Nathan the Wise by G.E. Lessing, adapted by Michael Bloom
Co-Presented with the EDCJCC’s Morris Cafritz Center for Social Responsibility.
In Association with Folger Theatre
Monday, April 5, 2021
In 12th century Jerusalem, Jews, Christians, and Muslims live beside one another in peace—or so they hope. As tensions rise, the ruling sultan asks the question: “Which religion is the one most beloved by G-d?” Lives, and the future of Jerusalem itself, are on the line as the brilliant Jewish merchant Nathan tries to find the answer. This 18th century Shakespearean play abounds with mistaken identities, foiled romances, and families and friendships across cultural and religious divides.
The event is free and open to everyone. Every participant must register individually, including those in the same household.
We will assign roles at the start of the reading. Given the balance of genders in the play, some roles written as male may be assigned to participants who identify as another gender. If you prefer to not play a character outside of your gender identity, please let us know in the registration form.
A post-reading discussion on the themes of the play and how they resonate with present-day efforts for interfaith cooperation will be led by Sonya Weisburd, Director of the Morris Cafritz Center for Social Responsibility.
Information on how to join as well, as access to a digital script, will be distributed to registrants in advance of the event.
In lieu of charging admission, we ask you to support Tanenbaum Center for Interreligious Understanding. Named after Rabbi Marc H. Tanenbaum, the Tanenbaum Center is a secular organization dedicated to fostering respect among those from different religious backgrounds. It was founded in 1992 by Tanenbaum’s widow, who wished to continue his work in promoting interfaith dialogue. Today, it offers training and resources to combat religious bias in schools, the workplace, and health care.