Under the Sign of Difference

Judaism and alterity in “Prepucio”, by Tamara Kamenszain

Abstract

Published in 2003, El ghetto marks an important inflection in the poetic work of Tamara Kamenszain. After denying many times the autobiographic nature of her own poetry, the Argentinian writer seems, in this book, less reluctant to admit the personal bases of her writing, talking about the mourning for her father, to whom she dedicates her poems. To express his absence, she uses the Jewish heritage of the father, working with elements, places and scenes of Judaism which make possible dealing with the paternal loss. “Prepucio”, which opens the book, is a privileged piece of this set of fourteen poems, listing some Jewish losses that evoke the loss of her own father and recovering the connection between Judaism and alterity to deal with her mourning process. This article aims to analyze Tamara Kamenszain’s poem, trying to understand its position in El ghetto and bringing it closer to traditions and moments of the Jewish culture which are important to its illumination.