(Courtesy of SAR Academy) Chagai Lober, founder of the Aspaklaria Theater in Jerusalem, presented his one-man show “October 7” at SAR Academy in the Bronx. Originally written during the Second Intifada but adapted after the massacre of Simchat Torah, the show deals with the very personal ways families are forever altered by tragedy, and how even the most mundane can be a source of tremendous challenge.

The play was scheduled to debut in Israel on Jan. 7, but Chagai’s son Yonatan was killed in Gaza on Dec. 25. For Yonatan’s shloshim commemoration, and with renewed poignance, Chagai went ahead with the performance, hosting his first show in the U.S. at SAR.

After the show, and as he came out to address the audience about the history and meaning of it all, his stage manager shouted out to him, “Mazal tov, during the show, your daughter gave birth to a baby girl.” Chagai paused, cried, delivered his words of comfort to the audience, and asked everyone not to leave without committing to living, celebrating, enjoying the things they have, and supporting each other. He then said, “Before you leave tonight, please wish me Mazal tov!”

To learn more about the play and how to host it, contact [email protected].