zionista rising

by Alexa Derman

Directed by WIll Steinberger

Winner of the 12th Jewish Plays Project Contest

At Universalist National Memorial Church

DECEMBER 11 -13, 2026

Part of this year’s

Voices From a Changing Middle East Festival

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SYNOPSIS | CREATIVE TEAM

SYNOPSIS:

Two Gen Z interns working at a Jewish American media organization compete on a daunting assignment: to rebrand Israel and Zionism in the American mind as a #girlboss

#progressive #diversity-win via an AI-generated Instagram influencing avatar. Meanwhile, a Jewish American playwright wrestles with a question she can't escape: Who are we if not a nation?

Key Themes in the comedy (per A.I.)

  • Hashtag Activism: Spoofs corporate PR, white-woman feminism, and social media branding.

  • Modern Identity: A deep and humorous critique of how progressive ideals intersect with Jewish American identity and relationships to Israel.

  • A Bold New Comedy: Described as both raucously funny and deeply important, tackling complex ideological debates with sharp wit.

For more details on the script or upcoming development and reading dates, visit the ⁠Zionista Rising page on the Jewish Plays Project website.

  • And Just Added:

  • Post-Genocide Reckoning in the Wake Massive Institutional Re-Branding: Comedy can only conceal war crimes for so long, right?

Tickets