Let’s read and analyze the forgotten Yiddish play “Kraft” (“Power”) by Leah K. Hofman. We will explore it in the English translation, delving into the themes and symbolism. The play, published in 1930, examines civilization’s evolution through personifications like Electricity overpowering Steam and Madam Cinema outshining the Radio. Its sole human character, the Slave, reveals the enduring patterns of societal dynamics through his naïve questioning. Learn more about the play here! 

Jana Mazurkiewicz Meisarosh is a PhD candidate in the Slavic Department at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. She is working on her dissertation on Yiddish Theater in Communist Warsaw. Originally from Poland, Jana holds a Master of Arts degree in Polish Philology and Jewish Studies from the University of Wrocław. She is an actor, director, playwright, and producer of Yiddish theater. In October 2017, she moved to San Diego and launched the Yiddish Arts and Academics Association of North America (YAAANA), and its initiative called Yiddishland California. Yiddishland California is planning to establish an immersive, shtetl-inspired, multigenerational community that will include guest rooms and a museum detailing the history of small Jewish towns in Eastern Europe and Yiddish-speaking Jews in California. This mixed-use space will host daily language classes, weekly gatherings, and monthly events such as Yiddish weddings and fashion shows, aiming to create a vibrant cultural hub for Yiddish and non-Yiddish speakers alike. Feel free to reach out to Jana!