Overview

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 cliche 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...

Full Product Details

Author:   Yaniv Shimon Goldberg
Publisher:   Academic Studies Press
Imprint:   Academic Studies Press
Dimensions:   Width: 15.20cm , Height: 1.50cm , Length: 22.80cm
ISBN:  

9798897830305

Pages:   266
Publication Date:   20 November 2025
Audience:   Professional and scholarly ,  General/trade ,  Professional & Vocational ,  General
Format:   Hardback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   Not yet available  
This item is yet to be released. You can pre-order this item and we will dispatch it to you upon its release.

Table of Contents

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

Reviews

""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

""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

Author Information

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.

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