Leah Lax (born 1955 or 1956) is an American author and librettist.[1] She is best known for her memoir Uncovered: How I Left Hasidic Life and Finally Came Home which was later developed as an opera with composer Lori Laitman.[2][3]
Leah Lax | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1955 or 1956 (age 68–69) |
| Alma mater | University of Houston MFA, Creative Writing |
| Website | |
| leahlaxauthor | |
Biography
editLax was born in 1955 or 1956, and grew up in Dallas, Texas.[4] She joined the Lubavitcher Hasidim at sixteen.[5] In 1975, Lax entered an arranged marriage at the age of 19,[6] and remained among the Hasidim for thirty years, bearing seven children.[7] In 2002 she left the community to lead a secular life and live openly as a lesbian.[8] Subsequently, Lax graduated from the University of Houston with an MFA in Creative Writing.[9] She had completed her undergraduate studies at the University of Texas at Austin.[5]
Career
editHer interest in writing started while reading anthologies by feminist and lesbian poet Adrienne Rich.[9] Lax started writing in earnest after she underwent a secret abortion to terminate a life-threatening pregnancy.[10] In 2007 Lax co-wrote The Refuge for the Houston Grand Opera with composer Christopher Theofanidis debuted at Houston's Wortham Center.[11] In 2013, she created and designed Houston's In Concert Against Hate for the Houston Symphony In collaboration with the Anti-Defamation League,[12] In 2020, Lax created an opera Uncovered with composer Lori Laitman and director/dramatist Beth Greenberg.[3] Lax wrote the libretto based on her memoir Uncovered: How I Left Hasidic Life and Finally Came Home,[13] narrating thirty years as a Hasidic wife, mother, and closeted lesbian.[14][15]
Uncovered was named Redbook Magazine's "Best of 2015".[16]
References
edit- ^ Villalpando, Nicole. "How Leah Lax left Hasidism, came out as a lesbian and wrote a book". Austin American-Statesman. Retrieved August 24, 2022.
- ^ "Leah Lax Biography". Potsdam. Retrieved September 12, 2022.
- ^ a b White, Emily (March 31, 2022). "Utah State opera premieres 'Uncovered'". The Utah Statesman. Retrieved August 25, 2022.
- ^ Pfefferman, Naomi (September 2, 2015). "Author Leah Lax: A lesbian girl in an Orthodox world". Jewish Journal. Retrieved June 14, 2024.
In 1975, Leah Lax – 19 and relatively new to Orthodoxy – walked with trepidation into the office of her Orthodox rabbi at the University of Texas at Austin.
- ^ a b Marloff, Sarah (February 16, 2016). "Uncovering Leah Lax". Austin Chronicle. Retrieved August 24, 2022.
- ^ Galehouse, Maggie (August 28, 2015). "After decades as Hasidic Jew, gay Houston author Leah Lax writes new life". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved August 24, 2022.
- ^ "'Off the Path' Memoirs of ex-Hasidic Jews Shine Light on Faigy Mayer's World". Haaretz. Retrieved August 24, 2022.
- ^ Pfefferman, Naomi (September 2, 2015). "Author Leah Lax: A lesbian girl in an Orthodox world". The Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles. Retrieved August 24, 2022.
- ^ a b Himmelstein, Drew (July 8, 2016). "Author to speak in S.F. about her adios to Hasidic world". J. Retrieved August 24, 2022.
- ^ "Off the path: Ex-Hasid memoirs shine a spotlight on Faigy Mayer's world". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. August 9, 2015. Retrieved August 24, 2022.
- ^ Blumenthal, Ralph (November 12, 2007). "Not From Here: An Opera for Houston's Immigrants". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved August 24, 2022.
- ^ "ADL awes audience in centennial celebration". Jewish Herald-Voice. Retrieved August 25, 2022.
- ^ "USU Opera Premieres 'Uncovered'". Utah State Today. March 30, 2022. Retrieved August 25, 2022.
- ^ Enszer, Julie R. (October 8, 2015). "'Uncovered: How I left Hasidic Life and Finally Came Home' by Leah Lax". Lambda Literary Foundation. Retrieved August 25, 2022.
- ^ "Uncovered: How I Left Hasidic Life and Finally Came Home | Jewish Book Council". Jewish Book Council. 2015. Retrieved August 25, 2022.
- ^ "The 20 Best Books By Women in 2015". Redbook. December 29, 2015. Retrieved August 25, 2022.
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