Getting to know Etty Hillesum, the Holocaust diarist starring at the Israel Festival

A feature on Etty Hillesum, the Dutch-Jewish Holocaust diarist, whose life and writings are the basis for 'The Thinking Heart,' a multidisciplinary performance at the Israel Festival. The show, directed by Neta Shpigelman, features six female artists and runs August 6-7 at the Jerusalem Theatre. Hillesum's diaries, published posthumously, chronicle her inner life under Nazi occupation and her unwavering quest for meaning.

The Jerusalem Post profiles Etty Hillesum, a Dutch-Jewish Holocaust diarist whose life and writings are the basis for 'The Thinking Heart,' a multidisciplinary performance at the Israel Festival. The show, directed by Neta Shpigelman, features six female artists and runs August 6-7 at the Jerusalem Theatre. Hillesum's diaries, published posthumously as 'An Interrupted Life,' chronicle her inner life under Nazi occupation, her philosophical and emotional growth, and her unwavering quest for meaning. Shpigelman, who discovered Hillesum's diaries during a personal crisis, identifies deeply with her subject, describing her as a 'modern personality' and a spiritual teacher. The article highlights Hillesum's courage, including her decision to remain with her family in Auschwitz despite an opportunity to escape.