Sholem Asch's "God of Vengeance"

Resource Kit by
Debra Caplan

Module Content

Introduction

Introduction

Written in 1907 and staged around the world to critical acclaim and—sometimes—controversy, Sholem Asch’s Yidish-language drama Der got fun nekome (The God of Vengeance) was enormously provocative in its time, and remains one of the most significant Jewish plays of the twentieth century. This kit provides resources to help teachers tell the story of this play, its uniquely fraught production history, and its historical significance.

Cover image: The cast, producer, and playwright of the Broadway production of God of Vengeance, found "guilty of presenting an immoral performance" in 1923. Lead actor Rudolph Schildkraut, a renowned performer from Austria, stands fourth from the left, in the front; the producer Harry Weinberger stands second from the right; and the playwright, Sholem Asch, is at the extreme right.