Holocaust Play About Lodz Ghetto Children Set for 2027 Premiere

A play based on a harrowing account from the Lodz Ghetto during the Holocaust, where Jewish Council head Chaim Rumkowski urged parents to surrender children under 10 for deportation, is slated for a 2027 premiere at Beit Lessin Theater. The play, titled 'In the Name of the Children,' was inspired by a story the author's grandfather, Leib Levit, heard in September 1942 when he was 15. Rumkowski described the children as "excess cargo" that the "ship must release to avoid sinking," and an "organ that must be amputated."

The author initially conceived the play years ago, envisioning a violinist who is reminded of the past during a memorial. This evolved into a narrative incorporating a children's choir that performed Felix Mendelssohn's oratorio 'Elijah' within the ghetto, with the violinist becoming the conductor. The play's development faced setbacks, including initial rejections citing its scope and a perceived lack of contemporary interest in Holocaust stories.

However, the play gained traction after a reading at Beit Lessin Theater, leading to its scheduled production. The author also draws parallels between the historical dilemmas presented in the play and contemporary discussions surrounding the hostages held by Hamas since October 7th, particularly concerning the price of life and decision-making.

The article also includes a separate anecdote about writer Dvora Omer (formerly Musinzon), who received a harsh rejection letter for her first manuscript, "Tamar's Pages," in the 1950s. The editor's critique was brutal, suggesting a "plastic surgery" was needed for the manuscript and questioning who would be interested in a nine-and-a-half-year-old's diary. This rejection deeply wounded Omer, who resolved never to write again. Later, she learned her mother's death, initially believed to be suicide, was actually an accidental shooting during defense training, with the suicide story being a cover-up. Despite the initial rejection, Omer eventually became a prolific writer, and the play's director, Tzipi Pins, announced the production, emphasizing that "if this is your mission, it is not far from you, even if it takes time to reach it."