In ancient Jaffa, in a multi-arched building overlooking the sea, the Arab-Hebrew Theater
creates a unique theatrical language using the building's challenging structure and Jaffa's rich fabric of life.
The
theater consists of two theatrical groups that produce plays both together and apart in both Hebrew and Arabic. The
"Local Theater" continues its thirteen-year artistic tradition of working with both Jewish and Arab artists. The Arab
Al-Saraya Theater of Jaffa has brought together Arab artists since it was founded in 1998.
The Hebrew-Arab Theater is a "no-compromise", professional theater company that manages to create a one-of-a-kind
style on a tight budget. The Theater is supported by the Tel-Aviv Municipality and the Israel Ministry of Culture, but
without its own special spirit and the belief that this kind of different and unifying theater is a moral and artistic
necessity, it would simply cease to exist as a home to so many brilliant theatrical artists.
The Repertoire
The Arab-Hebrew Theater is unique in the Israeli theatrical landscape in its social involvement and style. One of its
plays "Lets Dance", received many awards in the Acre Theater Festival, was much acclaimed by the press and was a
box-office success running for seven years – something that seldom happens in non-commercial Israeli theater. Other
locally and internationally acclaimed and award-winning plays include: "Mister V", "The Lane of White Chairs" – awarded
first prize in the Acre Theater Festival – "Clouded Moon", the children's play "Ach Ach Boom Trach", and "Longing" which
was selected as the best Israeli fringe play of the year (2001-2002).
Two of our newer plays; the Hebrew "Of Fathers and Daughters" and the Arab "Memory" where invited to première at the
Israel Festival in Jerusalem. The Polish government invited the theater to perform in the Silesia Dance and Theater
Center. The theater also took part successfully in numerous international festivals in Europe.
The play "Emergency Landing" received the acting award at the International Theater Festival in Reeno, The Czech
Republic.
The Theater and the Community
In the Hebrew-Arab Theater, "multi-cultural" is not just a phrase but a fact and an ideology. Our cultural
involvement is involves cooperation with the people of Jaffa, developing theater attendance among a population
heretofore excluded from frequenting Israeli theaters, including both Arab and other school children.
Festivals and Special Events
Cooperating with Arab and Hebrew women's groups, the theater held a three-day Hebrew-Arab Women's festival featuring
theatrical and dance performances, and poetry readings. During the Passover vacation, the theater holds the Zebra
Festival of Hebrew and Arab Children's Plays. The theater also conducts acting seminars for Jewish and Arab youth. It is
a stage for Hebrew and Arab plays, poetry, and "world music", located right here, on our doorstep.
