Fifth annual Festival of Spoken Ivrit returns to London

Hebrew language festival celebrates Israel's birthday with 75 shows at Jewish schools and youth groups across the UK

By Michelle Rosenberg 9 February 2023, 11:35 am
Credit: Tzemach Productions

A festival celebrating the Hebrew language returns to the UK this month for a fifth consecutive year.

Running between 22 February and 3 March, the Festival of Spoken Ivrit is a collaboration between London-based arts company Tzemach Productions, the World Zionist Organisation (WZO) and private donors.

This year, there are 75 performances to celebrate each year of Israel’s modern existence. The festival brings Israeli language shows to Jewish kindergartens, schools and community organisations in London, Liverpool and Leeds. Each performance carries an educational message in Hebrew and schools are supported with work packs and exercises covering vocabulary and grammar.

Partnered with the Hashaa Theatre, a leading Israeli-performance company for children and young people that addresses social and special need issues, the three shows include an original play for teenagers called, “Made in Israel”.

Made in Israel – Yaniv, An Israeli teen, who grew up in a traditional home on a moshav and Ivgeny, an immigrant from the Ukraine, who despite his language and cultural barriers, considers himself more Jewish and Israeli than anyone else. The play reflects the issues affecting Jewish communities in the wider world as well as in Israel. Credit: Tzemach Productions

Noam Reef, head of the WZO said the organization “continues to strengthen the connection between the Jewish people, Hebrew, and Zionism today. The Hebrew language, one of the foundations of Zionism, is more important today than ever.”

Tali Tzemach, CEO, Tzemach Productions says that the festival is committed to providing a unique, memorable learning experience for young British Jews by combining entertainment and the arts with Ivrit.

She told Jewish News: “It’s always a highlight to see how happy the children are and how they listen and interact with the actors in Hebrew. We couldn’t be more excited to get the shows on the road and continue this special tradition for the Jewish and Israeli communities in the UK.”

The Fisherman and the goldfish: a play about the fisherman who stumbles across a magical goldfish who can make all his wishes come true. Credit: Tzemach Productions.

Some performances are still available at JW3 in London. Click here for more information.

To book events at Mill Hill United synagogue, click here. 

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