In the Face of Death. Glimpses into Life's Ending

“In the Face of Death” is the first cultural-historical exhibition on Jewish ideas and practices around death, dying, and mourning. The focus of this presentation of ritual objects, audio and video installations, and artistic works, however, is life itself.

Death has many faces. And it will come for all of us, as Jim Morrison (1943–1971), lead singer of the band “The Doors,” knew all too well. How can we make peace with death—our own and that of others? How do we deal with our fear? And in what ways does death challenge us in the midst of life?

In response to these and other questions, Jewish tradition offers numerous answers that guide viewers through the first cultural-historical exhibition to address practices of confronting death, dying, and grief. “In the Face of Death” looks at the distinction between life and death at the heart of Jewish tradition, examining the rites of passage that accompany this transition and posing ethical and psychological questions concerning life’s final passage. The show provides a glimpse into the “houses of life,” Frankfurt’s Jewish cemeteries, and in the end, it inquires into the nature of the world to come.