The Association for the Development of Circus Arts in Israel
June 2004 Newsletter
by David Berry

CIRCUS helps to make people smile in ZEMER!

Saturday afternoon arrives with kids turning up for warm up and costume fitting. By accident or design I paint on the biggest smile I have ever done as a clown and test out faces on the kids warming up in the Kefar Yehoshua Circus Center (Israel Circus School) The other group from Circus Margah turn up and we load up our stuff to go to Zemer. Well off the main roads and quiet near to the Occupied area of Palestinians Zemer has been an isolated community of Muslim Arabs since the State of Israel has come into being. We arrive to the sports area where a book fair and side shows have been set up by our friends from Margah. Straight away we begin to set up our stations and begin work with the crowds of Children, mothers and fathers.

In Arabic speakers passionately talk about their rights to cultural freedom. That as well as being good Muslims true to the culture that they wish to see shows and be exposed to the influence of the outside communities. This I find out after our show from Adnan who organized our event. All the time smiling faces greet us as we give our workshop, "how much for the face painting?" one father asks me and I say for free... My big smile greets very shy Muslim girls who religiously speaking are forbidden to talk with strange men, but clowns have their ways and more smiles are produced.

The Children's Circus give workshops in acrobatics, juggling, balance, face painting and also show off their own skills to admiring onlookers. The deaf theater of Margah give a show on the stage and are enthusiastically received. All taking place next to an old cemetery, a breath of fresh air enters this little town of 5,000 with almost 900 of them at our show. Departing hands are extended to us as we pack up to leave and hour and a half after schedule. I think about the little girl in the main street of the town as we arrived begging for alms and the bus drivers casual giving of a few shekels to her and how clean and plain she looked. The poor are taken care of in this poor community.

Afterwards Adnan in relating the story of Zemer to me says that this was the first time anybody had ever given a performance and workshop in this town since Israel was declared a State. Astounded by this fact I felt honoured to have been the first Clown to enter this town and that our Jewish and Arab Children Circus group played such a mission of diplomacy as to bring joy to a community that will talk about us fondly for some time to come.

Have a wonderful summer break and we will still be here when you get back.