Live Performance: Yearning to Breathe Free 

Too often the Jewish story of coming to America is visualized in sepia tones — European ancestors trudging off the boats at Ellis Island in the 1880s. But as a poetic and captivating new theatre show reveals, the Jewish immigrant and refugee story continues into today with fresh and vibrant colors. Weaving together true stories from Jewish immigrants across the globe — Ukraine, China, Iran, Chile, Egypt, Turkey, and Israel  — this theatrical production, Yearning to Breathe Free, takes audiences deeper into the experience of leaving one’s home for a new land. Rooted by their Jewish tradition, the authors of these stories find a resilience to face an uncertain future. Their words have much to teach us. 

These stories offer a sumptuous feast of language from skilled writers. Acclaimed memoirist and novelist André Aciman (Call Me by Your Name) reveals the ironic pain of celebrating a seder while he and his family are being forced out of their home in Egypt. In a hilarious tale, two Chilean parents struggle to learn strange new Jewish customs when their daughter marries an Orthodox American man. An adoptee from China discovers surprising inspiration in a nearby bridge that connects her own story with that of her Jewish grandparents from the Balkans. And a Ukrainian-American poet meditates on the comfort of Jewish tradition as echoes of her family home still reverberate in her soul. Plus, nine other funny and poignant stories and songs that share deep yearnings and bold dreams.

Use the code HIAS for 25% off your ticket purchase 

Performance Schedule
March 17 – April 3 in Los Angeles
March 28 & April 27 live on Zoom
April 13 – 14 in the Bay Area