Tapestries by
Shoshana Comet
From Survival to Strength
The five tapestries in this exhibition were created in the late 1960s by psychotherapist and Holocaust survivor, Shoshana Comet (1923 – 2011). Through the lens of these unique works and Shoshana’s story, we explore the themes of Holocaust history and trauma, psychological repair, and affirmation of life.
Shoshana’s family managed to escape the Nazis as they fled from Belgium in May 1940, crisscrossed France and Spain, and succeeded in departing from Portugal to the United States in May 1941. Although she, her sisters, and parents all survived, she shared very little of her wartime memories with her children prior to creating the tapestries.
In interpreting the work of his late wife, Ted Comet states that the “narrative [of the tapestries] attempts to provide an understanding of the complex and challenging ways in which an art form was used as a therapeutic means to achieve an inner spiritual transformation from victim to victor.”
The five tapestries in this exhibition were created in the late 1960s by psychotherapist and Holocaust survivor, Shoshana Comet (1923 – 2011). Through the lens of these unique works and Shoshana’s story, we explore the themes of Holocaust history and trauma, psychological repair, and affirmation of life.
Shoshana’s family managed to escape the Nazis as they fled from Belgium in May 1940, crisscrossed France and Spain, and succeeded in departing from Portugal to the United States in May 1941. Although she, her sisters, and parents all survived, she shared very little of her wartime memories with her children prior to creating the tapestries.
In interpreting the work of his late wife, Ted Comet states that the “narrative [of the tapestries] attempts to provide an understanding of the complex and challenging ways in which an art form was used as a therapeutic means to achieve an inner spiritual transformation from victim to victor.”
The War in Belgium
66,000 Jews were living in Belgium when the country was occupied by Nazi Germany in May 1940. The Jewish population was located mostly in Brussels and Antwerp, with large groups also residing in Liège and Charleroi.
Beginning in January 1942, Jews were forbidden to leave the country. German authorities carried out deportations of Belgian Jews to Auschwitz between 1942 and 1944. Of the 66,000 Belgian Jews, 34,801 were imprisoned or deported during the Holocaust, and of those, 28,902 were murdered.
German troops parading down a street in Antwerp, Belgium, ca. May 1940
Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc.
Escape from Belgium 1940 – 1941
Click a city to see Shoshana's story
The map shows Europe before the Nazi expansion, which began in 1938. During the time of the Ungar family’s escape from Belgium, many countries came under Nazi occupation.
Shoshana's family fled Nazi-occupied Belgium.
Her weaving portrays her journey from victim to victor.
Ilana Burstein Benson
Director of Museum Education
Exhibition Curator
Gabriel M. Goldstein
Interim Director and Chief Curator Exhibition
Project Director
Ilona Moradof
Associate Director of
Administration and Special Projects
Exhibition Project Manager
Bonni-Dara Michaels
Collections Curator
Exhibition Registrar
Shayna Marchese
Exhibition Designer
Sean Naftel
Exhibition Services Manager
Exhibition Chief Installer
Digital Exhibition Designer
Marlene Eidelheit and Valerie Soll
Textile Conservation Laboratory
Cathedral of St. John the Divine
Tapestry Conservators
Jack Roempke Andersson
University of Gothenburg, Sweden
Center for Jewish History Intern
Exhibition Researcher
Yeshiva University Museum Exhibition Project Team
Shay Pilnik, PhD
Director, Emil A. and Jenny Fish Center
for Holocaust and Genocide Studies at
Yeshiva University
Exhibition Academic Advisor
Rona Steinerman
Program Director
Bernard Revel School of Jewish Studies
Exhibition Research Assistant
Tapestries by Shoshana Comet: From Survival to Strength
Organized and presented by Yeshiva University Museum.
This exhibition has been made possible with assistance from the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany. Supported by the Foundation Remembrance, Responsibility and Future and by the German Federal Ministry of Finance.
With deepest gratitude to Ted Comet and Diane Comet Richler for their devotion to this project.
Essential family background information provided by Fanny Hojda and the USC Shoah Foundation testimony of Leah Tolpin.
Yeshiva University Museum is grateful to Judith Turner and Nathaniel Epstein of DOROT for their guidance and assistance with photographs and video materials.
Click below for more information about:
Tapestry Tour with Ted Comet: An Interactive Virtual Experience
The five tapestries in this exhibition were created in the late 1960s by psychotherapist and Holocaust survivor, Shoshana Comet (1923 – 2011). Through the lens of these unique works and Shoshana’s story, we explore the themes of Holocaust history and trauma, psychological repair, and affirmation of life.
Shoshana’s family managed to escape the Nazis as they fled from Belgium in May 1940, crisscrossed France and Spain, and succeeded in departing from Portugal to the United States in May 1941. Although she, her sisters, and parents all survived, she shared very little of her wartime memories with her children prior to creating the tapestries.
In interpreting the work of his late wife, Ted Comet states that the “narrative [of the tapestries] attempts to provide an understanding of the complex and challenging ways in which an art form was used as a therapeutic means to achieve an inner spiritual transformation from victim to victor.”
Tapestries by Shoshana Comet
From Survival to Strength
Click below to hear from Shoshana
Click below to hear from Ted
