An ensemble cast of some of Sydney’s most beloved Jewish performers brought to life Vic Alhadeff OAM’s poignant play ‘Torn Apart by War’ at Australia’s largest synagogue in Woollahra on Sunday, September 15.
The Emanuel Synagogue was filled with nearly 300 people, with around 25 per cent of Greek descent.
Inspired by true events, Torn Apart by War is a poignant play written by Mr Alhadeff – former CEO of the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies, former editor of the Australian Jewish News and former Chair of Multicultural NSW – about his father’s agonising decision to leave the Greek island of Rhodes for Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) on the eve of the Holocaust.
The event commemorated 80 years since the destruction of the Jewish communities of Rhodes and the other Dodecanese islands, with a program presented by Emanuel Synagogue in conjunction with the Consulate General of Greece in Sydney and with the contribution of the Rhodes Jewish Museum.
On the day there was an opening blessing by Rabbi Sam Zwarenstein and a special address by Consul General of Greece in Sydney Yannis Mallikourtis wherein he noted: “The story of Rhodes is not just a Jewish story, it is also a Greek story, but not just that, it transcends borders, ultimately becoming a story of ecumenical relevance.”
The remainder of the program included the dramatised play-reading of Torn Apart by War directed by Dr Liz Hovey and performed by Geoff Sirmai, Joanna Weinberg, Tony Sloman and Hovey herself, followed by a Q&A with Mr Alhadeff and a special musical performance and a delicious spread of Greek pastries.
Musical performances included Chutney Unplugged (Ben Adler and Paul Khodor) accompanied the performance and Sarit Michael performed in Greek ‘Song of Songs’ (Άσμα ασμάτων) from Mikis Theodorakis’ Mauthausen Trilogy.
A moving performance of ‘Arvoles’ by Rabbi George Mordecaia was also shared on the night. This Ladina (Judeo-Spanish) piece was historically sung by the Greek Jews as they were marched into the gas chambers at Auschwitz.
Special guests in attendance included Mr Mallikourtis; Trade Commissioner of Greece in Australia, Chryssa Prokopaki; First Secretary for Public Diplomacy at the Consulate of Greece in Sydney, Anastasia Christofilopoulou; and other Consul Generals, media representatives and leaders from the Greek and Jewish communities.
*All photos copyright: Benjamin Ryan.
