A Presentation of Graphic Details: Confessional Comics by Jewish Women

New Israel Fund of Canada, and Koffler Centre for the Arts,
with the Jewish Daily Forward
April 17th, 2011
The Gladstone Hotel, Toronto

While comics are often drawn in black and white, the work in the touring exhibition Graphic Details shows that the relationship of North American Jews to Israel is anything but. 

On the evening before Passover, more than forty people gathered at the Gladstone Hotel in Toronto to view the exhibit Graphic Details and to discuss the struggles artists depict when confronting their relationship with Israel.

Dan Friedman, Arts and Culture Editor of the Forward, hosted the discussion using the comics as catalysts for discussion about difficult issues.  The group explored Zionist stereotypes, the right of Diaspora Jews to criticize Israel and institutions that shape our relationship with Israel.

From artists depicting their Birthright trips to women in post-Holocaust Israel, the experiences depicted in the comics mirrored contemporary struggles, and reflected the intensity with which we relate to Israel. The group was inspired by the courage of the artists which created an open space for others to express their thoughts about Israel.