In popular Jewish culture, a dybbuk refers to a wandering soul that takes possession of a living person, according to a belief that developed in Eastern Europe from the 18th century onwards. The dybbuk is one of those supernatural creatures that have gone beyond the realms of superstition to become a theme that inspires artists past and present. The mahJ is the first museum to explore the subject in a rich exhibition combining theatre, film, music, literature and popular culture.
The exhibition retraces the little-known career of dancer Paula Padani (1913-2001) through over 250 photographs, posters, documents and costumes. With her vision of movement as a force for life, and her ability to bounce between different countries and cultures, she blazed new trails for her art and played a pioneering role in the emergence of Israeli contemporary dance.
