Jewish Time

By Joan Ross Sorkin

Synopses

Five one-acts that explore the Jewish experience with themes ranging from the Holocaust, inter-marriage and the Arab-Israeli conflict. Plays can be mounted together for a complete evening of theatre or individually in an evening of one-acts.

Going Too Far (drama)

Do ideological beliefs shatter when faced with harsh reality? In a play inspired by the real life story of Rachel Corrie, a Jewish family in Cincinnati is forced to confront a parents’ worst nightmare when they learn from the nightly news that an unidentified American girl has been killed by Israeli bulldozers while protesting the demolition of a terrorist’s home in the West Bank. [1M, 3F, child (M)]

Tainted (drama)

Old and new worlds collide in matters of love, family and remembrance when a German ex-pat living in suburban Connecticut is forced to reveal to his Jewish girlfriend his family’s involvement in the Holocaust after a Berlin art museum refuses to accept the donation of his family’s valuable art collection. [1M, 1F]

Breaking Up Is Hard To Do* (comedy)

Jewish angst provides insights into young love when a neurotic twenty-something thinks his girlfriend has broken up with him because he is Jewish. [1M,1F]

Food for Thought* (drama)

Three American GIs are trapped in a foxhole/four Jewish women are imprisoned in a concentration camp. Facing the horrors of war, can recollections of food sustain them? [3M, 4F]

Shades of Gray (drama)

Inter-faith marriage once again goes under the microscope when a young couple gets into a heated discussion about who will officiate at their inter-faith wedding. What, if anything, can repair the damage? [1M, 1F]

*also part of The Survival Collection

Production History

(Note: Jewish Time has not yet been produced as a whole.)

Going Too Far was produced in the Samuel French Off-Off Broadway Play Festival, NYC (2005)

Tainted was heard in two readings: Golden Fleece, Argonaut Series (2006) and Congregation Kol Ami, White Plains, NY (2007)

Breaking Up Is Hard To Do was produced in The Samuel French Off-Broadway Play Festival (2002) and as part of The Survival Collection, produced by Fleetwood Stage (Platform), New Rochelle, NY (2001) and by Kaleidoscope Productions at Intar 53, NYC (2001)

Food For Thought was produced by Pulse Ensemble Theatre/Opal, NYC (2001) and as part of The Survival Collection, produced by Fleetwood Stage (Platform), New Rochelle, NY (2001) and by Kaleidoscope Productions at Intar 53, NYC (2001)

Shades of Gray was heard in a reading at Golden Fleece, Argonaut Series (2005)