The Dybbukast: Unetaneh Tokef for Black Lives

I’m incredibly moved that this meant something to other people. Perhaps I’m even more moved because it wasn’t–I didn’t write it for that. As a Black woman, to say that I spent time doing something for my own joy, satisfaction, and healing, is to take a piece back.

Imani Romney-Rosa Chapman, Episode 7: “Unetaneh Tokef for Black Lives.”

In theater dybbuk‘s The Dybbukast: Episode 7, presented in collaboration with Lilith Magazine, we share performed readings from and explore issues intersecting with a piece of writing published in Lilith in 2020 titled “Unetaneh Tokef for Black Lives.” The work takes a liturgical poem, which speaks about the nature of existence and is central to the Jewish High Holidays, and builds upon it, reimagining it to speak about the killing of Black people in the U.S.

Imani Romney-Rosa Chapman, the founder and director of imani strategies and author of the piece, talks about the work itself while also discussing related historical and societal considerations.

Listen below and read the transcript here.