“This Lovely Land Is Mine” ’s Restorative Nostalgia for Jessica Hillman

This is the place where the hopes of the homeless and the dreams of the lost combine. This is the land that heaven blessed, and this lovely land is mine! — Don Appell and (1961: act I, scene 3, line 26)

These lyrics — from the title song of the 1961 musical Milk and Honey — encapsulate the multi­ layered political and cultural implications throughout this seemingly simple Broadway musi­ cal. With their call to both the recent and ancient past, and their vigorous claim of ownership in the present, Jerry Herman’s words, and the musical as a whole, negotiate a delicate balance between pride and sorrow. With music and lyrics by Herman and by Don Appell, Milk and Honey was the first major Broadway musical to take Jews as its central characters, present­ ing a then unique setting and subject matter: the new state of Israel. Its pioneer status situates Milk and Honey as a cultural document revealing American Jewish attitudes toward the young country, and one of the central reasons for its existence: the Holocaust. Through old-fashioned

TDR: The Drama Review 55:3 (T211) Fall 2011. ©2011 New York University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology 31

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32 Jessica Hillman Background land ofmilkandhoney. Holocaust, wefind “restorativenostalgia” forIsrael’srootsinthebiblicalhomeland, thetitular of anexcitingnewland. Moredeeply, asareactiontosublimatedgriefanddisavowalofthe Broadway escapismandexoticism, MilkandHoneysuperficiallyglorifiesthepresentfuture McFarland Press. [email protected] Theatre. Her bookonNazism andtheHolocaust ontheAmerican from musicalstageisforthcoming of Colorado atBoulder. She hasrecently in Theatre publishedarticles Topics her BAdegree inTheatre from Cornell History University andherMA and PhD from the University Jessica Hillman Professor isAssistant attheState University ofNew York atFredonia. She received backdrop. desert (PhotoPhotofest)of a stormy courtesy directed by . Photos show of the chorus young, scantily clad male and female dancers in the face Figure 1. (previous page) 1. the LeonUrisnovelpublishedin1958, andthefilmversionreleasedin1960. write amusicalaboutIsrael. OestreicherwaslikelyinspiredbythehugesuccessofExodus, both In 1960producerGerardOestreicherhiredJerryHerman, thenayoungcomposerinhis20s, to 26 January 1963. singers MimiBenzellandRobert Weede and Yiddish theatrestarMollyPicon. Itclosedon Honey openedonBroadway10October1961attheMartinBeck Theatre, starringopera off theiraffairbecausePhilhasnotyetofficiallyendedhislovelessfirstmarriage. Milkand the moshav, wheretheywitnessthemorepermissiveIsraelilifestyle. EventuallyRuthbreaks lives withherIsraelihusband. RuthandPhilbeginanaffairshejoinshimonhisvisitto meets Phil, whoisonhiswaytovisitdaughteramoshav, orcollectivefarm, whereshe two American JewsvisitingIsrael. Ruth, partofatourgroupman-hungry ­ American show, callingita “valentine” toIsrael(41). the Israeli/Arabconflict, butadmitsthatverylittlewasnotpositivemadeitintothefinal border towns. Hermansawsomedarkersidestothenewstatethatconcernedhim, including approved sectionsofIsrael, Hermansnuckawaywith Appell totourthecountry, includingits every morning” (inCitron2004:48). Disappointedthattheirtouronlyincludedgovernment- encourage tourism, thattheyrolledouttheredcarpetandhadablacklimousineatourhotel going towriteaplayaboutIsrael-embattledwithguninhand, butratheronethatmight and publicitywasn’tallthatterrific” (39–40). was thrilledaboutthewholeidea, ofcourse, becauseIsraelstillhadanimageproblemin1960 coming towritethisveryhappyandpositiveshowabouttheircountry. The government Herman (1996:39). Oestreicherhadcontactedthem, and, saysHerman, toldthem: “[W]e were existing sourcematerial. Israel’sgovernmenttreatedtheauthors “like royalty” accordingto He wantedthemtosoakuptheatmosphereandemergewithanideaforamusicalnopre­ Appell toIsraelsothattheycouldwitnessthecountry’s13thIndependenceDaycelebration. and eagerforhisBroadwaybreak. OestreicherarrangedatripforHermanandlibrettistDon (Hello Dolly[1964], [1966], La Cage Aux Folles [1983])wasatthispointyoung, unknown, famous forrazzledazzleBroadwaymusicalspectaclesfocusingonlarger above also echo a song from the Milk and Honey, when completed, resembled Herman and Appell decidedtocentertheirmusicalonasecond-chanceloveaffairbetween As Hermanremembers, “The Israeligovernmentpeopleweresothrilledthatweweren’t Milk and Honey, 1961. Music and lyrics by Jerry Herman, book by Don Appell, Exodus soundtrack, “This land ismine, God gave this land to me” (Gold 1960). Exodus in its worshipful and inspirational tone. The lyrics quoted and Studies inMusical -thanlife divaroles 1 Herman, later widows, Milk and Honey’s Restorative Nostalgia 33 ­ ­ Rather than ache 2 through energy, lust for life, lust for life, through energy, — a defiant claim of ownership not to be denied. The lyric, The lyric, a defiant claim of ownership not to be denied. —

’s content, as well as its form, argues for restorative nostalgia. The title for restorative nostalgia. argues as well as its form, Milk and Honey’s content, This is the land of Milk and Honey This is the land of sun and song And this a world of good and plenty and Humble and proud and young and strong This is the place where the hopes of the homeless And the dreams of the lost combine. This is the land that heaven blessed And this lovely land is mine! (1961:I.3.25) also utilizes Boym’s second category, “reflective nostalgia,” through echoes of the dying New York York New dying the of echoes through nostalgia,” “reflective category, second Boym’s utilizes also Honey and Milk complicates musical Herman’s performance. Picon’s Molly star stage through the on ghosted Yiddish Theatre, ways. surprising in interacting nostalgia, reflective and restorative both exhibiting by categories discrete Boym’s ’s Israeli patriotism implies a restorative nostalgia for the ’s Israeli patriotism implies The extent of Milk and Honey for a distant past, the Israeli characters in the musical fight to restore the conditions of that the Israeli characters in the musical fight to restore the conditions for a distant past, and thereby to return to a collective to intimately experience their connection to the land, past, optimism and collective memory for biblical Israel In the early years of Israel’s existence, home. pride in their God-given With past was possible. emphasized that restoration of the biblical bolstered by Jews around the world Israelis worked to make the land green again, birthright, Milk and Honey reflects this hopeful and industrious sending money to plant trees in the desert. instead displaying a resolutely forward-looking sur atmosphere by aiming to deny memory and hoping to reinstate the glories of the land of Canaan. face, hints of the emotion behind the musical’s fervent song’s lyrics that opened this essay offer Israeli loyalty: Its imagery glorifying the ideas upon which Israel was founded. This song acts as an anthem, “and this Importantly it ends with, and moral certitude. happiness, strength, insists on youth, (italics added) lovely land is mine” home­ offers the historical view of Jews, “hopes of the homeless and the dreams of the lost,” Bible in the book of first appears in the “milk and honey” The phrase less since the Diaspora. Therefore the promised to the Jews. Exodus 3:8 and refers to the bounty of the land of Canaan, Early drafts were titled Shalom; the shift to title itself offers a restorative nostalgic perspective. The new title sums up the historically laden thematic Milk and Honey cannot be a coincidence. and although that agri­ honey thousands of years ago, Israel was the land of milk and concerns. ’s characters Milk and Honey cultural abundance had been lost, 2. The definition of “nostalgia” encompasses homesickness and wistful, sentimental longing. With With sentimental longing. and wistful, encompasses homesickness “nostalgia” of The definition for Israel has the idea of homesickness of Judaism, as a defining characteristic the Diaspora biblical past has been longing for the and wistful or sentimental of years, lasted for thousands of constructed concepts The and culture. of Jewish literature throughout centuries elaborated defi­ Svetlana Boym’s intricate and problematic. are equally however, both Israel and nostalgia, contextualize Milk and Honey’s perspective can help to (2001), of Nostalgia in The Future nitions, “restor calling her first separates nostalgia into two discrete categories, Boym towards Israel. as the longed-for past and denies itself looks to reestablish the name implies, which as ative,” as but rather think of itself as nostalgia, “Restorative nostalgia does not Boym argues, nostalgia. an ache of temporal distance and dis­ “Nostalgia is She continues: (xviii). truth and tradition” Distance is compensated symptoms. nostalgia takes care of both of these Restorative placement. Displacement is cured by a return and the availability of a desired object. by intimate experience (46). collective one” preferably a home, the book of Genesis. then Isaac in Abraham, to first granted Promised Land, Restorative Nostalgia Restorative Downloaded from http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/DRAM_a_00092 by guest on 03 October 2021 Downloaded from http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/DRAM_a_00092 by guest on 03October 2021

34 Jessica Hillman crowds, with blocksofticketsboughtby groupssuchasFriendsofMt. Sinaiand IsraeliEl Al to audiencetrends. Star Molly PiconrecountsthatinPhiladelphiatheshowattracted large to heartandkeptitrunningfor 543performances” (2003:18). Previewaudiences offeredclues Herman’s personal, andmoredeterminedly laudatorytowardsIsrael. Jewish peers, demonstratewhatwemightexpect, thatJewishreactionstotheshowweremore Honey isasitsbrightbest” (1961:241). These two criticalreactions, contrastedwiththeirnon- people believeinIsrael, andlovethecountry. As thisproud, fiercelovecomesthrough, Milkand with nomentionofthemusical. Heendshisreviewby arguing, “It makesyouunderstandwhy the real theancientdreamofalandmilkandhoney” (1961:239). Similarly, NormanNadel, of spirit ofaffirmationrepresentedbyIsraelanditsdedicatedpeople, whoareworkingtomake New Yorkitself.show The Times by Jewishtheatrecritics, Israelasacountryseemedto be moreunderconsiderationthanthe ingly inthebackground” (1961:240). Infact, inatleasttworeviews, perhapsnotcoincidentally the bookisaminimumofhelptoMilkandHoney, thedramaofIsraelisalwaysthereintrigu ­ esque ‘new’ locale, Israel” (1961:238). As Richard Watts Jr. saidintheNewYorkPost , “Although and intriguingelement. JohnChapmanoftheNew York calledthesettinga DailyNews “pictur authenticity. Mostreviewers ness fornovelty, butalsoservedtodemonstratethemusical’srobustimmediacyandrealism. animals, includingagoatmilkedonstage, agenuinetractor, andbales ofhaywerebitsbusi­ extreme scenicrealismalsocontributetothemusical’sgoalofauthenticity. The inclusionoflive land Godpromised, andthemusical, withitseponymousanthem, cheersthemon. Elementsof moshav exhibitanostalgicneedtoreturndryandbarrenPalestinethefertilebountiful onthreetreescarry enormous representing theplantingofdesert tions forthedancebreakintitlesongread, “Suddenly ALL burst outintosongasseveral men represent thespirited, thoughbackbreakingworkinvolvedinrejuvenatingtheland. Stagedirec­ the biblicalpast. Forexample, inseveralworkdancesDonaldSaddler’schoreographyaimedto Honey’s productionservedtoglorifyandcelebratemodernIsrael’sprogresstowardsrestoring of placeasthecentralthemeinmusical’sfinale. an elaboratelystaged Yemenite weddingceremonyscene, andarepriseof “Shalom” takespride We hearHebrewthroughoutthescoreandspokentext. Itisusedforreligiouspurposesin takes asitspurposetranslatingHebrew: Yemenite boywhowantstobringhissheepintothestreet. The secondsong, titled “Shalom,” with anextendedargumentinHebrew(firstdialogue, theninsong)betweenaporterand Palestine, largelyasasymbolicbreakwiththeirtraumaticrecenthistory. The musicalopens The showmakesfrequentuseofHebrew, anancientbiblicallanguagerestoredbyZionistsin rebuild it. iment totherestorativenostalgicargument:wedonothavelongforpast;instead, wecan gia, despiteitstemporalremoveofthousandsyears. This historicaldistanceoffersnoimped­ and hardwork Audience demographicsseemed tomirrorthecriticalreaction. KenBloom, editor ofJerry Critics, perhapsrepresentativeofaudiences, certainlyseemedtoembracethispresumed The creativeteam’seffortstoprovideimmediacy, “liveness,” andauthenticityinMilk And twiceasmuchhello. (1961:I.1.6) It meansbonjour, salud, andskoal The nicestgreetingyouknow; You’ll findShalom Shalom, Shalom, Milk andHoney’schoiceoflanguageoffersanexamplerestorativenostalgicpractices. New YorkWorld Telegram, spendsatleastathirdofhisarticlediscussingthestate ofIsrael, Lyrics, summarizesthemusical’s run, “The mainlyJewishaudiencetooktheshow — find theroadbacktothatancientsuccess. Israeloffersanactivesiteofnostal­ found thenoveltyofmusical’smilieutobeitsmosteffective ’ Howard Taubman declared, “The brighterflameisfedbythe ” (I.3.30). The inhabitantsofthe ­ Milk and Honey’s Restorative Nostalgia 35 , 1961. Elements of extreme scenic realism contribute contribute realism scenic extreme of Elements 1961. , Honey and Milk Figure 2. Figure left: From onstage. milked goat a including authenticity, of goal musical’s the to courtesy (Photo Photofest) Weede. RobertBenzell, Mimi Picon, Molly ­ making Israel green again. Disavowal disclaims any association with, or any association with, Disavowal disclaims making Israel green again. —

laden place. memory-laden place.

Through the wish to disavow the pain of the Holocaust, trauma can be sublimated into cul­ Through the wish to disavow the pain of the Holocaust, Milk and Honey emerges New beginnings in this world are impossible; they will always be burdened with history. Why might audiences crave restorative nostalgia? What exactly were they nostalgic for? According to sociologist Fred “Mass collective nostal­ Davis, gia is most likely to occur after times of severe cultural discon­ The Holocaust served as just such a severe discontinuity in the Jewish com­ (1979:97). tinuity” Boym does not discuss we find in Milk and Honey. encouraging the restorative nostalgia munity, and agony pain, but in Milk and Honey the loss, restorative nostalgia as a reaction to trauma, The characters argument for restoration. if obscured, of the Holocaust function as the central, also a people, but Israel to return not just a land, work hard to restore the conditions of biblical to glory. out of agony, tural achievement channeled into artistic loss becomes and with sublimation, a traumatic event, responsibility for, Israelis Instead of dwelling in pain, a higher purpose. thereby serving or cultural achievement, a product of a period in which Milk and Honey, trauma. before fight to return to a better time, The demonstrates this process. Americans were just beginning to grapple with the Holocaust, Shoah. musical’s celebratory tone results directly from the disavowal and sublimation of the In the early as Herman called the musical. to Israel,” “valentines This sublimation demands as without ambivalence, Israel and its people could be portrayed, in reaction to pain, 1960s, The musical takes part in creating a and young. virile, healthy, strong, exciting, morally justified, an image worthy of being restored. and comforting, morally unambiguous mythic structure, from a ­ But why this urge for restora­ The tion over remembrance? deliberately positive aesthetic of Postmemory looking world that has no ward-looking world that has the face of a in need of the past, thereby vibrantly exciting future, But denying itself as nostalgia. the excit­ despite attempts to sell on a ing liveness of the country, encom­ deeper plane the musical for passes restorative nostalgia Israel’s biblical past. Airlines (1980). So while the So while the Airlines (1980). encourages gen­ musical also to support Israel, tile audiences at the show aims most potently, Jewish audience. a specifically Milk and For these audiences, Honey’s emphasis on authenticity of a for could act as a signpost Downloaded from http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/DRAM_a_00092 by guest on 03 October 2021 Downloaded from http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/DRAM_a_00092 by guest on 03October 2021

36 Jessica Hillman 11 April 1961and31May 1962,11 April andMilkHoney openedon10October 1961. These events mitting suicide, helpedto puttheHolocaustonculturalmap. The trials occurredbetween sationalism oftheEichmannstory, includinghisfinalevasionofthedeathsentence bycom­ an America notquiteready forthebleakviewofhumannatureitimplied. Finally, theverysen­ the trial. Herthesis, centeredontheveryordinarynatureofinstitutionalizedevil, confronted in : A Report ontheBanalityofEvil(1963), alsocontributed tothefurorsurrounding New YorkerArendt’s seriesofarticlesaboutthetrialinThe , laterpublishedasthebookEichmann tion ofthehorrorsHolocaust, occurredinfullview ofafascinatedworldpublic. Hannah incurred publicdebate, andthesubsequentplayingout ofthetrial, withitsdetaileddescrip­ as aresultofthetrial” (1999:133). Eichmann’scapture from Argentina bytheIsraeliMossad the useofterm “Holocaust” “first became firmlyattachedtothemurderofEuropeanJewry Eichmann byIsraeliagentsin Argentina andhissubsequent trial. According toPeterNovick, otal eventsinthehistoryofIsrael’srelationshiptoHolocaust occurred:thecaptureof build upastheirown” (88). In1961, asMilkandHoney wasbeingcreated, oneofthemostpiv­ of theU.S. Army forJewishemigrationfrom EasternEuropetoacountrytheJewswanted shock, feelingsofguilt, andperhapsevenatouch ormoreofanti-Semitismledtothesupport less beneficentmotivationforsupportofthecountry. AccordingtoBrenner, “A mixtureofdeep Fear ofmassiveimmigrationto America intheabsenceofanationalhomelandoffersslightly state wouldbethebelatedsilverliningafterblackcloudthatwasHolocaust” (1986:87). Holocaust. As LenniBrennersays, “Much of Western opinionfeltthatthecreationofaJewish while persistingindeepdenial, sublimatingthepainintorestorativenostalgia. the wavesofthosechangesbytentativelybeginningtoapproachrealitiesHolocaust and HoneythusarrivedonBroadwayatatimeofseethingchange. The musicaluneasilyrides and thattheHolocaustwasattainingamorecentralroleinUSculturalimagination. Milk of Diary Anne Frank (1955) in artisticandpopularculturerepresentations anti-Semitism, helpedtomakeawarenessoftheHolocaustmorecentral. A correspondingshift pivotal Adolf Eichmanntrial. These events, togetherwithanewUSconcernincreasing movement, Israel’sSix-Day War, televisionandfilmicrepresentationsoftheHolocaust, andthe and ’60sashifttookplace, achangeattributedtofactorsincluding Vietnam, thecivilrights to themandwerenotnecessarilyeagerstirupthespecterofanti-Semitism. Inthelate1950s aged tomakeittheUnitedStates, werebusywiththenewintegrationistpossibilitiesopen to keepthematteralive, American Jews, nowincludingtheHolocaustsurvivorswhohadman­ at leastadecadelater. The segmentofthe American populationthat mighthavebeenexpected Jews. A markedsilenceprevailedonthesubjectafterinitialshockofdeathcamps, until preferred nottodiscussorthinkaboutthehorrorsof WWII, includingthedeathofEuropean 1960s wereatransitionalperiodforattitudestowardstheHolocaust. Postwar Americans largely in the1950sandearly’60s. and temples, anda “Jewish Renaissance” inliterature, thearts, andpopularcultureallflowered embracing theirethnicity. The pushtothesuburbs, large-scaleconstructionofnewsynagogues commercial stage. And yet, inthesesameyears, manyJewish Americans begantheprocess of McCarthy hearings, andtheRosenbergtrials, makingexplicitlyJewishthemestooriskyforthe commercial success” (2003:206). Add tothistheclimateengenderedbyHUAC blacklists, was alsoatacitassumptionaroundBroadwaythatexplicitlyJewishmusicalshadnochanceof society, butneverspecificallyJewishcharacters. Additionally, asJohnBushJonesargues, “There Instead, Jewishauthorsinthiseraofferedveiledportraitsofotherness, addressingoutcastsfrom she explains, expoundingonethnicconcernsrancountertotheaimof “melting” intosociety. the assimilationisttasktakenonbymusicaltheatrewritersoffirsthalfcentury. As assimilation andtheHolocaust. Jewishstudiesscholar Andrea Most’swork(2004)describes The creationofIsraelowesitselfinlargeparttotherevelationhorrificfacts In thisperiod, theHolocaustasasubjectappearedmoreorlessoff-limits. In America, the Herman’s musicalopenedonBroadwayatatimeofquicklyshiftingattitudestowardsJewish — demonstrates thattheperceptionofNazierawaschanging, — in theatrebeginningthemid-1950swithThe Milk and Honey’s Restorative Nostalgia 37 -in-law will be fine with the glorious future ahead. The presence of will be fine with the glorious future ahead. today Day War was six years War the Six-Day Milk and Honey premiered in 1961,

, by referencing history thousands of years old, demonstrates the possibil­ by referencing history thousands of years old, Milk and Honey,

ignores the existence of the Holocaust. The only direct The only existence of the Holocaust. ignores the Milk and Honey On the surface, in-law happens to be an Israeli. But your son- DAVID: at that! (1961:I.3.25) And a third generation Sabra BARBARA: Subsequent events in Israel influenced American conceptions of the Holocaust. In 1967, the In 1967, American conceptions of the Holocaust. Subsequent events in Israel influenced therefore looks back towards a golden era, therefore looks back towards a golden era, The restorative nostalgia in Milk and Honey reference occurs in a scene in a café, where a widow asks one of the patrons, “Mrs. “Mrs. the patrons, a widow asks one of where café, Aviv Tel in a scene in a reference occurs many of Certainly, (1961:II.2.9). a refugee?” born here or are you were you tell me, Weinstein, offers the widow’s line although survivors, have been refugees or of Israel would the inhabitants But a glancing reference to the of that fact in the entire text. the only direct acknowledgement the “This is the place where offers, as I have noted, which, the title song, Holocaust appears in Although these lines, (I.3.25). And the dreams of the lost combine” / hopes of the homeless more specifically Jewish Diaspora, resonate with the historical “homeless,” especially the term The Shoah “lost.” the simple word: most concretely with imagery, they encompass Holocaust or had no longer, of the word, in the true sense that European homes, had made very clear way to Israel for solace and new begin­ Jewish survivors made their for Jews. existed never truly, mission: providing a home and a “Israel has succeeded in its primary argues, Peter Grose nings. those in need and the rea­ By acknowledging (1983:316). people in need” refuge for those of its the most positive sense of Milk and Honey would have encouraged sons why Israel was created, The song continues after and pain. loss, nonetheless tinged with sorrow, restorative nostalgia, “For this is a state of mind it suddenly slows to offer, these lyrics: from a quicker jubilant pace green to us / For when you have wonderful plans for and so it’s want it green, We we live in / solemn hope for These lines offer (1961:I.3.27). tomorrow / Somehow even today looks fine” survivors living in Israel: even David and his wife Barbara counter: America, Phil wants him to come to must have had an impact on both the shaping of the production and its reception, affecting the affecting reception, production and its the shaping of the had an impact on both must have taken from the musical. presented in and view of Israel these Holocaust resonances in the eponymous song indicates the relevance of these ideas, bub­ song indicates the relevance of these ideas, these Holocaust resonances in the eponymous straightforward musical. bling beneath the surface of the seemingly concern with Jewish understanding of the Holocaust. contributed to the changing War Six-Day neighbors, Arab of the Jewish state at the hands of its what first looked like the imminent end generated a new attitude towards Jewish victory, relieved by exultation with the dramatic Israeli that the brave Novick argues that the war brought Jewish identity full circle, victimization. when combined with the events of the “salvation myth” and triumphant Israeli Jew offered a Holocaust When (1999:150). away. Therefore the patriotic celebration of Israel in 1961 was more precarious, having not yet Therefore the patriotic celebration of Israel in 1961 was more precarious, away. attained the completion of victory in war. people. promised the Jews the rich land of Canaan and made them his chosen Yehovah when power in when they were a political led kingdoms, It remembers a time when Jews successfully flowing with the milk and honey of the and when the land offered its riches to them, the region, title. that glo­ by emphasizing powerful modern Jews reclaiming ity of restoring biblical conditions, Alisa Solomon points out that the musical rious time through the sweat of their own brows. “muscular Judaism” and his belief in a echoes the tenants of central Zionist figure Max Nordau, would help to counter the stereotype and strength, with its emphasis on physical rigor which, Nordau was writing before the helpless Jewish victim label scholarly Jew (2007). of the weak, Milk and Honey actively engendered by the Holocaust irreversibly multiplied this stereotype. virile or Sabra characters: strong, fights this negative imagery by including many native Israeli, The country. fighters who have defeated the odds to beat back their enemies and win their own When his father character of David in Milk and Honey presents the ultimate Sabra figure. Downloaded from http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/DRAM_a_00092 by guest on 03 October 2021 Downloaded from http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/DRAM_a_00092 by guest on 03October 2021

38 Jessica Hillman the Holocaustthatwereonlyjustbeginningtobeexplored. offered Jewishaudiencesasourceofcommunityandcounteractedthehorrifyingimplications rifying thevibrantnewsocietythroughrestorativenostalgiaforancientIsrael, MilkandHoney tisement forthecountryandJewishcultureasawholeinfaceofunthinkableloss. Byglo­ musical packagesIsraelaremeanttoencourageJewishpride, andofferatributetoadver attitudes towardIsrael Most importantly, however, throughitsinnocence, MilkandHoneyoffersawindowintoearly its trademarkJerryHermansincerityandsimplicity, looksquaint, idealistic, andhighlynaive. highly complicatedpoliticalandmoralquestionsIsraelengenderstoday, MilkandHoney, with tims again. MilkandHoneyglorifiestherestorationoflanditspeople. Israel resisted, wonthelandthatwastheirGod-givenbirthright,­ andwouldnotbeseenasvic not fightbackagainsttheNazis, andlargelywentunresistingtotheslaughter, thepeopleof Jews asvictims, helplessinthefaceofevil. If, asthemalignantstereotypepresented, Jewscould The musical’sinsistenceonhealth, vitality, andstrengthoffersawelcomecontrasttoimagesof This imageryofstrong, tandancers’bodiesactsasavisualcountertoimagesoftheHolocaust. to presstoday, illustratedthisscene: of astormydesertbackdrop. CriticNormanNadel, inasexualizedreviewnotlikelytomakeit and power. Photosofthechorusshowyoung, scantilycladmaleandfemaledancersintheface the deathcampphotosstillfreshinpeople’sminds. Davidisnotaloneinhisphysicalbeauty tims helplessinthefaceofevil, theembodimentofhealth, wealth, andpowertocontrastwith were animageworthyofgrasping, animagetoholdupagainsttheconflictingpicturesofvic­ David, handsome, virile, andstrong, loveshiscountrydeeply. PowerfulwarriorJewslikeDavid When PhilaskshimthedifferenceDavidreplies, “Pride. Inmyself. Inmycountry” (I.3.25). Herman, Jerry, withMarilynStasio. 1996. : A Memoirby Jerry. Herman New York: DonaldI. Herman, Jerry, andKenBloom. 2003. Jerry Herman, The Lyrics: A Celebration. New York: Routledge. Grose, Peter. 1983. Israel intheMindof New York: America. AlfredA.Knopf. Gold, Ernest. 1960. Exodus:OriginalSoundtrack. RCARecords1058-2RCD. Davis, Fred. 1979. Yearning for Yesterday: A SociologyofNostalgia. New York: FreePress. Citron, Stephen. 2004. Jerry Poet Herman: oftheShowtune. NewHaven: Yale UniversityPress. Chapman, John. 1961. “An OldPro, MollyPicon, PutsZipIntoInteresting ‘Milk andHoney.’” Review Brenner, Lenni. 1986.in AmericaToday. Jews Secaucus:Lyle Stuart, Inc. Boym, Svetlana. 2001. TheFuture ofNostalgia. New York: BasicBooks. Arendt, Hannah. 1963. Eichmann inJerusalem: A ReportontheBanalityofEvil. NewYork: VikingPress. Appell, Don, andJerryHerman. 1961. MilkandHoney: A MusicalPlay.New York: TamsMusic -Witmark Appell, Don, andJerryHerman. 1960. Shalom: A MusicalPlay. EarlydraftofMilkandHoney. Author’s References American JewishreactionstoIsraelremainunstable, volatile, andchallenging. Inviewofthe full skirts. (1961:241) You arepermittedtoseethis, astheydanceinworkshortsandhaltersortwirlshort, ing bodies, beautifullyformed, withlonglithelegsandthebestofallotherrequirements. The menareindeedhandsome, muscularandvirile. The girlshavestrong, healthy, glow­ Fine Books. 22:238–41. New York: Critics Theatre Reviews, Inc. of Library, Inc. personal collection. Milk andHoney.New York DailyNews. InNewYorkReviews, Critics Theatre — how theycameaboutandaremaintained. The waysthe Rachel W. Coffined., vol. ­ Milk and Honey’s Restorative Nostalgia 39 New York New York . In . Post New York -and-dance/1096/innocents . Review of Milk and Honey Beck.” ‘Milk and Honey’ at the Martin All “Theatre: . Review of Milk and Honey Israel.” “Musical Play of Life in . Cambridge, MA: Harvard University MA: Harvard University Cambridge, Musical. and the Broadway Americans: Jews Making

Rachel W. Coffin ed., vol. 22:238–41. New York: Critics Theatre Theatre York: Critics New 22:238–41. vol. ed., Coffin Theatre Critics W. Reviews, Rachel New York Reviews, Inc. Rachel W. Coffin ed., vol. 22:238–41. New York: New 22:238–41. vol. Coffin ed., Theatre Critics W. Rachel Reviews, In New York . Times New York Inc. Reviews, Theatre Critics NH: Brandeis University Press. University Press. NH: Brandeis Press. York: New 22:238–41. vol. Coffin ed., Theatre Critics W. Reviews, Rachel In New York . Telegram World Inc. Reviews, Theatre Critics -and-culture/theater www.tabletmag.com/arts 17 December. . Magazine 2010). -abroad/ (16 November Watts Jr., Richard. 1961. Richard. Jr., Watts . Hanover, Hanover, . Theatre Musical American Social HistoryA of the Ourselves: Our Musicals, 2003. John Bush. Jones, Andrea. 2004. Most, . Review of Milk and Honey ‘Milk and Honey.’” Portrayed In “New Israel 1961. Norman. Nadel, Mifflin. : Houghton Life American. The Holocaust in 1999. Peter. Novick, Simon and Schuster. York: New . Molly!: An Autobiography 1980. Grillo. with Jean Molly, Picon, Tablet and honey.” Jerry Herman’s musical ode to the land of milk Abroad: “Innocents 2007. Alisa. Solomon, 1961. Howard. Taubman, Downloaded from http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/DRAM_a_00092 by guest on 03 October 2021