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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...
"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
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.
Introduction
Chapter 1
Knowing Where I Came from
The Parents
Yiddish or Hebrew
Theatrical Education of Yiddish Actors
What about Talent?
A Mother’s Review of the Game
Criticism of Acting Today
Chapter 2
World War II—From Czernowitz (Chernivtsi) to Samarkand
Bucharest—I’m Becoming an Actress
Personality and Charisma in Working on a Role
There Are Small Roles and There Are Big Roles
Chapter 3
Father and Stepfather
Zvi (Hirshl)
Why I Don’t Have Children
Chapter 4
Playing Anne Frank and Holocaust Remembrance
Creating a Role
Chapter 5
The Beginning of a Career in Israel
Learning Hebrew
Schund and Intrigue in Israel
Lea at Habima
Master Puntila and His Man Matti
Bereshit—the Great Success
The Klausner Prize
Growing Up on Stage
Bereshit
The Life before Us
Driving Miss Daisy—the Stage as a Reflection of Life
Chapter 6
King Lear
The Chairs and Theater of the Absurd
Mother Courage and Mother Dina
Yiddish Concert Tours Abroad
Chapter 7
The Parents
Character Actress
Grocery Store
Between King Lear and Mirele Efros, the Jewish Queen Lear
Chapter 8
Mirele Efros and the Israel Prize
The Israel Prize
Lea Koenig and Miriam Zohar Alternate in the Roles of Mirele Efros and Machle
A Tour Guide to Warsaw
Hirshl (Zvi)
Chapter 9
Feeling Israeli
Chapter 10
Entering the Stage and Performing
The Old Lady’s Visit
Speaking on Stage
Acting Development and Professionalism
Chapter 11
Being Old
I’m a Comedian
Being a Partner on Stage and Dedication to the Profession
Chapter 12
The Theater Taught Me How to Live
Hanoch Levin
Understanding the Stage Space
What about Television and Cinema?
Each Role Left Its Mark
Survival
Chapter 13
Four Years Later: Reflections
Epilogue
Lea Koenig—The First Lady of the Theater and Always Dina’s Daughter
Between the Two Languages
The Defining Childhood
Passing the Baton from Mother to Daughter
The Choice—Hebrew
The Pursuit of Truth
The Yiddish Actress Is Making a Comeback
The Ghosts Echoing in the Theater
Breakthroughs in Artistic Life in Israel
Appendices
Dina Koenig
Yosef Kamien
Lea Koenig’s Theater Roles
Lea Koenig’s Music Albums
From Lea’s Photo Album
Bibliography