Raise Your Spirits Theatre is thrilled to announce our new show, a *boutique* theater project, for maximum flexibility in venues and travel (invite us to your town!).
In this production, “HEROINES! Songs & Soliloquies for the Soul” – we include songs from our previous biblical shows, and some new songs — songs about faith, courage, friendship, hope and resilience, and intersperse them with monologues and dialogues that are spoken by our actresses, representing modern-day heroines whose life experiences since Oct. 7 – Simchat Torah – echo the themes in the songs, thus joining together the biblical with the modern.
- Producing Director – Toby Klein Greenwald
- Monologues by Toby Klein Greenwald and Shayna Levine Hefetz
- Music Director- Elisheva Savir
- Producer and Chair of Raise Your Spirits Theatre Amuta – Tamar Rubin
- Production Manager – Shayna Levine-Hefetz
- Production Assistant – Heather Gelb
Who’s Who in Heroines
Cast and Creative & Production Team in Alphabetical Order
To receive contact information for our cast or crew, write to: toby@wholefamily.com
Aviva Karpel, Bat Ayin
Musician, retired teacher, active Naturopath and Reflexologist, specializing in children's and women's health issues with clinics in Bat Ayin, Efrat and Jerusalem. She's a veteran RYS participant as a singer and past musical director. She enjoys full Shabbatot at home with her children and grandchildren.
Chavi Swidler Eisenberg (Production Assistant), Neve Daniel
A Tanach teacher, actress, nonprofit consultant and mother. She runs parenting support groups and online forums for Jews and non-Jews to ask questions about Judaism. She earned her MPA from Baruch College and is studying in Matan's Eshkolot program for Tanach educators. Chavi lives in Gush Etzion with her family.
Deena Lawi, Neve Daniel
Single mother of five, loving grandmother of ten. Thrilled to be in “Heroines,” her 13th RYS show. She sings in the Kolot Etzion choir, works at the Museum for Islamic Art and for her family as problem solver and babysitter. She enjoys exploring Israel, sitting on the beach, and watching the sun set into the Mediterranean from her living room window.
Elisheva Naomi Savir (Music Director), Jerusalem
Holds a B.A. in Musicology and an M.A. in Music Therapy from Bar Ilan University. She works as a music teacher, choir conductor, and music therapist in Jerusalem schools, has a home recording studio, and plays 10 instruments. Elisheva is passionate about music. She loves cooking and baking and would be delighted to share her culinary creations with the right guy!
Franny Waisman, Efrat
A singer-songwriter and performer who has been on stage since childhood. She and her husband, Evyatar, create and perform original music together. A seasoned actress in plays and films, Franny brings deep emotion and storytelling to her art. She is also a Torah teacher, licensed Israeli tour guide, and proud mother of five boys. YouTube: Franny and Evyatar. Instagram: @FrannyTours
Gila Staum Seeman, Efrat
After making Aliyah, Gila was blessed with many years of performing in musicals and operettas in environments aligned with her Jewish values. Following a hiatus to focus on family and nonprofit work, she is honored to help share the stories of heroines—past and present—whose courage, complexity, and quiet strength continue to inspire.
Heather Gelb (Production Assistant), Alon Shvut
Raised five children in a wood house that her husband built in the Givat Hachish neighborhood of Alon Shvut. She has been on and off stage in numerous Raise Your Spirits productions over the years and is excited to once again be part of this special Biblical musical theater community.
Rachael Rosenbaum, Efrat
A folk singer-songwriter. With poetic lyrics born of a search for meaning and beauty in all we experience, her songs soothe the heart and speak to the soul. Rachael sees participation in this show as a sacred mission to bring honor to our people, and healing to our audience. @rachaelrosenbaum4117
Rivka Morowitz, Elazar
Proud mother of eight and wife to Menachem, Rivka is an RN lecturer for the RN BA program for Olim of Machon Tal and case management for parents, advocating for special needs children across Israel. Rivka trained in classical music at the Israel Conservatory of Music and performed in the conservatory's choir and in the Tel Aviv Philharmonic Choir.
Shayna Levine-Hefetz (Production Manage/Writer), Neve Daniel
Has been performing since the age of five. Her original compositions have been performed internationally, including “The Everlasting Flame” music video. After a vocal cord injury, Shayna thankfully returned to the stage in 2021. Shayna performs with two other companies and is proud to have composed a song for this show. Shayna has degrees in Special Education and Psychology and made Aliyah 10 years ago with her husband and family and thanks them for their continuous support.
Tamar Kamins, Elazar
An English teacher who has developed a program for Hebrew speakers, focusing on enriching confident, spoken English through games. She has also written several children's books and has a new one coming out soon! She is grateful to her husband Josh, her children and grandchildren who always support her in following her dreams.
Tammy Rubin (Raise Your Spirits Chair, Producer), Efrat
Has participated in every RYS production since Esther in 2002, sings in the Kolot Etzion and Zimrat Efrat choirs, is a wife and mother to 6 + 5 and grandmother to bli ayin hara 15 and counting, and by day has a law practice with forever-understanding husband Morris in Jerusalem.
Toby Klein Greenwald (Producing Director/Writer), Efrat
Has co-authored/authored and directed most RYS plays since its beginning, directs the Na’na and Hamra Playback troupes and “Mikva the Musical,” created the BiblioPlayback method and is the editor of WholeFamily.com. Toby is a poet and a photographer and has taught Torah, Jewish Thought, English and Creative Writing. She’s won awards in theater and journalism and has done theater and writing work with adults and teens who have suffered trauma from Gush Katif, Sderot and elsewhere, and with teens at risk.
Photo credits: Aviva by Pe'er Levin, Chavi by Rebecca Sigala, Deena by Adiel Lawi, Elisheva by herself, Franny by family member, Gila by herself, Heather by herself, Shayna by Debra Kodish, Rachael by Mordechai Rosenbaum, Rivka by Reouven Photography, Tamar by Esther Parnes, Tammy – family photo, Toby by Rebecca Kowalsky.
Show Videos
Reactions to performance of "Heroines!" in Matan HaSharon, Raanana:
Reactions to performance of "Heroines!" in Jerusalem:
Reactions to performance of "Heroines!" in Neve Daniel & Beit Shemesh:
Show Photos
This play was produced with the encouragement and the support of the Matanel Foundation
www.Matanel.org
