A retrospective journey into a teacher’s role in a democracy
Freedom of expression as a condition for democracy in times of war
Meir is a civics teacher who insists on confronting his students with fundamental questions concerning their lives in Israel, completely detached from what is supposedly “forbidden” to say. Through intimate moments both inside and outside the classroom, the boundary between lesson and reality increasingly blurs. Words become dangerous, and the stakes continue to rise.
In a retrospective journey, we follow Meir as he grapples with the role of an educator in a democratic society and how to shine a light in the darkness. The play was inspired by the true story of Dr. Meir Baruchin, a civics and history teacher who was arrested and unlawfully fired in November 2023 following political statements he made online against the war.
During the ensuing legal proceedings, the deep and mutual bond that developed between Meir and his students came to light. Baruchin fought in court for the right of civics teachers to expand the scope of their students’ civic and political thinking, and for the students’ right to formulate their own moral positions rather than blindly accepting political dictates. Following this legal battle, the State of Israel was ordered to reinstate Baruchin’s teaching license after the court ruled that wartime does not justify restricting teachers’ freedom of expression.
This work is dedicated to all the teachers who, despite personal risk and threats, remain committed and ever more determined to nurture the civic and moral souls of their students by inspiring them to think for themselves.
Play length: 70 min
Written by: Boaz Gaon
Director: Ilil Lev Cna’an
Design & Lighting: Yair Segal & Adi Somech
Costume Design: Liron Sapir
Actors: Shalom Shmualov, Neama Manor & Eldad Ben-Tora
Producer & Play Direction: Riki Asur
Illustration & Graphic Design: Natasha Neomov
Photography: Raday Rubinstein
Boaz Gaon (Playwright)
Boaz Gaon is an Israeli playwright, author, and screenwriter. He graduated from the Department of Theatre Arts at Tel Aviv University and holds a master’s degree from the London School of Economics (LSE). His works have been staged at leading theaters both in Israel and abroad.
Among his most notable plays are Traitor (Be’er Sheva Theatre), an adaptation of Henrik Ibsen’s An Enemy of the People; Argentina (Haifa Theatre); and Return to Haifa, an adaptation of Ghassan Kanafani’s famous novella (staged at The Cameri Theatre and Theatre J in Washington, D.C.). In 2025, he published the novel Yoav! Yoav! (Am Oved Publishing), and his new feature film, Yehoram and Gila—produced with the support of the Israel Film Fund—is currently in post-production. At the heart of Gaon’s work are characters who often find themselves confronting political, social, or moral systems seemingly far more powerful than themselves, compelling them to make deeply consequential personal decisions.
Ilil Lev Cna’an (Director)
Ilil Lev Cna’an is a theater director and creator. She studied philosophy and theater, and holds a master’s degree in theater directing from Tel Aviv University. Her work explores political questions and the sharp tensions between institutions and the individual, as well as between the collective and the personal. She frequently blends dramatic texts with fragmentary materials drawn from documentary sources, philosophy, poetry, and other artistic mediums.
Her notable productions include Before Whom Shall We Bow (recipient of a Special Commendation for theater as a tool of resistance at the Acco Festival, 2021), Homework (2024), and Word Problems (2016), which was part of Uri Agnon’s musical-documentary trilogy presented at the Tel Aviv Museum of Art. Her other works include Last Night I Dreamed About the Prime Minister (a cabaret based on real dreams citizens had about Israel’s prime minister) and Shelter 02 (winner of the Best Ensemble and Directing Awards at the Acco Festival, 2014).
A retrospective journey into a teacher’s role in a democracy
Freedom of expression as a condition for democracy in times of war
Meir is a civics teacher who insists on confronting his students with fundamental questions concerning their lives in Israel, completely detached from what is supposedly “forbidden” to say. Through intimate moments both inside and outside the classroom, the boundary between lesson and reality increasingly blurs. Words become dangerous, and the stakes continue to rise.
In a retrospective journey, we follow Meir as he grapples with the role of an educator in a democratic society and how to shine a light in the darkness. The play was inspired by the true story of Dr. Meir Baruchin, a civics and history teacher who was arrested and unlawfully fired in November 2023 following political statements he made online against the war.
During the ensuing legal proceedings, the deep and mutual bond that developed between Meir and his students came to light. Baruchin fought in court for the right of civics teachers to expand the scope of their students’ civic and political thinking, and for the students’ right to formulate their own moral positions rather than blindly accepting political dictates. Following this legal battle, the State of Israel was ordered to reinstate Baruchin’s teaching license after the court ruled that wartime does not justify restricting teachers’ freedom of expression.
This work is dedicated to all the teachers who, despite personal risk and threats, remain committed and ever more determined to nurture the civic and moral souls of their students by inspiring them to think for themselves.
Play length: 70 min
Written by: Boaz Gaon
Director: Ilil Lev Cna’an
Design & Lighting: Yair Segal & Adi Somech
Costume Design: Liron Sapir
Actors: Shalom Shmualov, Neama Manor & Eldad Ben-Tora
Producer & Play Direction: Riki Asur
Illustration & Graphic Design: Natasha Neomov
Photography: Raday Rubinstein
Boaz Gaon (Playwright)
Boaz Gaon is an Israeli playwright, author, and screenwriter. He graduated from the Department of Theatre Arts at Tel Aviv University and holds a master’s degree from the London School of Economics (LSE). His works have been staged at leading theaters both in Israel and abroad.
Among his most notable plays are Traitor (Be’er Sheva Theatre), an adaptation of Henrik Ibsen’s An Enemy of the People; Argentina (Haifa Theatre); and Return to Haifa, an adaptation of Ghassan Kanafani’s famous novella (staged at The Cameri Theatre and Theatre J in Washington, D.C.). In 2025, he published the novel Yoav! Yoav! (Am Oved Publishing), and his new feature film, Yehoram and Gila—produced with the support of the Israel Film Fund—is currently in post-production. At the heart of Gaon’s work are characters who often find themselves confronting political, social, or moral systems seemingly far more powerful than themselves, compelling them to make deeply consequential personal decisions.
Ilil Lev Cna’an (Director)
Ilil Lev Cna’an is a theater director and creator. She studied philosophy and theater, and holds a master’s degree in theater directing from Tel Aviv University. Her work explores political questions and the sharp tensions between institutions and the individual, as well as between the collective and the personal. She frequently blends dramatic texts with fragmentary materials drawn from documentary sources, philosophy, poetry, and other artistic mediums.
Her notable productions include Before Whom Shall We Bow (recipient of a Special Commendation for theater as a tool of resistance at the Acco Festival, 2021), Homework (2024), and Word Problems (2016), which was part of Uri Agnon’s musical-documentary trilogy presented at the Tel Aviv Museum of Art. Her other works include Last Night I Dreamed About the Prime Minister (a cabaret based on real dreams citizens had about Israel’s prime minister) and Shelter 02 (winner of the Best Ensemble and Directing Awards at the Acco Festival, 2014).