TORONTO — B’nai Brith Canada has called on Toronto Mayor David Miller to stop the production of a short play that the Jewish organization calls anti-Semitic from running at the city-owned Theatre Passe Muraille.
“We call on Mayor Miller to ensure that our tax dollars are not inadvertently being used for the promotion of a play whose thrust is anti-Semitic,” Frank Dimant, B’nai Brith Canada’s executive vice-president, said in a statement last week.
Seven Jewish Children: A Play for Gaza, written by British playwright Caryl Churchill after the Israel’s recent war in the Palestinian territory, will be presented for free at the Directors’ Showcase and Exchange from May 15 to 17.
The event, co-sponsored by Crow’s Theatre and the National Theatre School of Canada, will also feature the works of graduates of the National Theatre School’s director program.
The controversial 10-minute play made its Canadian debut earlier this month in Montreal, when Quebec Jewish Congress’ incoming president, Adam Atlas, told The CJN that it’s “anti-Semitic and full of hatred… It culminates with a depiction of Jews as ghoulish, bloodthirsty and heartless killers.”
The 1,300-word play, whose text is readily available on the Internet, depicts Jews as being self-righteous, uncaring and condescending about the plight of the Palestinian people.
The play unfolds as if a Jewish parent is equivocating between what to tell a girl about the Jewish presence in Israel and relations with Arabs in order not to frighten her.
“Tell her they want their children killed to make people sorry for them… Tell her we’re the iron fist now, tell her it’s the fog of war, tell her we won’t stop killing them till we’re safe… Tell her they’re animals living in rubble now, tell her I wouldn’t care if we wiped them out,” reads one excerpt near the end.
“Tell her we’re the chosen people, tell her I look at one of their children covered in blood and what do I feel? Tell her all I feel is happy it’s not her.”
Miller’s spokesperson Stuart Green said the mayor’s office received a letter from B’nai Brith, but as of last week, his office had not had a chance to prepare a response.
“We don’t want to respond to the letter through the media. We want to respond to their letter to them,” Green said.
The Toronto Star, however, quoted Miller as saying, “We own the building, but we don’t determine what theatre groups in this city play, nor should we.”
Dimant said the play doesn’t criticize Israel exclusively.
“It is clearly aimed at maligning Jews, depicting them as oppressors of Palestinians, blood-thirsty aggressors and child killers. It disturbingly inverts history, using Holocaust imagery to allege that the Jews, once the victims, are actively teaching their own children callous disregard for the suffering of others.”
Chris Abraham, Crow’s Theatre’s artistic director, said that he hasn’t received letters or phone calls of complaint from Torontonians, but instead has received “encouragement from members of the Jewish community.”
He said he’s heard from members of Independent Jewish Voices – an organization that says it’s “opposed to the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories” and sponsored the play’s production in Montreal – as well as individual members of the Jewish community.
“They’ve been in touch with me to sort of indicate their support,” Abraham said.
“I do recognize that the play is a provocative piece, and I hope that all diversity of perspectives are able to come and check out the piece and make their own opinions… The work should be seen and assessed on its own merits.”
The play had its premiere in February at London’s Royal Court Theatre amid controversy. The Board of Deputies of British Jews accused its author of being “anti-Israel,” while the Zionist Federation of Great Britain and Ireland called it “a modern blood libel.” Sixty well-known British Jews also published a letter in the Daily Telegraph saying the play reinforces “false stereotypes.”