Habima's file / תיק, הבימה

These sources constitute a documentary and literary collection on the history of the "Habima" Theater in its early years in Moscow and during its travels in Europe. The texts review the cultural and political struggle to establish a national theater in the Hebrew language, while presenting testimonies and correspondence from key figures such as Konstantin Stanislavski and Maxim Gorky. The sources detail the artistic aspiration of the founder, Nahum Zemach, to combine ancient Jewish tradition with modern and innovative acting techniques. In addition, explanations are provided of iconic plays such as "The Dybbuk" and "The Golem", which illustrate the troupe’s unique visual and spiritual language. These descriptions emphasize the conception of the theater as a center of national redemption and as an expression of Jewish cultural pride in the face of external persecution. In conclusion, the materials serve as historical testimony to the artistic vitality of "Habima" and to its decisive role in shaping modern Hebrew culture.

Historical Development and Routes of Wandering The Habima Theater began as the first Hebrew traveling troupe organized by N. L. Zemach in Lithuania in 1908 (O46-1f). The troupe’s first performance was held in Białystok and was the sketch "Mazel-Tov" by Sholem Aleichem (O46-1f). Between 1908–1913, the troupe was active in Vilna, Kovno, Minsk, Warsaw, and Vienna, and enjoyed great success among the Jewish population during the period of Tsarism (O46-1f). In 1917, with the outbreak of the Revolution, the theater became established in Moscow as the only Jewish theater operating in the city in those years (O46-1f). The theater also performed in Riga, as evidenced by a program booklet from January 1938 for the "Jewish Minority Theater in Riga" (O46-2f). The theater was perceived as a bridge between the ancient culture of the East and the modern culture of the West (O46-1f).

Political Organization and Ideological Struggles The theater faced fierce political opposition in Soviet Russia from Jewish circles that opposed the use of the Hebrew language, claiming that it was not understood by the masses (O46-1f). The struggle for the theater’s existence required tremendous efforts and caused great anguish to the organizers (O46-1f). In defense of the theater, prominent Russian intellectuals and artists mobilized, including the poet Vyacheslav Ivanov, who regarded Hebrew as a universal cultural asset (O46-1f). A special memorandum was sent to Lenin, signed by figures such as Stanislavski, Nemirovich-Danchenko, Shalyapin, and Gorky, calling for permission to continue the theater’s activities (O46-1f). On the memorandum, Lenin added a personal note approving the continuation of the performances (O46-1f).

Artistic Training and Key Figures The spiritual guide and leading figure of the theater was K. S. Stanislavski, who gave N. L. Zemach his first advice for the rebuilding of Habima in Moscow (O46-1f). Their decisive meeting took place on the eve of Yom Kippur in 1916 (O46-1f). Stanislavski recommended his student, Yevgeny Vakhtangov, as the artistic director of the studio (O46-1f). Among the prominent actors who joined during this period were Hanna Rovina, whom Zemach found in Warsaw, and Bertonov, the oldest of the actors (O46-1f). The theater operated under severe economic hardship, without regular government support and at times without a permanent building (O46-1f).

Repertoire and Major Productions The theater’s flagship production was "The Dybbuk" (Der Dybbuk) by S. An-sky, directed by Vakhtangov (O46-1f). The full version of the play premiered in January 1922 and became "a tremendous phenomenon in modern theater" (O46-1f). Other notable productions included "The Eternal Jew" by D. Pinski, directed by Mtchedelov, and "The Golem" by H. Leivick, directed by B. Vershilov (O46-1f). The production of "Jacob’s Dream" by Richard Beer-Hofmann was staged under the supervision of Stanislavski (O46-1f). In "The Eternal Jew", Zemach played the role of the prophet on the day of the destruction of the Temple, a performance that received praise from Maxim Gorky (O46-1f).

List of Terms

• Kiryat Arba: A legendary city mentioned in the play "The Eternal Jew", where the Messiah was born on the day of the destruction of the Temple.
• Hypokrit: A term used by the critic A. Volynsky to describe the actor as a "mouthpiece" of popular thought and belief, in the ancient Greek sense.
• Dybbuk: A kabbalistic concept describing the soul of a deceased person entering the body of a living person.
• Golem: A mythical figure of matter created by the Maharal of Prague to protect the Jews from blood libels.
• Melaveh Malkah: A meal held after the Sabbath, mentioned as the setting of the third act in the play "The Dybbuk".
• Tena’im: A formal Jewish betrothal ceremony, forming a central plot element in the play "The Dybbuk".

List of Sources

• O46-1f : Detailed program booklet of the "Habima" Theater including historical surveys, repertoire, letters from intellectuals, and production photographs.
• O46-2f : Cover of a program booklet for performances of the "Habima" Theater at the Jewish Minority Theater in Riga, January 1938.

O46-1f

O46-2f

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