“Powerful play! A well-constructed experience for opening up the “forbidden conversation”

“As Israel becomes an increasingly divisive issue among American Jews, conversations about Israel now frequently degenerate into bitter arguments and angry accusations. In his powerful and poignant play “The Forbidden Conversation” Gili Getz addresses this issue head-on, with candor, wit, and passion. Anyone who has argued about Israel, or simply struggled to talk about it, will surely relate to and be moved by Gili’s experience”

“The Forbidden Conversation” should be required watching for everyone. In a skillful and impassioned presentation, photographer/actor Gili Getz connects to his audience’s minds and hearts, as he explores the difficulty so many have when talking about Israel... Mr. Getz engages the listener, not in a polemic, but in an earnest plea to talk to, and listen to, the many voices across the spectrum. He encourages each of us to wrestle with Israel’s future, the necessity of open and respectful dialogue, and the state of the relationship between American Jews and our Israeli cousins.”

“His deliverance of the performance was artful and moving, as he layered in poetic repetition, onomatopoeia and emotion... He created essentially an open forum, asking audience members to come forth with their own experiences having these difficult conversations about Israel”

“Thank you to Gili Getz, Hillel student life staff and the many Jewish Bruins who showed up for this special event last week in an ongoing endeavor to hold space for multitudes of opinions and ease tension through active engagement and conversation.”

““When it comes to a topic which is clearly, and understandably, very difficult for people to talk about, I can see how hosting a performance like Getz’s can be extremely helpful in promoting discussion and illustrating how to engage with this issue in a nuanced way. “”

“The Israeli-Palestinian conflict continues to weigh on our local and national community, and Getz’s performance opened up a forum that began to free the tension students experience.”

“the conversation continued in class with thoughts, questions, emotions. If you can bring Gili to perform at your institution, do it!”

“Gili Getz’s Forbidden Conversation performance allowed me to re-examine my internal struggle when it comes to Israel and reminded me how important that I maintain a constructive Israel dialogue with my children. I will be forever grateful for this experience.”

““Hearing a story can be like walking on holy ground. When Gili performs his play, I feel like I am walking on Holy Ground.””

“At a time when, for American Jews, talking about Israel is so fraught and contentious Gili Getz’s Forbidden Conversation actually facilitates the conversation. His deft, rich and gripping portrayal of the difficulties in discussing Israel promises to make such discussions more likely, more civil and more productive.”