Sarah: Text and Presence, a performative beit midrash, produced in cooperation with Theatre Company Jerusalem
During the season of return, we invite you to a unique performative Beit Midrash centered on the Sarah of the Torah and Midrash, where interactive theater, live music, biblical and midrashic texts, and contemporary writing come together in an unforgettable shared experience. Come, learn with us, search with us, reflect with us, and enter the New Year with curiosity, joy, and renewed hope.
Suitable for preparation before and reflection during the Chagim/High Holy Days. Hebrew texts will be translated to English.
The performative beit midrash is 1.5 hours long. A portable 3-hour program designed for learning groups interested in a deeper textual investment and exploration is available. Contact Yael@TheaterAndTheology.com for details.
Created and performed by Gabriella Lev* and Yael Valier
Music: Daniel Fox
Learning circles facilitated by Gabriella Lev, Yael Valier, John Krug
Monologues: Aliza Elion Israeli
Haiku Poetry: Sara Tropper
Lighting consulting: John Krug
Stage Management: Liza Sosedka and Sasha Bezberdaya
* Sarah: Text and Presence draws from Theatre Company Jerusalem's iconic production Sara Take 2, which was created by Serge Ouaknine, Gabriella Lev, Aliza Elion Israeli, and Ruth Wieder-Magan.
Gabriella Lev is founding artistic director of Theatre Company Jerusalem, one of Israel's most distinctive theatre companies. She is a recipient of the Kipod Hazahav Award for Lifetime Achievement, and the Jerusalem Award for Unique Contribution to Cultural Life.
Coming on September 27, 28, Hol Hamo'ed Succot...
Engolement: A Parable of 12 Golems
A Live role-playing game about words, indentity, and community
Engolement is a participatory and improvisational performance-game that explores how language shapes who we are, and how we shape ourselves through language. During the game, players move, negotiate, explore, and make choices as their characters in real time. Part-game, part-improvisation, and part-theater, Engolemment has no audience! The experience is wholly for the people who take part and create it, seeing the world through the eyes of their character. No previous experience necessary! A friendly preparatory workshop is built into the event that will give you all the tools needed to take part.
During the game, participants play a group of Golems, anthropomorphic creatures created by kabbalists versed in secret knowledge. Each Golem is limited to a small number of words that can be used to communicate with the other Golems. Within this limitation, the players will discover the words to shape themselves, both as individuals and as a community. The characters must obey their creators’ instructions, working together as a group toward a common goal; building a wall to protect their village. However, little by little another story emerges that casts new light on the mystery of their existence.
The game was created for the 2025 exhibition “Roll of Destiny” by the Schechter Gallery in Tel Aviv, where it garnered praise and enthusiasm. Now at the Mamuta Art & Research Center for a limited run. You’re invited to take part in a special kind of theater that allows us to get to know ourselves and the world around us through play and feeling.
Dates and Details:
Three times only during Chol Hamoed Sukkot!
September 27 at 19:00
September 28 at 14:30
September 28 at 19:00
Duration: ~2.5 hours
Each event is limited to ONLY 12 players to ensure a meaningful experience. You can come with friends or alone. We recommend wearing comfortable clothing for movent, preferably something loose and neutral colored. Because of the special participatory nature of the game, we ask that all participants arrive on time and ensure that they can stay for the entire ~2.5 hour duration.
As there are only 12 players, please be considerate and let us know ASAP if there is a change in plans – email Yael@TheaterAndTheology.com or WhatsApp: 050-873-3347.
Ticket Prices:
Regular Ticket – ₪110
Subsidized Ticket – ₪35
We believe that everyone deserves to play. This rate is here for anyone for whom the full price would stand in
their way. No explanation needed, we trust you.
Support Ticket – ₪150 (or more)
Choose this if you would like to support our work and help us continue to offer subsidized tickets to anyone who
needs them. Thank you for your support!
Questions?
Email Yael@TheaterAndTheology.com or WhatsApp 050-873-3347
Illustration: Lianna Boermeester
The Story
In a small and remote Jewish shtetl, the first Golem, Truth (אמת), was created by the local rabbi. A man well-versed in the secrets of the Kabbalah, he sought to prove his powers by studying the Sefer Yetzirah (ספר יצירה, lit. Book of Creation). At first Truth sat around idly, only repeating a single word, it’s own name. Until the townspeople began to assign it countless tasks, which it fulfilled faithfully.
One day, while arranging the genizah, Truth discovered it could utter sacred words and use them to change its nature. And thus, slowly, it developed consciousness. When the residents of the shtetl began to feel threatened and attempted to return him to dust, the Golem ran into the forest and disappeared.
Over the years and generations that passed, the secret of creation was leaked to others in the community, who copied the secret instructions and fashioned Golems of their own.
A dozen Golems now live among the shtetl residents — each with its own name and role. Today, there is peace and prosperity among the shtetl residents and the Golems. Each Golem bore a seal (חושן) – a personal tablet of words, engraved with the words that brought it to life.
But when rumors spread of a mysterious and impending threat, shtetl residents decided to build a defensive wall — made of stones bound by sacred words — and thus the wall, too, was imbued with the power of life, just like the Golems themselves.
Now the Golems face a fateful decision between duty and self-sacrifice for the sake of the community, and the change to discover who else they might yet be.
Rehearsal and performance scenes from current and previous productions
