Beit Avi Chai presents "Kafka": The Man, the Book, and the Mystery
Franz Kafka, the man and his work, have continued to fascinate, perplex, and haunt us for nearly a century. His stories and writings defined the 20th century and are still with us in the 21st century, with their echoes resounding in countless contemporary works.
In a new three-part series, we will look at Kafka's many faces and try to solve the mystery that enshrouds the man and his work.
Editor and moderator: Benny Mar, editor of the Ha'aretz book review.
1: The Trial
Monday, August 12, 8 PM
On October 2012, after a court battle that dragged on for years, an Israeli court ruled that Franz Kafka's papers, brought to Israel by Max Brod and now in the possession of private individuals, should be transferred to the National Library. The proceedings were lengthy and complex and evoked fundamental cultural and diplomatic issues-first and foremost, who owns the works of Franz Kafka, a Jewish author who lived in what is now the Czech Republic and wrote in German? An encounter with the sources of his work and with the many literary and national identities in Kafka's brief life.
With Ofer Aderet, journalist for Ha'aretz; Dr. Tidhar Nir, Tel Aviv University
Excerpts from Kafka's writings: Yehoyachin Friedlander
2: "A Letter to Father"
Monday, August 19, 8 PM
"Dearest Father, You asked me recently why I say that I am afraid of you..."
This is the start of Franz Kafka's literary J'Accuse to his father, and also to himself and to his Jewish identity, written but never sent. We will discuss Kafka's relationship with his father, with Judaism, and with the Father in Heaven-God.
With: Prof. Galili Shahar, Tel Aviv University
Excerpts from Kafka's writings: Yehoyachin Friedlander
Session 3: "The Metamorphosis"
Monday, August 26, 8 PM
"As Gregor Samsa awoke one morning from uneasy dreams, he found himself transformed in his bed into a gigantic dung beetle."
Few works have exerted such a profound influence as Kafka's "Metamorphosis." In this session, however, we will discuss not only the metamorphoses of this story, but also the many metamorphoses of Kafka's works as a whole, and in Hebrew literature in particular.
With: Dr. Lilach Netanel, Bar-Ilan University; Dr. Nurit Gertz, Sapir College.
Admission: NIS 40, students: NIS 20; NIS 100 for the series
This is a Hebrew-language only event.
|
Text text text
|
||
