Holocaust survivor meets refugees of 2015 in same displaced persons camp

What is it about?

Shoah-survivor David returns from Israel to his former Displaced-Persons camp –now a refugee camp- in order to bring the buried remnants of his lover to the Holy Land. Through dialogues, David and the asylum seekers coexist and eventually confront and come to understand one another to a surprising extent. The painful past and present intermingle against a backdrop of the Holocaust and the conflict between Jews and Palestinians in the Middle East. Choruses of refugees and right-wing extremists alike express their plights; the latter attempt “to close the borders” while an overwhelmed mayor is caught between polarizing fronts. Vertlib’s own insistence on the power of dialogue both within and outside of the play testifies to his commitment to a more just, inclusive society.

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Photo by Antoine Merour on Unsplash

Photo by Antoine Merour on Unsplash

Why is it important?

Migration is one of the most important topics of our times. In Vladimir Vertlib's play a Shoa survivor meets the refugees of 2015-16. While there are animosities between the mostly Islamic refugees among whom are also Palestinians, and the Jewish survivor who now lives in Israel, they find common ground through dialogue. Right -wing extremists clash with the plight of the refugees, as can be observed in many societies these days making this play universal in its message of a more inclusive, just society.

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