Rachel Holzer and the transnational dimensions of Yiddish theatre
Rachel Holzer and the transnational dimensions of Yiddish theatre

Summary/Abstract: The article presents Rachel Holzer’s theatrical career in Poland and Australia, and her significant contribution to building and developing Yiddish theatre in these countries. It focuses particularly on Holzer’s work in Australia, where she was grounded due to the outbreak of World War Two and where she decided to stay and work until her death in 1998. Her achievements as an actress, director and a member of diaspora are examined based on the records found in the Polish and Jewish press published in Yiddish, Polish and English in Poland and Australia. In spite of her international fame and substantial role in the Yiddish artistic and cultural life, Holzer did not attract a lot of scholarly attention, so her life, work and artistic achievements are yet to be extensively researched. This article is, to the authors’ knowledge, the first attempt to consolidate information dispersed across continents and languages. It is to advance the understanding of Holzer’s transnational positionality, her contribution to theatre and Jewish culture, and her impact on the diaspora community in Australia.

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