Press on REBECCA!

Phyllis Hecht June 27 2021 Facebook post

This past week hundreds of women were able to leave the woes of politics aside for a few hours and bask in the glory of their Biblical roots by partaking in the marvelous production of Rebecca- Mother of Two Dynasties. Writers Toby Klein Greenwald and Tamar Kamins have outdone themselves. The magnificent talents of Musical director Elisheva Naomi Savir, Choreographer Ashira Allon, Co-producer (with Toby) Tammy Rubin, were so evident throughout the production.

This production was the culmination of four years of immense and intense research and hard work. This is no ordinary Bible story! Toby Klein Greenwald, who also directs, no stranger to creative play writing has once again created a masterpiece along with Tamar Kamins, out of a very well known historical story. Tamar also wrote some of the melodies, but most of the music was composed and arranged by Mitch Clyman.

The audience was treated to a spectacular, creative, deeply, soulful, unique, humorous, and highly entertaining show with wonderful character castings and many eclectic talents simultaneously on one stage. The production spans four Torah portions and delves into interpretation, midrashim, rabbinic literature and teachings.

The original compositions and lyrics which covered all genres of music had the audience swaying along and enjoying it immensely. And who can forget the awesome choreography which told a spectacular story in of itself. The characters multitasked in all sorts of roles both human and animal, which brilliantly added to the production. 2021 technology allowed for fantastic LED scenery in the background along with Hebrew and English subtitles which blended so well into the story and truly painted the proper picture.

It’s a story we all know so well and relearn yearly, yet the drama of our Matriarch Rebecca loving her children but pained by the conflicts, confrontations, and missions really penetrated the soul. The well known message of our sages of Eisav forever hating Jacob- was tempered by the final reading as the narrator quoted Rav Kook who says there is hope in the end of days that these two brothers will unite and ultimately have eternal peace. And in these troubling times that is our hope for all. What a better ending then, with the custom of all Toby Klein Greenwald productions after a huge applause,- as both cast and audience ended the evening with Ani Maamin and the Hatikvah leaving all who attended on a high. Although it was their final show-in this series, Toby did announce that the production would play again, bez”h in the fall. Ladies who missed out now, don’t miss out again later, you won’t be sorry.