Playwright

5 Jews in a Near Death Experience
​(That shockingly has nothing to do with antisemitism!)

A New Play by Rebecca Lynn Goldfarb

When my family and I went through an experience that almost took our lives, I was the only one of us who needed to learn how to cope with the effects of PTSD. In turn, I worried that there was something wrong with me because I had to seek help. Why was nobody else holding on to the past like I was? As the years have gone by, I’ve grown to see that we each discussed that moment differently and came to terms with what happened in our own ways. How could five people share one moment in time yet each of them process it differently? That question was one that inspired me.
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This story is about a family. It’s meant to represent a very real and raw human experience, one that hopefully anyone can relate to… and these characters just so happen to be Jewish. Someone might assume they won’t see a reflection of themselves in a show with the words “5 Jews” in the title, yet I implore you to consider this: Aren’t love, loss, and humor emotions that people from all kinds of backgrounds experience? Why should a story have to be about antisemitism or poke fun at aged stereotypes for it to involve Jewish characters? 

If I wanted to write a story that was simply about people learning to cope, I could’ve written it several ways without Judaism being involved. So why include it? Why put the word  “Jews” in the title? Consider it a gift to “five year old me.” The girl who couldn’t understand why she felt inferior to the rest of her class once she realized she was the only Jew in the room. I want her to know that as the years have passed, I’ve grown to be proud of my culture, found the beauty in having traditions that are unique to people like us, and I want to share that pride with anyone willing to buy a ticket and give that little Jewish girl an audience. ~ RLG