The short film Studio Visit with Hila Lahav is available to watch at the top of the page.
Hila Lahav is a well-known poet and musician acclaimed for her profound work. In her poetry book, Until the Morning, she channels her personal experience with rape, paralleling it with the disturbing biblical narrative of the “Levite’s concubine.” Lahav’s poetry successfully conveys the complex emotional reality of such traumatic events, portraying the dissociation rape victims often experience and the enduring trauma they carry.
The “Levite’s Concubine” story is a tragic biblical tale that strongly impacts Lahav’s Until the Morning. It tells of a Levite and his concubine traveling through the city of Gibeah, who face an appalling event. A mob intending to rape the Levite is instead offered the concubine, leading to her brutal violation and death. In a horrifying sequence, the Levite dismembers her body into 12 parts and sends each to a different tribe of Israel, inciting a disastrous war.
Themes of violence, trauma, and their enduring psychological effects are evident throughout Lahav’s Until the Morning. She intertwines her personal journey with this tragic story, giving voice to the unspeakable and delving into the complex layers of pain, dissociation, and resilience resulting from such inhuman acts. Lahav’s work serves as a strong testament to art’s ability to confront and highlight the darker aspects of human existence, illuminating the complicated factors that shape our shared narrative.
In essence, Hila Lahav’s poetry demonstrates the power of words in addressing and transcending traumatic experiences. Through themes like trauma, dissociation, and memory, Lahav offers readers a heartfelt look into the resilience of the human spirit and the transformative potential of art. Her profound verses challenge us to consider the complexities of human existence, pushing us to engage with both the dark and bright aspects that define our shared narrative.
The featured video Studio Visit with Hila Lahav is part of the web series Yotsrim by Shachaf Dekel. Yotsrim includes five seasons and 73 episodes. The series won the Best Documentary award at the NYC Web Fest in 2019.
