Private Project

Doikayt (Hereness)

DOIKAYT takes viewers on a psychedelic odyssey through Eastern Europe, where a diverse group of queer Ashkenazi artists embarks on a mission to revive the fading legacy of 20th century Yiddish language, art, and politics. Guided by The Golem, the enigmatic folkloric figure who is summoned to rescue imperiled Jewish communities, these artists breathe new life into ancestral mythologies by staging site-specific performance art inspired by Yiddish folktales. The film's narrative unfolds in various locations, such as the town of Kazimierz Dolny, where the most famous Yiddish film, Der Dybbuk, was originally produced in 1936. Here, the artists collaborate with local townspeople to restage iconic scenes, such as the "death dance," creating a powerful connection between past and present. Throughout this time-traveling journey, the film introduces a chorus of influential visionaries and radicals from the past and present, including: Yiddish avant-garde icons, alongside leaders of its contemporary revival. DOIKAYT ultimately tells a story of resilience, cultural reawakening, and the profound healing power of art in a world marked by trauma and loss.

  • Julie Weitz
    Director
  • Moriel Rothman-Zecher
    Writer
  • Hannah Roodman
    Producer
  • Project Type:
    Documentary, Experimental, Feature
  • Completion Date:
    October 1, 2023
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    Poland
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Digital Cinema Package:
    Unavailable
Director Biography - Julie Weitz

Julie Weitz (she/her) is an award-winning interdisciplinary artist based in Los Angeles. Working across film, performance, installation, and photography, visual artist Julie Weitz synthesizes elements from Yiddish folktales, Jewish ritual, clowning, drag, and silent film to make powerful, and often political statements about the world and humanity’s survival. In the past five years, she has developed a performance art practice that responds to local surroundings with an attuned sensory awareness of ecological and historical contexts.

Weitz had solo exhibitions at the Galicia Jewish Museum in Krakow, Poland in 2023 and the Contemporary Jewish Museum in San Francisco in 2021. Her work has been featured in Artforum, Art in America, The Los Angeles Times, The New York Times, BOMB, and Hyperallergic. Weitz is a Fulbright Scholar (2023-24), a Wallis Annenberg Helix Fellow at Yiddishkayt (2020-23), and a Cultural Trailblazer of the Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs (2020-21). Her work has been supported by the Mid-Atlantic Arts Foundation, Coaxial Foundation for the Arts, Innovation Foundation, the California Center for Cultural Innovation, LAXART, Los Angeles Nomadic Division, Banff Centre, Asylum Arts, and the Memorial Foundation for Jewish Culture.

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Director Statement

As neo-fascism is gaining traction around the world and antisemitic incidents are at an all time high, the 20th century organizing principle of “doikayt” or “hereness” resonates strongly in our contemporary moment. It calls on individuals to be present and explore questions of belonging within the diaspora. While the term harkens back to early socialist ideals, it also provides a framework for Jews to engage in the global fight against racism and fascism. There is a resurgence of Yiddish culture in North America today being led by young progressive Jews standing in solidarity with other diasporic peoples. The doikayt movement powerfully connects the Jewish experience to broader struggles for freedom and self-determination.

By revitalizing Ashkenazi performance traditions that explore Yiddish folklore, Jewish magic, Ashkenazi shamanism, and radical politics, this story envisions a vibrant Jewish future unburdened by historical obstacles or national borders. The artists’ collaborations with local communities at sites of Jewish loss in Eastern Europe stand as a testament to the enduring power of art to confront hatred and prejudice. It also sheds light on a path toward personal and collective healing. In this way, the project transcends its specific cultural context and serves as a model for all people to reclaim and celebrate culture in the aftermath of ethnic violence and displacement. It demonstrates how art and collaboration can be powerful tools for healing and renewal.