Miami New Drama’s ‘The Zionists’ presents a thought-provoking take on how the Mideast conflict impacts Jewish families

Family and politics can be a toxic mix. And in a time of harrowing Middle East wars and surging antisemitism, a family vacation can turn into a battleground. This tragic transformation is the root of “The Zionists: A Family Storm,” a new play in which siblings’ embattled dogmas turn a shared culture into an impenetrable barrier. 

“‘The Zionists’ is, by far, my most personal play, coming from a rich history of Jews  arguing about, well, everything,” said playwright S. Asher Gelman, in an interview following the debut of the play at Miami New Drama in late April. At a time of increased tensions over Israel within the Jewish community, the play has engendered intense interest and has been extended through May 10. 

“This play was my way of  trying to make sense of everything that was going on in the world–that is still going on in the world,” Gelman said.

The play tells the story of the Rosenbergs, an affluent Jewish family who come together for a tropical vacation just a year after the Hamas terrorist attacks that began on Oct. 7,  2023. However, their political differences become the least of their worries when a  Category 5 storm hits Turks and Caicos. 

Act I sets the scene for the play–a luxury mini villa. Mitchell and Ruth, played by Avi Hoffman and Joanna Glushak, the mother and father of the divided family, are setting  up Shabbat candles in the common room. First enters Bex, the daughter played by Dani Stoller, having a lighthearted family conversation with her parents. 

A bit later, David, the eldest son portrayed by Gregg Weiner, enters the room. Aaron, the youngest son portrayed by Coby Getzug, and his husband Zephyr, played by William DeMerritt, follow. Finally, David’s wife, Maria, played by Jamie Ann Romero, and Bex’s wife Dana, played by Israeli actress Shira Alon, enters after getting off a phone conversation with their daughter who is set to arrive the next day, potentially bringing the whole family together for the first time in several years. 

The conflict begins in an instant, after the family becomes trapped inside their room  when a storm breaks out and David, a staunch Zionist, questions Aaron’s anti-Zionist  rhetoric. Through a series of flashbacks, the audience begins to understand how the  events of Oct. 7 and Israel’s ensuing war in Gaza tore the Rosenbergs apart. 

In time, the audience learns that the two older siblings, David and Bex, are full of disappointment with their younger brother Aaron, who not only has become an anti-Zionist but is using his family wealth to fund encampments at places like Columbia. 

As they continue arguing, the storm outside only intensifies. At the pinnacle of the fight, a tree branch breaks through a glass window, and the family realizes they are  no longer safe on the island.

Act II begins with the villa now barricaded with a mattress, a table and chairs. The Rosenbergs continue to fight, and through more flashbacks, the audience understands that the roots of their conflict stem deeper than Oct. 7 and disagreements over Israel’s actions.

The set, designed by Adam Koch, was a realistic portrayal of the interior of a Caribbean resort villa, with large French doors upstage, through which a projection scrim of  Caribbean skies and trees was visible. On stage, there is a minibar, two islands facing each other, a king-size bed and a central common area with couches.

The lighting, designed by Solomon Weisbard, serves as an effective complement to the story. As the storm progresses, the lights grow darker and more sinister, and during the flashback scenes, the light focuses solely on what is happening in a confined space, so  the audience can fully understand the context for the succeeding scenes. 

Gelman’s vision for this story is to spark conversation and challenge people who may hold binary views on the issue or similar moral questions, inviting engagement with a  more nuanced perspective. 

“We put a lot of love in this thing,” he said. “The intention was so everybody in the audience will hear something that they fervently agree with, and also hear something  that they fervently disagree with.” 

In a moment that stunned the 415-seat house, Dana – an Israeli-born daughter of refugees – faced her brother-in-law’s questioning of Israel’s existence in a calm, yet enraged manner. Her response was both blunt and direct: “There is nothing more pathetic than a self hating Jew.” 

The audience roared with applause. 

For Gelman, the importance of these characters being expressly Jewish informs their every objective and thought when participating in the argument.

“It’s the arguments, you know, from a culture of debating, of agreeing in disagreeable  ways, is what sets us apart,” Gelman said. “[Jews] are taught to question everything,  even what God meant–so much of our culture and our religion is dissecting what God meant, and we just don't have that same relationship to authority that other people do, because if we can question what God meant, the ultimate authority, that means that we  can question every authority.” 

Every actor on stage had an arduous task—keeping a heartbreaking story alive and  poignant during a time of conflict. 

Weiner said the play is taking an emotional toll. “I can’t sleep for five hours after a performance ends,” he said. 

Stoller took on the challenging role of the favored sibling, Bex, caught between her two brothers as they push her to support their arguments. Stoller remained grounded in a  highly intense scenario, making Bex a relatable figure during a time when ideological  divides threaten to break up a family. 

Getzug’s character Aaron drew gasps with his radical words, questioning Israel’s very right to exist, but the audience could not ignore what he was saying. Getzug did an impactful job with a difficult role, forcing people to hear all sides of the issue.

The entire cast had clear familial chemistry throughout the play, which contributed to the  realism of the situation and plot. By the play’s end, some of the audience members were weeping.

“This is a profoundly brave and honest play,” said Artistic Director of Miami New Drama  Michel Hausmann. “That is not easy work. But it is necessary.” 

The show opened at the Colony Theatre on April 9, as part of Miami New Drama’s Jewish play initiative in association with Midnight Theatricals. Its run was extended an additional week, from May 3 to May 10. 

The next stop for “The Zionists” will be at Barrington Stage Company in the Berkshire Mountains. 

“I'm really excited to see how different audiences receive this play,” Gelman said.