nemashim - December 2004 

 

  

 

The second weekend December 2004  

 

We began to form a new group, that will form the next mixed apartment, in August in 2005. The first meeting (17.+18. November), immediately after the Muslim ‘Id el-fitr, we hold in the Open House in Ramle, during a very stormy weekend. 

 

The group increased beside the six members of November about four further members.  

 

Again, the weather was very breezy and cold, so we spent the whole weekend in the house. 

 

Right at the beginning, we began with a question carousel about “the meaning of religion and tradition in my life” and “is there a conflict between theater and tradition?” 

 

After a small pause and a game, we deepened the issue with a role-play about Abraham’s family, with his wives Sara and Hagar and the sons Itzhak and Issma'il. (Pictures 001-013) 

 

                 

  

   Abraham, Issma'il and Hagar                                                 Sara and Itzhak 

 

  

 

19.30 Supper

 

  

 

21.00 Dialogues, that were prepared at home, 

 

  

 

Michael and Javier: "Migdal “(= tower, pictures 014-022), based on the mental hospital of the last meeting in November; Ofir and Afek: "Interview “ by Hanoch Levin (pictures 034-043 and two video-clips) about the emptiness of the Israeli youth; Meyssan and Marwan: an indifferent lawyer and his client (pictures 044-050).  Ortal and Alon: a rob scene in the mute film style (pictures 051-090 and video-clip), and at the end Amir and Michael: Father and son (pictures 023-031). 

 

This interesting evening finished at 24.30 o'clock. Each scene was played through two to three times, altered and improved. We went then to sleep on the mattresses, which we bought. (I went to sleep...) 

 

  

 

8.30 o'clock: Breakfast 

 

10.00 o'clock: Pantomime. We began with a pantomime lesson; afterwards every couple developed a small pantomime scene. (pictures 091-145)

 

             

    Javier                                               Meyssan and Michael

 

 

              

  

Alon and Afek                                      Ofir and Ortal 

 

  

  

We were all positively surprised, how creative and full of imagination all were.  

 

  

 

After the lunch, we had the whole afternoon for practice of forum theater. 

 

We developed two small pieces. The first dealt with a forest, that is meant to be fell, in order to build in its place an industry for the unemployed arab population at place. Two activists of the green movements fought against the plan, and we tried to solve the conflict with the help of the public and his suggestions. (Pictures 146-211), 

 

        

 

The lumberjack with the two green activists   the lumberjacks and the entrepreneur 

 

  

 

The second scene dealt with poverty and richness, represented through two children in the kindergarten.  The scene was almost mute, but we could not solve the economic-social problem. In the discussion, somebody said socialism, and others proposed other solutions, but no agreement was gained. (Pictures 212-265) 

 

 

The kindergarten teacher and the two children

 

  

 

16.40 o'clock end conversation 

 

During a short hour we spoke about the weekend and about future plans; we were all tired, and in the end the group lost concentration. About the first part (religion and tradition, Abraham's family), a small discussion about issuing the Jewish-Arabic problem broke out. Amir is afraid, that the issue could detach the members apart, Afek expressed need for more activity in the issue. Others too spoke on the topic. It is interesting that Palestinians normally are for a politicization of the Jewish-Arabic meeting and Jews rather less, and here it was the opposite situation. 

 

Ofir found it difficult to speak about tradition when she doesn't yet know the other members. Javier found the subject irrelevant since "we are all secular anyway “.  Alon found the comparison between the expulsion of Issma'il and Hagar and the Palestinian refugee problem too simple. 

 

    

All praised each other, concerning the artistic level, and were flattered Michal who cooked again. Almost all had a lot of fun with the pantomime, and enjoyed less the forum theater, and here also the patience of the people was already at the end. We fixed the date for the next weekend and talked about the possibility to add another one or two new members. A part said expressly, that additional members are only desired if they really want to participate in theater year 2005-2006. 

 

All together, it was a rich weekend, amusing and amazing. The members a becoming slowly a group, and in six months, 6 or 7 will be ready to live in Ramle, to do theater with the local Arabic and Jewish population. 

 

   

I wish to all Christians a happy Christmas and a happy new year!!! 

 

  

 

                                                                             Salamat 

 

                                                                             Uri Shani