A Trumpet in the Wadi

Shmuel Hasfari’s play is a portrait of the cultural and social contexts in which ethical issues are navigated. The play, set in the diverse and multicultural environment of Haifa, explores themes of identity, tradition, and modernity, reflecting the complexities of Israeli society. The story follows the romance between Alex, a Jewish trumpet player, and Houda, an Arab woman. This relationship is symbolic of the wider relations between Jewish and Arabs who live in the same neighborhood in Jerusalem. A key point in the play comes when Houda discovers that she is pregnant and struggles to decide how to best appease herself, Hanan, her family, and her culture.