 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |  |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
A Modern Day "Chanukah Miracle" in Ryazan, Russia
More than two thousand years after the Maccabee victory and a small jug of oil lasted not one day but eight, the Jewish community of Ryazan had what locals referred to as a "Chanukah miracle" of their own — the first ever performance of Jewish theatre in the modern history of this Russian city. More than 300 guests attended the monumental debut at the Youth Palace, organized by the coordinator of cultural programs of the Ryazan JCC and Hesed and performed by many young members of the Jewish community.Participants in the troupe rehearsed for two months prior to performing their rendition of "Lantush and the Magic Menorah," one among a collection of stories published by a day school in St. Petersburg. The community was engaged in every aspect of the production, from the creation of costumes to the choice of music. "As it was predicted, this play joined the participants; by the start of the performance they had become a solid team," said one audience member. "Everyone was very impressed. They applauded and encored the artists, and there were numerous curtain calls." 
In addition to proving a monumental accomplishment for Ryazan’s Jewish community, the launching of the theatre program is providing a forum for the community youth to hone their singing, acting and production skills. Further, theater and performance have long been an important source of informal Jewish education, and locals are excited at the prospect of ongoing workshops. The community hopes that the Ryazan theatre group will participate in the Annual Festival of Children and Youth Art, organized by JDC in collaboration with the Jewish Center of Arts. "But first we are hoping to have another Chanukah miracle — with a new play, more performers, and an even larger audience than last year!" November 2005 |
