Erica Lehrer to give joint book presentation with Magdalena Waligórska at IU

Two books, two perspectives, one destination: Kazimierz. Cultural anthropologist and IUP author Erica Lehrer and cultural historian Magdalena Waligórska explore a phenomenon that has attracted a great deal of attention and provoked many controversies: Jewish heritage revival in Poland. Described as the world’s largest Jewish cemetery and the realm of “virtual Jewishness,” Poland is a space where the non-Jewish interest in things Jewish has been looked upon with particular skepticism. Lehrer, with Jewish Poland Revisited, and Waligórska, with Klezmer’s Afterlife, venture into this territory, both fascinating and fraught with tension, giving a fresh glimpse into the backstage of the Jewish heritage industry.

In this joint book presentation "Gentiles Doing Jewish Stuff...and the Jews Who Love/Hate Them," the authors will read excerpts of their books and discuss Jewish heritage revival as a space of profound encounter for Jews and non-Jews. Their talk will take place April 10 at 4 p.m. in the Music Building/Simon Center, M242, on the IU Bloomington campus.

The event is co-sponsored by the Lou and Sybil Mervis Chair in Jewish Culture, The Polish Studies Center, and the IU Jacobs School of Music Musicology Department.

Magdalena Waligórska and Erica Lehrer pose with their books