The term “resistance” is used today in an increasingly broad range of contexts and often to the point of overuse. Traditionally, it referred to organized opposition to power, most commonly based on armed struggle. But what, then, constitutes resistance? And what is Jewish resistance?
Resistance is deeply rooted in Judaism and in collective Jewish memory. Hanukkah, for example, commemorates the successful revolt of the Maccabees against the Seleucid Empire in the 2nd century BCE. Purim centers on Queen Esther’s resistance and the rescue of the Jews of Persia, a story that has also been interpreted through a feminist lens. Furthermore, the memory of Jewish military organizations such as the Jewish Legion and the Haganah, as well as the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising of 1943, played a significant role in the construction of Israeli identity.
At the same time, numerous instances of Jewish resistance remained hidden from view for a long time, including Jewish resistance to National Socialism. Only in recent decades has the long-dominant narrative of Jews as “passive victims” been challenged by research revealing the enormous diversity of Jewish resistance against the Nazi regime. Particular attention has also been paid to the role of Jewish women.
The exhibition “Resistance!” explores these and other examples of Jewish resistance while also bringing the subject into the present day. Especially now, in a time marked by growing social polarization, engaging with the concept of resistance is more important than ever.
Curator: Tom Juncker
Exhibition Design: Robert Rüf, Design, Vienna
Exhibition Graphics: solo ohne – Studio für Gestaltung
