Gush Katif Viewpoint 150

GUSH KATIF VIEWPOINT 150
April 6, 2009

“A TINY PIECE OF LAND” by Rachel Saperstein. Neve Dekalim/Nitzan

Weeks ago I received a call from Jerusalemite Duren Weiss. “Two playwrights will be giving a reading of their play about Gush Katif refugees living in Nitzan. Could you and your husband come to my home, listen to their play, and give your comments?” Checking my diary, the evening was free and I agreed.

Last Monday I received a call. “I’m Joni Weiser. My husband Mel and I are playwrights. We’re doing a play about the evacuees of Gush Katif living in Nitzan. Could we visit? We would like to see the place we are writing about.”

Another play about Gush Katif refugees? How odd…I kept quiet.

“Of course. Come over.”

Pessach cleaning was put aside for the afternoon and I welcomed Joni and Mel with a bowl of soup and crunchy bread and butter. I took them around the caravilla.

“It looks just like our set design… books, pictures on the walls!” Joni exclaimed. “Oh, you play music! And your husband has a large classical disc collection… just like our characters!”

“We’re giving a reading in Jerusalem this week. Can you two come?” asked Mel.

“Oh… it’s you! I didn’t want to mention it but I was invited to a play reading on the same topic,” I breathed a sigh of relief.

We talked as we walked around the area. They saw the ship containers with our belongings still packed away. They met some of our people, many frustrated that the government offered very little help. More and more they met the characters in their play.

Thursday evening we attended the play reading.

The play: “A Tiny Piece of Land”.

The characters: Aviva, the Sabra wife; David, the Americn-born husband; daughter Rachel, a budding musician; Barry, David’s brother, visiting from the States.

The family, once prosperous Gush Katif farmers, are fighting the government to keep their community together. Rockets are falling in Sderot, killing friends. The brother worries about the downtrodden Palestinians. And Rachel’s soldier-boyfriend is kidnapped by Hamas. The play delves into contemporary Israel and the family’s attempt to exist from day to day, from war to war.

The audience was educated, largely religious, mostly western immigrants. Their opinions, advice and criticism were thoughtful. They corrected pronunciation of Hebrew words and assured the playwrights that their realistic portrayal of life in Israel was much appreciated.

The play was extremely well-written, emotional and pro-Israel. And that may be a source of great difficulties.

Plays or films that show Israel as the victim, under constant attack by fanatical neighbors, will likely be trashed by politically correct critics and performances disrupted by anti-Israel protestors.

Current plans are for the play to premiere in Ashland, Oregon and then be brought to Broadway.

We applaud the playwrights, Joni and Mel Weiser, for their courageous stand and their excellent play.

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With this GKV number 150, I wish you my dear friends A Happy Pessach. May the Good Lord continue to give us strength even in our sorrows. May we awake each day as proud Jews. We have survived and will continue to survive each of our oppressors. The story of Passover and our redemption is proof that we will continue to enjoy the Almighty’s love despite the world’s attempt to make us feel unloved.

Thank you, dear friends, for all of your help throughout the year. The people of Gush Katif are better and stronger because of you.

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Please continue to help the people of Gush Katif. Make your checks payable to Central Fund for Israel, earmarked for Operation Dignity. Send them to

Central Fund for Israel, 980 Sixth Avenue, New York, NY 10018, USA

or

Central Fund for Israel, 13 Hagoel Street, Efrat 90435, Israel

Shekel checks should be sent to

Operation Dignity, POB 445, Nitzan 79287, Israel