Gili Getz’s Forbidden Conversation

Jewish Journal written by Ryan Torok

Writer and actor Gili Getz performs his one-man, one-act play that explores the American-Jewish community’s difficulty with discussing Israel in an honest way. A former Israeli military photographer, Getz stages his performance as part of Avi Shabbat, a Shabbat dinner held on college campuses that honors the life of Avi Schaefer, who served in the Israeli army and was struck and killed by a drunken driver in 2010. A Shabbat dinner and discussion will follow the performance. 6 p.m. Free. Loyola Marymount University, St. Roberts Auditorium.

From Gili Getz on Facebook:

I was truly honored to perform my The Forbidden Conversation as part of Avi Shabbat, in the memory of Avi Schaefer, at the Hillel at Loyola University in Los Angeles on Friday.

It was particularly special to have Avi’s father, Rabbi Arthur Gross-Schaefer, in the audience.

Speaking to friends and colleagues who knew Avi, I could feel the effect he had on people. His love of Israel, the Jewish community, Jewish life and the work on Israeli-Palestinian peace was contagious. Avi knew that he had a role in bringing about understanding.

Avi’s spirit and the echo of his favorite saying “an enemy is someone whose story you have not yet heard” created a very special space for a conversation about Israel-Palestine.

After dinner Rabbi Zach Zysman led a conversation with Marium F. Mohiuddin (member of NewGround: A Muslim-Jewish Partnership for Change and The Muslim Leadership Initiative of the Shalom Hartman Institute – מכון שלום הרטמן) and I on difficult conversations.

I like to think Avi would’ve appreciated it.
Zikhrono Livrakha.

Thank you Jill Holtzman Hoyt and the Avi Schaefer Fund for making this special Shabbat possible.

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