“Simon’s Shoes” Tour Helps Reconnect To Israel
BY LEAH BRAUNSTEIN LEVY / SPECIAL FOR THE AJT //
The Greenfield Hebrew Academy was delighted to host a two-man show performed completely in Hebrew and starring Elad Mizrahi and Keren Meiri of the Orna Porat Theater for Children and Youth, based in Tel Aviv, Israel.
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The performance, called “Mr. Simon’s Shoes,” was a play within a play that explored children’s feelings about old and new, familiar and strange, within the framework of the story of an American girl who moves to Israel and finds it hard to feel at home.
GHA invited the Epstein School to join them for the performance. The actors were so vivid and entertaining that even those with limited Hebrew skills enjoyed it.
“The kids were great—it was nice to see American children so engaged in a play in Hebrew,” said Mr. Mizrahi.
“Israel is ours,” Ms. Meiri added, “but the U.S. is something else. They laughed in all the right places!”
“Theater is an international language,” said Mr. Mizrahi.
The Hebrew language teachers at GHA also enjoyed the show. Rinat Porat-Cohen approached the stage to tell the actors how moving she found their portrayal of an American girl trying to find her place in Israel.
“I had tears in my eyes,” she said.
Interim Head of School Leah Summers elaborated, “Our love for Israel is at the heart of the GHA mission. We are so grateful to the Israeli Consulate for bringing us such a wonderful way to connect to life in Israel—and to exercise our Ivrit! It’s so important to us that our students get an authentic experience of the Hebrew language.”
Atlanta was only the first stop for “Mr. Simon’s Shoes.” Mr. Mizrahi and Ms. Meiri will be taking their show to Chicago, Milwaukee, Philadelphia, New York, San Francisco, and Los Angeles, carrying all the scenery, costumes and props with them.
“Three bags for the show, two for us, and our carry-on luggage,” explained Mr. Mizrahi.
The tour was arranged by the Israeli House, a joint project of Israel’s Ministry of Immigration and Absorption and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Its purpose is to maintain and strengthen the link between the State of Israel and Israelis living abroad, and the Israeli House provides the community with cultural events, children’s activities, and holiday celebrations, all in Hebrew.
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