"SARAJEVO WILL BE, EVERYTHING ELSE WILL PASS" Research Phase
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OUR VISION
Yeda Theatre is creating "Sarajevo Will Be, Everything Else Will Pass," a new physical theatre piece that brings this powerful story to life. Using our signature blend of movement, sound, and ritualistic storytelling, we will transform this piece of history into embodied performance.
We envision an immersive experience set in a recreated pharmacy—a space where audience members can physically enter the world of 1990s Sarajevo and witness this extraordinary history through all their senses.
We need narratives that showcase Jewish communities not as perpetual victims, but as active agents of peace and humanitarian action. This story offers exactly that model of radical compassion and cross-cultural solidarity.
THE UNTOLD STORY
In 1992, as ethnic tensions erupted in Bosnia, the Jewish community of Sarajevo—many of whom were Holocaust survivors or their children—recognized the warning signs. Instead of fleeing, they chose to stay and help.
For three years during the longest siege in modern history, La Benevolencija (Ladino for: Good Will) provided humanitarian aid to Bosniaks, Croats, and Serbs alike. They ran a pharmacy that dispensed life-saving medications without asking for ethnic identification. They operated a radio station that connected separated families. They established soup kitchens that fed thousands. And when necessary, they helped arrange evacuations for the most vulnerable, regardless of religion or ethnicity.
This remarkable story of Jewish humanitarian leadership remains largely unknown. Until now.
Photo by Edward Serotta - La Benevolencija in action
OUR JOURNEY SO FAR
Yeda ידע Theatre has been on an incredible journey in the past year:
- Our production "The Crone Chronicles: Reclaiming Baba Yaga" dazzled audiences at PhysFestNYC in January 2024
- We've developed a comprehensive outline for "Sarajevo Will Be," including our immersive pharmacy setting concept
- We've been accepted into the prestigious Upstart UpLift program, a three-month accelerator for Jewish entrepreneurs
- We've begun preliminary interviews with folks connected to La Benevolencija and survivors of the siege
- We've interviewed documentary filmmaker Edward Serotta, who documented the siege and created "Survival in Sarajevo"
- Multiple organizations have expressed excitement about partnering with us, including family foundations and larger networks
- And now, the next critical step is happening: Our research trip to Sarajevo in May 2025.
Photo by Edward Serotta - Sarajevo Jewish Community
WHY WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT
We've already invested in flights to Sarajevo, but we need your help to maximize this essential research opportunity. Your support will directly fund:
- Local interview coordination and translation services - Working with local guides to connect with members of La Benevolencija and siege survivors
- Local transportation and accommodations - Enabling us to conduct multiple interviews across the city
- Compensation for interviewees and local collaborators - Honoring the time and emotional labor of sharing difficult memories
- Access to archives and historical materials - Gathering documents, photos, and artifacts to inform our production
This research phase is the foundation upon which our entire production will be built. Every story gathered, every detail documented, every relationship established will shape the authenticity and impact of the final work.
Your support helps us tell a story that matters now more than ever—a testament to what humans can accomplish when they choose solidarity over division, action over despair.
WHO WE ARE
Yeda ידע Theatre was founded by Danielle Levsky and Josh Levine to preserve and reimagine Jewish cultural narratives through embodied performance. Our name, ידע (Yeda), means "to know" in Hebrew—referring to the deep, embodied knowing that comes through movement and physical expression.
We use physical theatre, sound, clowning, and ritualistic storytelling to breathe new life into Jewish narratives. Our work bridges traditional Jewish storytelling techniques with contemporary physical theatre, ensuring these vital narratives reach future generations.
Through movement, we remember. Through remembering, we act.
JOIN OUR JOURNEY
Your tax-deductible donation directly enables this vital research phase of our project. Every contribution, regardless of size, helps bring this story to life.
Together, we can illuminate this remarkable moment in history and ensure it inspires generations to come.
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Yeda Theatre Productions
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Chicago, IL