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

The upcoming Israel Festival will highlight the life and writings of Etty Hillesum, a Dutch-Jewish diarist whose profound reflections during the Holocaust remain less known than those of Anne Frank.

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Yes, there is Hagai Levy’s miniseries, Etty, which was screened at Lev cinemas around the country, in two parts, but that still leaves Hillesum trailing in her fellow Dutch-Jewish Holocaust-era diarist’s posthumous superstardom wake.

The festival, running from July 28 to August 20 in Jerusalem and other locations, will include performances of "The Thinking Heart" on August 6 and 7 at the Jerusalem Theatre. This production, crafted by Neta Shpigelman, features six female artists exploring Hillesum's diaries through various artistic disciplines.

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The festival kicks off on July 28 and runs through to August 20, with shows, concerts and cultural events set for various venues around Jerusalem, as well as spots in the Western Negev and in the North.

Hillesum's diaries, published posthumously as "An Interrupted Life: The Diaries of Etty Hillesum, 1941-1943," offer an intimate account of her experiences under Nazi occupation. The work is noted for its "breathtaking" and "eminently inspiring" quality, particularly Hillesum's unwavering zest for life and quest for truth amidst extreme adversity.

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Six Diary Performances, in the Style of Etty Hillesum

"The Thinking Heart" aims to share Hillesum's unique perspective, which, unlike Frank's more widely known narrative, delves deeply into her spiritual and emotional journey. The show's subtitle, "Six Diary Performances, in the Style of Etty Hillesum," underscores the director's intention to capture the essence of Hillesum's introspective and resilient spirit.

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The book is nothing short of breathtaking and eminently inspiring. The journal is as intimate an account as one could encounter of a young Jewish woman living under Nazi occupation. One of the most impressive aspects of the chronicle is the writer’s zest for life, which never dims, even under the most desperate of emotionally and physically challenging existential circumstances.