The seventh annual Hebrew Children’s Theater Festival in London will take place later this month, under the theme “Heroism and Heroes.” Organized in collaboration with the World Zionist Organization (WZO) and the Israeli Hour Theater, the festival aims to strengthen Jewish identity and connections to Israel within the Jewish community across the UK.
Over 80 performances are planned during the festival, highlighting stories of courage and resilience, inspired by extraordinary tales that have resonated deeply since the war began.
Selected productions include Israeli Champion (the personal story of Oren Smadja), Fated to Live (the remarkable Holocaust survival story of Avraham Auerbach, marking International Holocaust Remembrance Day), and productions for young children such as Peter Pan and The Lion and the Mouse.
A delegation of actors – along with Israel’s national judo coach and Olympic medalist Oren Smadja, and Sherry Aryeh, marketing director of the Israeli Hour Theater – will travel to London at the end of January to participate in the event.
Matan Bar-Noy, chair of the WZO, remarked: “This year’s theme, ‘Heroism and Heroes,’ connects directly to the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz and honors those who displayed extraordinary bravery, both in the past and in the current conflict. The festival is dedicated to the ever-growing generation of heroes and to those safeguarding Jewish and Zionist values worldwide, especially during these particularly challenging times.”
The festival will open with a keynote by Smadja, sharing his inspiring life story, which forms the basis of the play Israeli Champion. Smadja’s journey from a shy young boy in the town of Ofakim to an Olympic medalist exemplifies how determination, perseverance, and hard work can lead to incredible achievements.
With the unwavering support of his father, he turned setbacks into successes and learned that battles can be won in many ways. During the opening event, Smadja will also speak about coping with the loss of his son in combat in Gaza and the resilience and optimism required to move forward.
To mark International Holocaust Remembrance Day, Sherry Aryeh will present Fated to Live, based on the story of her father, Avraham Auerbach.
The play revisits Auerbach’s childhood in Krakow under the false identity of Arthur Auerbach, depicting his journey from a happy boyhood to surviving in a bunker during the Nazi occupation, and the hope he found in the kindness of strangers. This is a story of survival against all odds, and of courage, faith, and the determination to build a new life and family in Israel.
For younger audiences
For younger audiences, the festival will feature Peter Pan, aimed at ages six to 10, as well as The Lion and the Mouse (ages three to seven), a special adaptation of Aesop’s fable.
The diverse lineup aims to inspire audiences of all ages, say the organizers, celebrating acts of heroism both past and present while fostering a strong sense of identity and unity.