Culture, Education, Tradition

Talmud on Stage

About this project

A project of Talmud NOW, Talmud on Stage is an improvisational theater play based on stories in the Talmud. Invited experts discuss the stories of the Talmud and the Hebrew Bible and bring them to life with the help of improvisational actors. We aim to connect the present with the past and figure out what can be learned today from 1,500 years old stories. The 60-90 minutes online or offline, Hungarian or English plays speak about certain themes and also reflect on the world surrounding us. Our regular storytellers are Zsuzsa Fritz, head of the Research Knowledge Center at JCC Budapest - Bálint Ház, and Dr. Gábor Balázs historian, philosopher, vice-rector at the Budapest University of Jewish Studies, and the Here and Now Theater group.

Why is it important?

The traditional Talmudic studies are limited to synagogues, other religious spaces, and the university. However, Talmudic thinking is essentially related to critical thinking and could be valuable and exciting for Jews who do not go to synagogues, secular Jews and non-Jews, individuals, and their communities. For them, the Talmud NOW team aims to create a platform providing an opportunity to get an insight into the world of the Talmud and Talmudic thinking.

Why is it special?

The Talmud on Stage connects the Talmudic teachings with improvisational theater, which is unique not only in Hungary but worldwide. The Talmud can be regarded as a record of debates and various interpretations of texts of close to 1,000 years. The audience gets pulled into this debate, and the performance itself is a rewriting of the text, a modern, 21st-century commentary. One characteristic of the oral tradition is the logic of bold leaps based on fast associations between themes and modes of argumentation. That is where the connection lies between Talmudic and improvisational thinking. It has become natural that this tradition is open to everyone. Therefore, we always invite women as guests and experts.