Chicago Jewish Theater Cancels Play by Israeli Author Naomi Ragen Over Boycott
A Chicago Jewish theater canceled a play by Israeli author Naomi Ragen after actors and crew members refused to work with an Israeli creator, drawing sharp criticism.
A Jewish theater in Chicago abruptly canceled a play by Israeli author and playwright Naomi Ragen just one week before contract signing. The decision followed intense pressure from actors and crew members who refused to collaborate with an Israeli creator.
The director of the Ars Judica Jewish Theater in Chicago informed Ragen of the cancellation after advanced talks. Crew members justified their boycott by citing Ragen as a Zionist and Israeli, claiming collaboration could harm their professional futures and accusing the director of racism.
Ragen fiercely criticized the move, comparing it to the climate in Germany in 1938. She stated that a Jewish cultural institution in the United States unable to protect its artists from antisemitic pressure loses its right to exist.
