A New Exhibition Dedicated to Jewish Theatre Has Opened in Tel Aviv

An exhibition exploring the motifs of destruction in classical Jewish and contemporary Israeli theater has opened at the Enrico Sterger Museum of Judaism at Tel Aviv University, with the support of the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress. The exhibition, titled “Discourses of Destruction: 1923 – 2023,” opened on July 24 and was prepared in collaboration with the Israeli Arts Center and the National Archive of Performing Arts. The exhibition is curated by theater scholar Dr. Olga Levitan and theater designer Dina Konson.

The Euro-Asian Jewish Congress is highly honored to support such a prominent cultural project, particularly during the challenging period currently experienced by the State of Israel.

Symbolically, the exhibition opened during the Three Weeks (the period "between the straits") – the days between the 17th of the Hebrew month of Tammuz and the 9th of the Hebrew month of Av. In Jewish culture, this period commemorates the destruction of Jerusalem in antiquity and serves as a time to reflect on the historical persecution of the Jewish people.

The organizers provided the following description of the exhibition:

“In light of the severe recent events, these days feel particularly poignant. The exhibition examines the imagery of destruction and mourning in Jewish and Israeli theater over the past century. It spans from plays centering on the destruction of Jerusalem, to classical stage productions depicting the collapse of ordinary life, wars, and catastrophes, and concludes with contemporary works by Israeli authors written after October 7, 2023. Special emphasis is placed on the role of women in theater and the monologues of prominent Jewish stage actresses. We seek to address whether, in such times, one can find a sanctuary of peace and a source of resilience.”

Speaking at the seminar commemorating the opening of the exhibition, EAJC Director General Dr. Haim Ben Yakov noted that Jewish civilization, when reflecting on the extensive history of past tragedies and destruction, has consistently urged the Jewish people to analyze the causes, draw conclusions, adapt to new realities, and discover elements of faith in a better future under the most formidable circumstances.

The exhibition is open on weekdays from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM, except during the Tel Aviv University summer recess (August 25, 2024, to August 31, 2024). Admission is free.