The Jewish Theatre Ensemble–then and now

In Rebecca Walker’s memoir, Black, White and Jewish: Autobiography of a Shifting Self , she writes: “This is how memory works: Beneath the mask, behind the cool unperturbed exterior, there is rage.”

In the 30th year of the Jewish Theatre Ensemble (JTE), our board felt it would only be appropriate to center our season’s productions around Walker’s exploration of memory. We selected this quote out of 30 options for its poignancy for our generation and its hunger for change, captured by an author who examines Judaic intersectionality. Through Walker’s words, our 30th season is set to challenge audiences, generate conversation, and examine the emotions evoked by memory and nostalgia.

The Jewish Theatre Ensemble was created at Northwestern Hillel in 1995 by a group of friends of various faiths and backgrounds. They were looking to expand Northwestern University’s student-theater opportunities to include Jewish storytelling–an art form intrinsic to the traditions and heritage of the Jewish people. Since the Ensemble’s first production in Shanley Pavilion– Beau Jest , in 1996–the organization has produced more than 100 plays and musicals celebrating Jewish culture and values.

JTE has become an artistic home for Jewish and non-Jewish students alike, founded to cultivate a culture of conversation, connection, and celebration across identities.

Over time, the organization’s mission has expanded, as we strive to create theater on campus guided by values that we consider “specifically Jewish, universally human:” community ( kehillah ), collaboration ( chibur ), and education ( chinuch ). These values inform both our productions, and our process.

We foster community through our tradition of hosting Shabbat meals with both our members and each production’s team. Bringing everyone who touches a JTE show together to celebrate Shabbat establishes a belonging and cultural awareness.

Collaboration lies at the core of our processes: Each member of our board is a point person on every production’s team. Hillel staff advise our directors on Jewish themes. Close bonds are often formed between our technical director and a set designer, our production manager and a producer, our artistic director and a director. The board’s commitment to fostering the collaborations of artists, technicians, and team members results in an exchange of knowledge, and strengthens connections across the whole student-theatre community.

JTE’s core value of education is based in l’dor vador , passing down our knowledge. First-year JTE-ers, colloquially known as Bagel Bites, shadow each board member to absorb student theater and arts administration before taking on a larger role in the organization. Mentoring the next generation of theater artists is both a profound responsibility and a welcome opportunity.

We look forward to celebrating and honoring all of the art we have created–and all of the lives connected by our community-with a 30th anniversary celebration of the JTE in March 2025. We are so grateful to have an artistically based Jewish community on campus as special as this one, and we look forward to another 30 incredible years.

For more information, to keep up to date with our productions, or to support our work, visit jewishtheatreensemble.com or find @jewishtheatreensemble on Instagram.