Web Letters: 'Tell Her the Truth'

I am a rabbi and activist in Ottawa. I recently performed Seven Jewish Children at Potlucks for Peace, a Jewish-Palestine dialogue group.

The decision to perform this play was not a simple one for me. I asked my wife, the feminist scholar of Judaism Dr. Susan J Landau-Chark, if the play was anti-Semitic. I also asked an observant and deeply spiritually Muslim. Both reported that the play was not anti-Semitic. I then decided to undertake the performance under license from the author, Caryl Churchill.

Caryl’s appropriation of Jewish voices was artistically risky, which I admire, and not always appropriate. That quibble aside, the piece obviously both affected and effected my twenty-three audience members.

I commend Seven Jewish Children to anyone who can handle a deeply moving portrayal of Jewish anguish as it progresses and changes over time.

Rabbi Arie Chark

Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

I'm Jewish. I've written plays. I'm ashamed of not having written this one, and I am grateful to Tony Kushner and Alisa Solomon for their cogent and deeply felt expression of support for Ms. Churchill's play.

If it is true we become our enemies, if it's true the abused become abusers, the future of the children growing up within those contested borders is unenviable, even bleak.

Barry Blitstein

New York City, NY

Since I know the people who disagree will be the first to write in--as a progressive Jew and avid Churchill fan, all I want to say is, "Thank you, thank you, thank you," for your thoughtful and moving piece on this play.

Tara Herlocher

New York, NY