Arabs Against Discrimination[We are a golden platter for the Jews]

We are a golden platter for the Jews

Source: www.tam.co.il , April 15, 2005

By: Avishag Badash-Zavaro

An artistic-political showcase on the plight of foreign workers was organized last weekend in Yaakov Park next to the Habima Theater, similar to activities taking place in London 's Hyde Park . The objective of the showcase, according to the organizers, was to “relate the story of the land of foreign workers, which tells the tale of a people who were invited to work in Israel and were then expelled from it humiliated and without rights.”

The showcase, which included a series of heart-warming artistic and critical displays, was organized by around 100 students in the fine arts program at the Kibbutzim College of Education from the acting, theater, folk dance, and theater design departments. The artistic directors of the showcase—which drew hundreds of people—were the head of the theater design department, Frida Shoham, and the school director, Itzik Weingarten.

The organizers participated in preparatory meetings and attended lectures to learn about the lives of foreign workers in Israel . In addition, the Hotline for Migrant Workers provided them with extensive information to help the artists understand more. For example, one of the performances featured in the showcase was a reading of chilling testimonies from foreign workers about the sex trade in Tel Aviv and being forced to work for oppressive employers.

Visitors who came to see the performances walked around the park guided by students and were shown migratory bird dolls, meant to represent the foreign workers who came from abroad after “they were showered with false promises.” Some of these birds were identified as African and others as Chinese.

In addition, a small nest filled with false promises given to the birds —minimum wage and unique social benefits—was on display.

In another scene, an image was shown in which a person was holding a scale and asking an employment office employee to provide him with different workers for various jobs. When he reaches the jobs that only foreign workers will accept, the supply exceeds demand and the employee starts lining them up and deporting them back to the country from which they came.

The performance was accompanied by a satiric song written by Ephraim Sidon called “Poem for the Sad,” a spoof on the poem “Silver Platter” by Natan Alterman.

“I think that this showcase is very important, and we hope that more young people will leave the borders of their homes and take an interest in things that have nothing to do with school allowances or the parking problems,” Sidon said this week. “The performance they prepared was important, but there is a feeling that all they did was preach to the converted.” Abigail Green, the producer responsible for the showcase added, “The students were interested in trying to solve the problem using masks and texts. The idea behind the showcase was to create a political dialogue on the social level, because there is a feeling that not enough has been done so far about the plight of foreign workers in Israel .”