consultant for the "Anu," the museum of the Jewish people. Dr. Goldberg is also a member of the Habima National Theater Awards Committee, a member of the Israeli Society for Humor Study, and more.