Jerusalem Immersive Theater Event Explores Golem Legend
Translated & summarized from i24NEWS French by baba
Jerusalem will host "Engolement: A Parable of Twelve Golems," an immersive theater event on September 27-28 where 12 participants role-play Golems facing an existential dilemma. The event explores Jewish folklore and Kabbalah through interactive storytelling.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Jerusalem hosts immersive Golem legend theater event Sept. 27-28.
- Twelve participants will role-play Golems, making real-time decisions.
- The event explores themes of obedience versus identity.
- It's a collaboration between artists and LARP group Aspamia.
- An English version is adapted from a previous Hebrew iteration.
An innovative cultural experience titled "Engolement: A Parable of Twelve Golems" will take place in Jerusalem on September 27 and 28. This event blends theater, improvisation, and live-action role-playing, centering on the Jewish folklore figure of the Golem. Unlike traditional performances, there will be no actors or audience; instead, twelve participants will embody the characters and navigate the narrative in real-time, making decisions and interacting within the story's world. No prior acting experience is required, and a preparatory workshop will be provided.
The narrative unfolds in a fictional shtetl populated by twelve Golems, created through Kabbalistic knowledge. Each Golem possesses a tablet with the words that animated them and has a limited vocabulary for communication. The community faces an unknown threat and decides to build a protective wall. The Golems are tasked with assisting in this construction but grapple with a moral quandary: whether to continue blindly obeying their creators or to explore their own identities. The experience is designed to last approximately two and a half hours.
The project was conceived by Lian Yedidya, Hila Meinrath, and Natan Skop, in partnership with Aspamia LARP. An initial Hebrew version was developed for the 2025 "Roll of Destiny" exhibition at Tel Aviv's Schechter Gallery, which focused on games inspired by Jewish traditions. This new English-language iteration is aimed at Jerusalem's international audience and is produced by Theater and Theology and Theater in the Rough. Performances will be held at the Mamuta Art & Research Center at Hansen House, with three sessions scheduled: September 27 at 7 p.m., and September 28 at 2:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. Each session is capped at twelve participants.