| Putting “An Olive” Next to the Orange |
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| Written by Ariel Vegosen | |||||
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American Jews Confront Occupation in “An Olive on the Seder Plate” “Welcome to the match of Armageddon, the largest convergence of global super powers in the history of the world,” the voiceover announces, as brightly colored lights flash and the wrestling match begins. “Tonight’s match-up will take place in Palestine, as it provides the perfect stage for these unstoppable giants to flex their geopolitical muscles. It’s gonna be a knock-down, drag-out fight for the ultimate victory of west over east, and purity over darkness.” This is no ordinary wrestling match. Instead it’s a scene from “An Olive on the Seder Plate,” a political theater piece that depicts the emotional journey of American Jews as they wrestle with the issue of Israel’s military occupation of Palestinian lands. “An Olive” is the product of over a dozen Jewish musicians, performers, educators, activists, and artists who collaborated to confront the difficult task of challenging the policies behind the occupation while simultaneously addressing the issue of anti-Semitism and the idea of a Jewish state. We’ve all heard talk of occupation—Free Palestine, No to the Wall, and so on. What sets apart this play from the cacophony of voices advocating for Palestinian rights is that it is distinctly Jewish. It is the very emotionally difficult act of American Jews struggling to reconcile what their traditions have taught them about justice and freedom, and their community’s spiritual connection to the State of Israel, with injustices they witness Israel committing towards Palestinians. “An Olive on the Seder Plate” takes the audience into the world of the American Jew, from the chicken dance at a Bar Mitzvah party to a Hebrew school class to a Passover Seder that introduces a new perspective on the ten plagues. As one character dips her finger into the wine to commemorate each plague, different modern day plagues of the occupation in the West Bank and Gaza are projected onto a video screen: images of housing demolitions, water mismanagement, and the uprooting of olive trees. “An Olive” takes the unique role of reminding us that during the Passover Seder, Jews talk about a liberation that was at the cost of Egyptian suffering. The play goes on to use the Seder as a means of discussing modern day oppression. In progressive Haggadahs such as “The Haggadah of Love and Justice in Times of War,” it is suggested that Jews put an olive on our seder plates (a la the feminist symbol of the orange) to remind us that Israel was established at the cost of others’ suffering, and that suffering continues, in part through the ongoing uprooting of Palestinian olive groves by the Israeli military. “An Olive on the Seder Plate” is based on interviews with American Jews, and the content of the show is discussed on an ongoing basis with leading Jewish and Palestinian peace activists. To American Jewish audiences, the play can be jarring—which is precisely the point. The co-writers of the play, Deb Shoval and Ray Young, designed the show to be a catalyst for dialogue and a call to action. For Shoval, performance art provides a literal stage for discussion of complex and sensitive topics. The play doesn’t end when the actors take their final bows, but continues with a post-performance dialogue. The discussions are often heated, with opinions ranging from support to anger and disappointment. Although the cast and crew of “An Olive” pack up and head to the next town, the dialogue continues. At some colleges that hosted the show during its spring 2005 tour, like University of Michigan and Oberlin College, students have committed to continuing the dialogue process throughout the year. Sarah Slaton, a recent graduate of Mount Holyoke College, attended a spring 2005 performance of “An Olive.” “The play voices the questions and concerns many of us have about the conflict,” she said. “It represents the diversity of political and social opinion that exists within the Jewish community, but very often doesn’t get heard. It needs to be heard and “An Olive on the Seder Plate” makes that happen.”
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