Shakespeare in the Ghetto

The Eshkolot Festivals are supported by Genesis Philanthropy Group and Avi Chai Foundation

Shakespeare in the Ghetto: Reading Venice Right to Left

Eshkolot's Festival of Jewish Texts and Ideas

December 4-7, 2017, Venice, Italy

How can you navigate Venice against the flow of tourists who have exiled more than half of the city's population in the last few decades? Many hidden passages and blank spots on the map can be discovered by exploring the books written and printed in this city from right to left - in Hebrew, Judeo-Italian, Judeo-Spanish and Yiddish.

The aim of the Eshkolot's Festival of Jewish Texts and Ideas is to re-read classical ancient and modern books in their original urban context with live commentary from university scholars, as well as to re-interpret the city text of Venice through particular codes of Jewish literature.

The festival program includes lectures, reading workshops, thematic field trips and cultural events.

LECTURES

Shakespeare in the Ghetto: Shylock Returns to Venice

Shaul Bassi, professor of English and postcolonial literature at Ca’Foscari University of Venice

Reframing the Ghetto of Venice

Giuzeppe Balzano, orientalist, director of Beit Venezia

MINI-COURSES

Knights in the Streets of the Ghetto: Yiddish Poetry of Italian Renaissance

Arnaud Bikard, scholar of literature at Université Paris-Sorbonne (Paris IV)

Safed in Venice: Lurianic Kabbalah in Italy

Yoel Regev, guest professor of philosophy at the European University (St. Petersburg)

Russian Moor in Venice: Joseph Brodsky and Orientalism

Sanna Turoma, professor of Russian literature at the University of Helsinki

FIELD TRIPS

Lido Jewish Cemetery and the Story of a Captain

Aldo Izzo, guide

Printing Workshop

Roberta Feoli, artist

Public and Private Spaces of the Ghetto

Giuzeppe Balzano, orientalist, director of Beit Venezia

CULTURAL EVENTS

Yiddish on the Rialto: the Soundscape of Jewish Venice

Concert by Avery Gosfield and Ensemble Lucidarium

Hanukkah Desserts of Venetian Jews

Food seminar by Anna Campos

The Luminous One under the Veil of Darkness

Quest byMax Gorts

Old Songs and Dances of the Ghetto

Workshop by Avery Gosfield and Ensemble Lucidarium