Throughout the Holocaust, handmade objects offered resistance and resilience to maker and wearer alike. Well-known are the notorious yellow star, pink triangle, and other hand sewn patches created to sew division among prisoners. Less has been shared about the Nazis' use of prison labor to create luxurious angora wool or the knitting barrack at the Sobibor death camp where prisoners knit socks from dusk to dark. Still, in the very worst of times many Jewish makers found ways to craft as an act of resistance – and find renewal after the Shoah.

This class invites makers –or anyone who ever loved a handmade item– to find inspiration in stories of women who weakened seams, hid knots into socks, and more, to resist when hope was nearly lost. You’ll also draw strength from crafters who shared their stories with needle and thread, built a fashion empire, and inspired a Holocaust museum’s educational programming.  

We will wrap up with a look at contemporary crafters efforts to resist and find renewal through fiber arts. Whether you are a knitter, crafter, or admirer, come learn about the power of knitting. Feel free to bring something you are working on to knit while we learn.

Craft plays a big role in Tanya Singer’s Jewish identity, but she only learned its importance in building resilience when her son underwent successful brain surgery in 2017. Her passion for the craft eventually led her to research the ways in which Jewish creatives turn to crafts to cultivate resilience, inspiring her work as a contributor to Tablet Magazine, Vogue Knitting Magazine, Modern Daily Knitting, Kveller, The Jewish Telegraphic Agency and The New York Post.

Tanya Singer worked at Tablet Magazine for over three years. There she co-created the Beautifully Jewish podcast and community. She also leads the Simchat Torah Challenge, a Jewish communal project inspiring thousands to read the weekly Torah portion.