The American Jewish Theatre – If Not Now, When?

This fundraiser benefits The American Jewish Theatre, which is under the fiscal sponsorship of Playground Theatre, a 501c3.

On November 23rd and 24th, The American Jewish Theatre is launching its first premiere production of  DESERT WIND, a new play by Stephanie Liss at the Potrero Stage in San Francisco, CA. This will also be live streamed, via Playground Theatre.

DESERT WIND is the story of a Yemenite Jewish couple – the husband, taken by the Houthis, during their uprising, imprisoned, and tortured, he is separated from his wife. The only means of escape, the desert, she must cross on foot alone. Through the delirium of his torture, he reaches out to his wife, and with her soul, she hears him and responds, as the two of them live the last day of his life.

This campaign enables us to fully produce this play, hire a publicist, in order to reach the entire country, and beyond. DESERT WIND is an important story, that is being told for the first time. It is an in depth experience of how Jews are treated by radical Islam.

WHY NOW?

BECAUSE

The world is upside down. Antisemitism is higher than it has been since the 1930’s. According to the FBI, Although Jews only make up around 2 percent of the U.S. population, reported single-bias anti-Jewish hate crimes comprised 15 percent of all hate crimes and 68 percent of all reported religion-based hate crimes in 2023, which is consistent with patterns from prior years. With the tragic events of the last year, it is more important now, than ever before, that our work goes out, into the world. We can do so much good…

BECAUSE

Our people need these stories to be told. The world needs to see these stories.

In light of the six hostages who were brutally murdered by Hamas, in the last week of August, just before their rescue, we are called to make a stand. Our work through The American Jewish Theatre, IS our stand.

BECAUSE

Understanding who we are through the work of our theatre, will help to create a bridge that has the ability to heal the hatred.

The work and the magic of theatre, is to make people feel.

The depth of feeling these plays evoke, moves the audience to another level of empathy, which enables them to see themselves in those situations – to feel trapped, chased, and alone. From this empathy, change is possible.

There is an immediate need for our work.

HOW THE FUNDS WILL BE USED

Full Theatre Productions

Publicist

Theatre Rental

Pay Actors

Stage Manager

Lighting

Sound

Sets When Needed

Expand Outreach: Bridge between Jewish and local communities

CHALLENGES WE FACE

At this moment our biggest challenge is not having a publicist on board. In today’s world of social media, 24 hour news cycles, and the outrageous cost of advertising, it is very difficult to capture people’s attention long enough, to make them aware of individual performances, readings, or runs, let alone the new work of an entire theatre. A good publicist is worth their weight in gold, and we have a GREAT publicist, who is anxious and ready to jump in with us. She is passionate about our work and wants to help us. Once we have the funds, we’re ready to go! And, once we have our publicist – we will be able to attract national attention, as well as international attention, draw audiences, and raise funds, allowing us to become independently sustainable, so that this important work can continue. If we are to stand up to antisemitism and bring our heart to the world, we must be visible, and that can only come from the publicist who keeps us at the forefront of the public consciousness. Having the financial ability to have our publicist work with us, is vital if we are to change the narrative.

We have been blessed in raising some funds, but it has not been enough to cover all of our immediate needs, nor support our upcoming production of DESERT WIND, at the Potrero Stage in San Francisco, in November.

It is only with your help and partnering with us that we can move this vital work forward. These stories have never before been told, and as artists, we are responsible for not only reflecting the times, but changing and creating, the times.

Your generosity will give your name a place on our website and programs under Angels, because in theatre, donors and investors are called Angels.

You are an Angel.

Because we are under the sponsorship of Playground Theatre, which is a 501c3, all of your donations are tax deductible, as the law permits.

MORE ABOUT OUR THEATRE

THE AMERICAN JEWISH THEATRE began in an ad hoc way, during the pandemic, when I saw the world shutting down. Theatres were closing, and I did not want my work to stop, so I approached ALEPH, the Jewish Renewal umbrella organization, and asked them to give me a platform on their zooms, using their mailing list to build audience, and I would give them first eyes on my new Jewish plays. They immediately said yes, and THE AMERICAN JEWISH THEATRE, was born. I then approached JEWISH LIFE TELEVISION, and asked them to air my plays. Nothing like this had ever been done on JLTV, before. They screened the first Zoom, ESCAPE FROM TEHRAN, and agreed to air the entire series, of what will be five plays. Each play is based on a true story, of Jews forced to flee or escape, from Arab countries. These are stories the world does not know – stories the world needs to see as plays, in front of them, in this climate. Now.

And so, our theatre became official when we were chosen to be a part of the PLAYGROUND THEATRE, Innovative Incubator, for the development of new theatre companies. We were one of only two companies chosen, based on the work we had already done via Zoom, and JLTV, and the work that was to come, and thus, PLAYGROUND became our fiscal sponsor. And now, THE AMERICAN JEWISH THEATRE, is officially up and running.

We are honored to have JIMENA (Jews Indigenous to Middle East and North Africa) on board with us, for our September 15th reading on ALEPH and our November performances in the San Francisco Bay Area. They will be participating in talkbacks, sharing their expertise with the audience after the performances.

The work of our theatre is not limited to this series of plays, “Revolution for a Jewish Life.” Our roster of plays, and other playwrights, extends far beyond this. Our goal is to have four new Jewish plays per season. In theatre, a season is the equivalent of fall through spring.

RebbeSoul created the contemporary Jewish music movement, and is a recognized authority, in world music. His vision is to do Havdalah concerts in every Hillel, and check in with the students, to let them know, they are not alone. We are also bringing our plays, to perform for them, to talk with them, to let them know, we walk with them. This is under our community outreach, and it needs underwriting. RebbeSoul has already begun this process with a Havdalah concert, and talk afterwards, at the Hillel at the University of New Mexico, in Albuquerque. It was an enormous success. And there are more to follow. We are working with International Hillel, to coordinate, both concerts and plays. It is imperative that we get onto campuses and expose all students to Jewish stories.

BIOS

Stephanie Liss, Artistic Director/Playwright/Founder

Stephanie Liss is the award winning writer of such television movies, as SECOND SERVE – THE RENEE RICHARDS STORY, starring Vanessa Redgrave, for CBS. SECOND SERVE was the first movie produced about transsexuals, and was nominated for a Golden Globe, Emmy, and received worldwide attention. Stephanie has also written the award winning movies, DAVID for ABC, HIDDEN IN SILENCE for Lifetime, and her ABC movie, GOING UNDERGROUND, was screened before Congress as a testimony, in order to change laws in custody cases, where domestic violence was an issue. She created and Executive Produced the documentary, ONE SURVIVOR REMEMBERS, which won the Academy Award for Documentary Short.

As a playwright, Stephanie’s plays have been produced all over the country, and her research has taken her from inside the PLO, to Arafat’s compound, in Tripoli Lebanon, to HAMAS in Gaza, to the inner circles of the KKK, and Aryan Nations. Her play, SISTER AFRICA, about the work of JEWISH WORLD WATCH on the ground in the Congo, had a highly successful run in Chicago, at the Athenaeum Theatre, with a powerful original score, by RebbeSoul. In order to research SISTER AFRICA, Stephanie traveled to the Congo and Rwanda, with Jewish World Watch, visiting rape wards, child soldier camps, and had the honor of spending time with Nobel prize winner, Dr. Denis Muskwege.

Along with her plays, Stephanie invited RebbeSoul, to create scores for each piece, and they began their journey…

Together they have created a new form of theatre. Among Stephanie’s plays, and RebbeSoul’s music, are ESCAPE FROM TEHRAN – THE STORY OF SORAYA AND ISAAC NAZARIAN, DAUGHTER OF MY PEOPLE – THE STORY OF HENRIETTA SZOLD, and their first for ALEPH, MY ANCESTORS DREAMED ME HERE. Currently, they are creating a series of five plays, of which ESCAPE FROM TEHRAN is the first. The series is called REVOLUTION FOR A JEWISH LIFE, and deals with the personal stories of Jews, forced to flee Arab countries, from Yemen, to the FARHUD, of Iraq. The second of the series, DESERT WIND, the story of a family forced to flee Yemen, zoomed on ALEPH, on Sunday, June 2, 2024. Due to popular demand, an encore live ALEPH Zoom reading of DESERT WIND is scheduled for Sunday, September 15, at 4 pm PT. In addition, JEWISH LIFE TELEVISION (JLTV.tv) is currently airing ESCAPE FROM TEHRAN, and is scheduled to air the rest of the series, in early 2025, all under the banner of THE AMERICAN JEWISH THEATRE, which became official, in February, 2024, when PLAYGROUND chose them to be a part of the 2024 Incubator, for new theatre development, and invited them into the cohort. In addition, Stephanie is expanding ESCAPE FROM TEHRAN, into a full length play, from its current One Act format, and it will be showcased as part of the PLAYGROUND SHOWCASE at the Potrero Stage in November, 2024, in preparation for a full run, in June, 2025.

RebbeSoul, Music Director

RebbeSoul/Bruce Burger, created the contemporary Jewish music movement, from which the world of Jewish music, reached a new dimension. His version of AVINU MALKEINU, was the first Jewish composition, to hit the charts. With six albums to his credit, RebbeSoul has been featured on CNN INTERNATIONAL, and was on the cover of BILLBOARD MAGAZINE, as the quintiessential and original producer of Jewish Roots and World Music. His CHANGE THE WORLD WITH A SOUND, album, was #1 on college radio’s CMJ WORLD MUSIC charts, and his groundbreaking 1995 album, FRINGE OF BLUE, has become one of the most famous Jewish music albums, of all time. Since 2016, RebbeSoul has been working as composer, with playwright, Stephanie Liss, scoring all of her plays, and together, they experienced a highly successful, sold out, Chicago Run, of SISTER AFRICA, with RebbeSoul’s powerful score, garnering great attention.

Currently, RebbeSoul is preparing to release his newest song – NOW IS THE TIME TO COME TOGETHER, and on April 4, 2024, he, along with JEWISH LIFE TELEVISION, was the recipient of THE RELIGION COMMUNICATORS COUNCIL SHORTS AND FEATURES PRESENTATIONS, for SINGLE WORK IN VIDEO/ENTERTAINMENT/INSPIRATION, for his episode – THE STAFF OF ELIJAH, REBBETALES.

For the American Jewish Theatre, RebbeSoul is creating the score for the upcoming reading, of STEPHANIE LISS’, DESERT WIND. For a complete bio, visit Rebbesoul’s website.

Elisheva Herrera, Executive Director

Elisheva Herrera was one of the founders of Arts Unity Movement (AUM) in the San Francisco Bay area, a non profit, she took from start up, through to becoming a successful, thriving, recognized, organization. Currently, Elisheva resides in Santa Fe, New Mexico, where she is recognized both for her work in the Jewish community, and the Santa Fe arts world, at times merging the two for the benefit of both. Raised, steeped in her Sephardic heritage, (Hispanic American Jew), Elisheva’s understanding of the world, as both a LatinX , and a Jewish woman, bridges cultural divides. Recently completing her term as acting Executive Director of Congregation Beit Tikva in Santa Fe, she was appointed to the steering committee of the Jewish Community Relations Coalition (JCRC) of New Mexico, working with state and local leaders, to advocate for, and ensure, the safety of the Jewish community.

The Players

Original Music by RebbeSoul for DESERT WIND

Danielle Bitton and Assaf Cohen in ESCAPE FROM TEHRAN

Elisheva Herrera, Opening Narration, ESCAPE FROM TEHRAN, as shown on Jewish Life Television (JLTV.tv)

Original Music by RebbeSoul, ESCAPE FROM TEHRAN, as shown on Jewish Life Television (JLTV.tv)

It is with deepest gratitude and blessings that we thank you for your donation. By standing with us, you are part of The American Jewish Theatre family. Your contribution ensures Our Voice is Heard.