2025 Witness Theater Performances Are Coming Soon!
Save the dates and stay tuned!
Performance in Brooklyn
Yeshivah of Flatbush Joel Braverman High School
Address: Al and Sonny Gindi Campus, 1609 Avenue J, Brooklyn, NY 11230
April 23rd, Wednesday, 7 PM
April 28th, Monday, 12 PM
The performance on April 28th opens to Brooklyn public high schools. For group reservations, contact us at witnesstheater@selfhelp.net.
Performance in NOHO
Sheen Center for Thought & Culture
Address: 18 Bleecker St, New York, NY 10012
April 29th, Tuesday, 7 PM
Performance in the Upper West Side
JCC of Manhattan
Address: 334 Amsterdam Ave at, W 76th St, New York, NY 10023
May 7th, Wednesday, 7 PM
The Memories of 2024 Performances
WE ARE HERE
“We Are Here” is a compelling play that captures the struggle and resilience of a group amidst the war against Israel. Through their weekly meetings, they affirm their collective existence with the mantra, “We are here!” showcasing the strength and perseverance of the Jewish nation. The play celebrates survival, support, and unity, inviting the audience to witness this spirit of endurance.
FOR SORROW, FOR FEAR, FOR ANGER, FOR HOPE
In the face of war’s traumas, our Witness Theatre group finds solace in theatre, a space for communal healing and empathic witnessing. Through depicting survivors’ stories, we invite our audience to share in this empathy, aiming to heal collective grief and foster a culture of peace. This performance serves as a testament to our resilience and shared humanity.
Student Reflections on Participating in Witness Theater in 2024
WE ARE HERE
FOR SORROW, FOR FEAR, FOR ANGER, FOR HOPE
Witness Theater was conceived by Irit and Ezra Dagan and developed by JDC-Eshel in Israel. It was brought to New York in 2012 by Selfhelp Community Services, Inc. This year’s Witness Theater Program is a collaboration of Selfhelp Community Services, UJA-Federation of New York, the Yeshivah of Flatbush Joel Braverman High School, the Museum of Jewish Heritage a Living Memorial to the Holocaust, the Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan, and the Sheen Center for Thought and Culture. This program is generously being funded by UJA-Federation of New York through the Community Initiative for Holocaust Survivors (CIHS), and also receives generous support from Carol and Carl Hess, the Miriam and Arthur Diamond Charitable Trust, and the Anderman Family.
WITNESS THEATER: THE FILM
Witness Theater: The Film and Study Guide are powerful tools aimed at teaching the lessons of intolerance and bigotry to middle and high school students.
Take a look behind the scenes into Witness Theater’s year-long therapeutic journey. You will see stories of loss, struggle and lives rebuilt and the healing power of inter-generational relationships. This moving documentary, currently shown at film festivals across the country, is about the power of connection, friendship, and love between generations. It is also about healing, to the extent possible, in the context of the most brutal genocide in human history. Learn more about Witness Theater: The Film at www.witnesstheaterthefilm.com.
Witness Theater: The Film is based upon Selfhelp’s Witness Theater program. Filmmaker Oren Rudavsky, distributor Menemsha Films, and a number of individual and organizational supporters including UJA-Federation of NY, have joined in this feature length documentary that serves as a behind the scenes look at a nearly yearlong relationship between students and survivors.
Witness Theater: The Film is distributed by Menemsha Films.
Email Menemsha Films to schedule a screening of the documentary for your community.
HELP EDUCATE FUTURE GENERATIONS
Selfhelp is dedicated to remembering the Holocaust and raising awareness of the survivor population still in need today. Through creative educational initiatives, we’re ensuring that the memory of the Holocaust will not be forgotten by generations to come. Help us educate future generations about the Holocaust.
