—An In-person and Virtual Event, with Proceeds Benefitting HIAS’s Ukraine Crisis Response Efforts —
(New York, NY)— On Wednesday, July 20, 2022 at 7:30 PM ET, the Museum of Jewish Heritage – A Living Memorial to the Holocaust and The Braid present “I Want to Go Home: Stories from Writers in a Country at War,” a performance spotlighting ten new works by Ukrainian playwrights. Proceeds from the event will benefit HIAS’s Ukraine crisis response efforts.
Through original works, the ten writers share stories about their lives as the war in Ukraine continues, offering audiences personal and moving accounts as history unfolds. Each piece has been translated into English.
The production is part of the Worldwide Ukrainian Play Readings Project, an initiative that supports Ukrainian playwrights to create original works that are performed as fundraising events for Ukrainian-based relief organizations.
“Theater is a powerful tool to uplift and share the voices of Ukrainians at a time when the world must hear their stories,” said Jack Kliger, the Museum’s President and CEO. “We’re honored to partner with The Braid, whose storytelling has the power to inspire us to never stay quiet in the face of violence and hatred, and to support HIAS’s essential relief efforts in Ukraine.”
“These 10 intimate stories from Ukrainian writers during a time of war not only move us to tears, but connect us to real people and the details of their lives as war unfolds—from the guilt of leaving loved ones to the bravery of taking on an armored transport, from love across a screen to the chaos of uncertainty,” says Ronda Spinak, Founder and Artistic Director of The Braid, a global nonprofit theatre company. “To have been able to curate this show (Susan Morgenstern directing) and partner with Museum of Jewish Heritage is a gift I hold dear and I truly hope the show will compel those who bear witness to be called to action. These stories make it personal.”
“News stories about the plight of Ukrainians have led to an inspiring outpouring of support from around the globe, and now these works from Ukrainian playwrights will put an additional spotlight on the experiences of refugees who need safe places to live while they wait to see if they can return home,” said Miriam Feffer, HIAS’ vice president for development. “We thank the Museum of Jewish Heritage – A Living Memorial to the Holocaust, and The Braid, for supporting HIAS as we work with governments, UN agencies, and humanitarian organizations to protect the most vulnerable Ukrainians who have been displaced.”
“I Want To Go Home” is directed by Susan Morgenstern. The Braid’s Artistic Director, Ronda Spinak, adapted and curated the ten plays. A cast of five actors brings the pieces to life: Jordan Bielsky, Geoffrey Cantor, Amy Greenspan, Rosie Moss, and Kate Zentall.
The program will be available to watch in person at the Museum of Jewish Heritage’s Edmond J. Safra Hall at 36 Battery Place in Battery Park City, and via livestream. Livestream tickets are $18+, and in-person tickets start at $54+. Learn more at https://mjhnyc.info/UkrainianPlays.
Those wishing to see the performance in person are also encouraged to visit the Museum’s new exhibition, The Holocaust: What Hate Can Do, which opened this month. The exhibition is an expansive and timely presentation of Holocaust history told through personal stories, objects, photos, and film – many on view for the first time.
About The Braid
THE BRAID educates and builds community by inspiring Jewish stories that connect us all. As the Jewish story company that pioneered a new theatrical art form called Salon Theatre, The Braid gives voice to diverse contemporary stories grounded in Jewish culture and experience. Since 2008, their Salon Theatre shows have illuminated varied themes like forgiveness, food, family, and freedom, touching hearts and creating real change, including combatting antisemitism. Seminal shows newly spotlight the true stories of women rabbis, Persians, Latinx, and Russian Jews, and Jews of Color. In 2021, The Braid’s commissioned work, Stories from the Violins of Hope, was shared in 30 countries in partnership with the United Nations Outreach Programme on the Holocaust. The Braid’s commissioned Not That Jewish, by Emmy Award-winning writer Monica Piper, ran over 16 months in LA followed by a successful off-Broadway run. The Braid performs across the country and is accessible globally via Zoom performances, their podcast AudioNosh, StoryNosh, streaming on ChaiFlicks, and other online platforms.
For more information, visit https://the-braid.org/
About The Museum Of Jewish Heritage – A Living Memorial to the Holocaust
The Museum of Jewish Heritage – A Living Memorial to the Holocaust is New York’s contribution to the global responsibility to never forget. The Museum is committed to the crucial mission of educating diverse visitors about Jewish life before, during, and after the Holocaust. The third-largest Holocaust museum in the world and the second-largest in North America, the Museum of Jewish Heritage anchors the southernmost tip of Manhattan, completing the cultural and educational landscape it shares with the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island.
The Museum of Jewish Heritage maintains a collection of almost 40,000 artifacts, photographs, documentary films, and survivor testimonies and contains classrooms, a 375-seat theater (Edmond J. Safra Hall), special exhibition galleries, a resource center for educators, and a memorial art installation, Garden of Stones, designed by internationally acclaimed sculptor Andy Goldsworthy. The Museum is the home of National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene and JewishGen.
The Museum’s current offerings include The Holocaust: What Hate Can Do, the Museum’s major new exhibition offering a timely and expansive presentation of Holocaust history, now on view in its main galleries, and Boris Lurie: Nothing To Do But To Try, a first of its kind exhibition on the 20th century artist and Holocaust survivor on view through November 6, 2022.
Each year, the Museum presents over 60 public programs, connecting our community in person and virtually through lectures, book talks, concerts, and more. For more info visit: mjhnyc.org/events.
The Museum receives general operating support from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs and New York State Council on the Arts.
About HIAS’s Response to the Crisis in Ukraine
HIAS is monitoring the situation in Ukraine and neighboring countries and is responding with emergency humanitarian assistance, helping Ukrainian refugees in several countries and internally displaced persons in Ukraine.
HIAS’ long-time partner on the ground in Ukraine, Right to Protection (R2P), continues to aid refugees and displaced persons. HIAS has sent emergency funding to R2P, an independent NGO, to assist their response. R2P specialists are providing legal assistance; operating a hotline to provide information about services, evacuation, and refugee status; conducting protection monitoring at checkpoints and monitoring visits to those who have not left their home; and distributing food and supplies.
For more information, visit www.hias.org.