As a filmmaker, Dana Schneider understands the power of visual storytelling. Embracing comics as a new medium through Hyphen: Jewish Stories in Our Own Words, Dana shares with us the moments and memories central to her Yemenite pride and identity. With roots in Yemen, New York, and Israel, Dana’s story shows how a simple question like “where are you from?” can take us on a journey that illuminates the complexities and beauty of global Jewish life.
In a conversation with Be’chol Lashon, Dana shares a few words about the experience of being a part of Hyphen.
Why did you choose this part of your personal story to share with the world?
Sharing my Yemenite heritage and family lineage has become a passion of mine over the last several years. Most significantly, the life my grandmother, Malka, lived is one I believe can teach the broader Jewish community and non-Jewish community, an important story about our perseverance and history as a people.
What does it mean to you to have your story shared with the world in this way?
Representing a minority in the world that has simultaneously influenced Jewish and Israeli culture has become a meaningful way for me to take part in celebrating our significance.
What is it like to see your story in comic form?
Exciting! The process of taking images from my head into a tangible medium has been my favorite part. Comics are a rather new art form for me, so I am grateful for this opportunity and excited to see where else it can take me.
How would it have felt to see someone like yourself represented in a comic in this way when you were younger?
As a young girl, I often felt disconnected from the broader diasporic Jewish community and rarely saw myself reflected in Jewish stories or mainstream media. One of the reasons I turned to Jewish storytelling was to create the kind of narrative I longed for growing up, a story about a young Jewish girl I could see myself in.
Why do you think we need stories like yours and Hyphen?
The main goal is to diversify the Jewish narrative and to make sure we are representing the broad community, history and traditions of the Jewish people. I hope people resonate with the experience of being different and finding strength in navigating life’s tough questions. I hope readers feel empowered to embrace what sets them apart.
Sample panel from Dana’s story. Art by Chiara Raimondi.
