Theater J's Israeli Theater Collection at the Harold Green Jewish Theatre Company

Nephesh Theatre's It Sounds Better in Amharic

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Founded as Canada’s first professional Jewish theater in 1978, Nephesh Theatre, now based in Tel Aviv, produces plays in repertory throughout Israel in Hebrew and English. Their works reflect a plurality of beliefs and emphasize common bonds between different communities within Israeli society.


At age eight and a half, Yossi Vassa, born Anda Argi, left his village in northern Ethiopia with his parents, brothers, and grandmother for a year-long trek to Israel, by foot, by donkey, and by plane as part of Operation Moses.


In his intimate, touching, and funny one-man show, Vassa blends memoir, stand-up, and incisive social observations to share the pains and opportunities of immigration, integration, and identity, particularly as a Black Jew in Israel.


Covering dating, education, immigration, television programming, choosing a new name and more, It Sounds Better in Amharic is a search for a harmony among differences as well as commonalities. 

  • Year
    2004
  • Runtime
    56 minutes
  • Language
    English
  • Country
    Israel
  • Director
    Shay Ben Attar
  • Screenwriter
    Yossi Vassa and Shay Ben Attar