Pangs of the Messiah

Deepening the mission of the Arts & Culture program to”build bridges between and among greater Cleveland’s diverse religious and ethnic populations in order to promote understanding,” the Mandel JCC will present Pangs of the Messiah.

Set in the near future, Pangs depicts the human struggles and internal conflict faced by a family of religious Zionist pioneers after the signing of a Peace Accord between the Israeli Government and the Palestinian Authority. On the surface, the play explores the widely divergent responses of the family as their esteemed leader faces the violent legacy his teachings have unwittingly fostered.  Upon a closer look, this provocative piece of theater encourages understanding of the wide-ranging convictions, passions and perspectives of the Israeli people and of the diversity and strife that exists in contemporary Israeli society.

The Mandel JCC’s production of Pangs of the Messiah was funded as part of Israel@60 – Cleveland’s celebration of the state of Israel’s 60th birthday.