A 'Baal Teshuvah' Takes the Stage
The words “baal teshuvah” have a lot of weight for Jews. For the observant, it can feel celebratory, the phrase literally translates to “master of return.” Some Jew from a less religious background has found Orthodoxy. For others, they’ll say that a friend or family member “flipped out,” left them behind as they pursue a lifestyle that can seem alien, even hostile.
A new play at the New York Fringe Festival explores that divide: Observance is a respectful, nuanced lens into ways that faith, for all its benefits, can do more to drive families apart than bring them together. A young woman’s visit to Jerusalem turns into an all-out religious transformation, as she begins donning long dresses, keeping kosher and Shabbat, and unintentionally, creating a wedge between herself and her loved ones back home.