Out of the Depths
13 Original Plays Commemorating the Holocaust
by
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The Holocaust has presented us with innumerable questions that we wrestle with today. How could such systematic evil be perpetuated in a country renowned for its sophistication in all areas of the sciences and the arts? How could the world turn a blind eye to what was happening and close its doors to potential victims? How could ordinary people participate in this horror? How could others act to save Jews at the risk of their own lives and the lives of their families? How could those facing imminent destruction continue to study agricultural techniques useful to the future state of Israel or teach their children how to paint? It is my hope that these plays will serve to focus on some of these questions, even as we witness new genocidal wars around the world. There is an imperative here as old as the Biblical account of Genesis. It is for us to affirm the goodness of the world as it is - -the potential goodness of human nature- - and the need to create (and procreate) even in the force of destruction and death.
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About the Book
The Holocaust has presented us with innumerable questions that we wrestle with today. How could such systematic evil be perpetuated in a country renowned for its sophistication in all areas of the sciences and the arts? How could the world turn a blind eye to what was happening and close its doors to potential victims? How could ordinary people participate in this horror? How could others act to save Jews at the risk of their own lives and the lives of their families? How could those facing imminent destruction continue to study agricultural techniques useful to the future state of Israel or teach their children how to paint? It is my hope that these plays will serve to focus on some of these questions, even as we witness new genocidal wars around the world. There is an imperative here as old as the Biblical account of Genesis. It is for us to affirm the goodness of the world as it is - -the potential goodness of human nature- - and the need to create (and procreate) even in the force of destruction and death.
About the Author
In addition to writing plays, Barry Ivker writes poetry, children’s stories, fiction, and scholarly works in the fields of literature and psychotherapy. His collages were exhibited at the Museum of Art in New Orleans and other venues. He plays piano/harpsichord and has performed as a member of several ensembles and as a soloist. He chants cantorial music and sings with the Alabama Symphony Choir. He dances to international folk, Contra, and Cajun music. He maintains a part-time practice as a clinical social worker. Previous publications include three volumes of poetry (Jewish Reel, Promised Land, and Sonata in F# Minor., ) a Passover Haggadah with 111 original illustrations, and an Annotated Anthology of 17th and 18th Century French Libertine Fiction. He is married to Frances Barbara, a practicing gynecologist. They have three children and nine grandchildren.