At the beginning of September 2024, the Israeli Mishkafayim Theater came to Leipzig and Wittenberg to present the play “What Now?” to teenagers and young adults. The play is dedicated to the reality of life for young Israelis after the tragic events of October 7. As part of the encounter between the theater group and several school classes, the young people were given the opportunity to gain an insight into the thoughts, fears and challenges of young people in Israel.

The play, which was created just two weeks after the terrorist attacks and massacres, vividly depicts the experiences of two Israeli students, Ohad and Yarden, who seek refuge in their school's shelter during a rocket attack. The narrative reflects the challenges that the young people suddenly face and reveals how they deal with their fears and insecurities. One student said in the follow-up interview:

I couldn't even imagine what life was like for people in Israel during the war. The constant fear for my loved ones, my own future and the feeling of being up in the air is a huge burden.

Three of the four performances took place in cooperation with the Ariowitsch House cultural and meeting center in Leipzig, another one in Wittenberg. ConAct accompanied the actors throughout their stay and took the Israeli group on two guided tours of Leipzig and Wittenberg.

The public performance on September 2 in the Ariowitsch House was part of the Intercultural Weeks Leipzig and attracted numerous visitors. The other performances were held in front of school classes, for whom the play served as the basis for an intensive exchange and emotional discussions. After each performance, the young people had the opportunity to ask questions and talk to the actors and the creative team of the Mishkafayim Theater. The actress Mai Tzuriely in particular, whose family survived the attack on the kibbutz Re'im, gave the young people a personal insight into the current situation in Israel. One student was impressed:

Thank you for answering all our questions so openly. It's true, the pain of the people in the Middle East cannot be weighed up against each other in war.

The meeting with young people from the Theater Association K in Leipzig was an emotional highlight. Some of them were in Israel on October 7, 2023 as part of an exchange program and had to stay in shelters for a long time. Many of them described how much they found themselves in the emotions portrayed in the play. This led to a particularly intensive exchange with the theater group. Together with the Mishkafayim Theater, they held a creative improvisation session in which they reflected on art and theater as a means of expression in times of crisis.

The educational work of the Mishkafayim Theater is based on methods of socio-emotional learning and promotes a critical and honest approach to complex topics such as violence, trauma and dealing with loss. The scenic approach gave the young people the opportunity to put themselves in the shoes of different, sometimes seemingly contradictory perspectives, thoughts and feelings and make them more tangible.

This project was made possible by ConAct as part of a special funding. As part of the initiative WE ARE CONNECTED. German-Israeli Youth Exchange in Support for Israel, the special funding invites German organizations to develop ideas for the non-material, practical or financial support of Israeli partners. This also includes the possibility of inviting affected young people from Israel to Germany.