The Travels of Benjamin Zuskin

Described by theater critics as one of the twentieth century's greatest talents, Benjamin Zuskin (1899-1952) was a star of the Moscow State Jewish Theater. In writing The Travels of Benjamin Zuskin, his daughter, Ala Zuskin Perelman, has rescued from oblivion his story and that of the theater in which he served as performer and, for a period, artistic director. Against the backdrop of the Soviet regime's effort to stifle any expression of Jewish identity, the Moscow State Jewish Theater--throughout its thirty years of existence (1919-49)--maintained a high level of artistic excellence while also becoming a center of Jewish life and culture. A member of the Jewish Anti-Fascist Committee, Zuskin was arrested under fabricated charges and eventually executed on August 12, 1952, along with twelve other eminent Soviet Jews and committee members.

Zuskin Perelman's fascinating chronicle, more than just a personal memoir, conveys the vibrancy and energy of Jewish theater, celebrates the cultural achievements of Soviet Jews, and calls attention to the tragic fate that awaited them. The Travels of Benjamin Zuskin sheds light on Soviet Jewish history through the lens of one of the period's most influential cultural icons.

Binding Type: Hardcover
Publisher: Syracuse University Press
Published: 03/24/2015
ISBN: 9780815610502
Pages: 336
Weight: 1.53lbs
Size: 9.34h x 6.40w x 1.03d

Review Citations: New York Review of Books 05/07/2015 pg. 32