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A play called ‘The Zionists’ turns the post-Oct. 7 discourse Into a dysfunctional family drama 

JL;DR SUMMARY "The Zionists," a play written by S. Asher Gelman and staged at the Barrington Stage Company, navigates the turbulent aftermath of the events of October 7, 2023, through the lens of a Jewish family's internal conflicts. A way out west there was a fella, fella I want to tell you about, fella by the name of Jeff Lebowski. At least, that was the handle his lovin' parents gave him, but he never had much use for it himself. This Lebowski, he called himself the Dude. Now, Dude, that's a name no one would self-apply where I come from. But then, there was a lot about the Dude that didn't make a whole lot of sense to me. And a lot about where he lived, likewise. But then again, maybe that's why I found the place s'durned innarestin'.

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Tags

Jewish IdentityZionismFamily DynamicsPolitical PolarizationTheatreArtistic ExpressionThe ZionistsS. Asher GelmanDiscomfort In Art

Places mentioned

Pittsfield, Massachusetts, United States
"And yet the play, now running at Barrington Stage Company in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, after a premiere earlier this year at Miami New Drama, manages to turn the post-Oct. 7 debates that have torn many Jewish families apart into something like catharsis."
Miami, Florida, United States
"And yet the play, now running at Barrington Stage Company in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, after a premiere earlier this year at Miami New Drama, manages to turn the post-Oct. 7 debates that have torn many Jewish families apart into something like catharsis."
New York, United States
"Perhaps thats shifting. In New York, Jonathan Spectors play Birthright, running off-Broadway through July 26, explores some of the same territory as The Zionists."
Washington DC, United States
"His parents are the longtime Jewish philanthropists Susie and Michael Gelman, each of whom has been president of the Jewish Federation of Greater Washington, and who have in recent years backed liberal pro-Israel groups, including the Israel Policy Forum."
Tel Aviv, Tel Aviv District, Israel
"Starting at age 19, Gelman spent years living in Tel Aviv as a dancer and choreographer and eventually founder of an English-language theater organization."

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Cairo Item ID 86025
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Retrieved 2026-06-24 05:31:06 UTC
Curated 2026-06-24 08:30:52 UTC