Indecent
not conforming with generally accepted standards of behavior or propriety; obscene.

Indecent is powerful. I have never left a show so at a loss for words as I did when the lights when down at the Arden Theatre Company on Sunday afternoon.

I first hear of God of Vengeance (the play within the play) a few years ago when the New Yiddish Rep staged a revival. I did not have a chance to see the show and then the title faded in my mind. When I heard that the Arden was producing Indecent the title popped back into my mind. Throughout the run I had numerous friends recommend the show to me. Not only were people raving about the production, they knew it would strike a particular cord within me – an American Jew who has loved theatre for as long as I can remember.

The show itself is a play within a play and covers themes of Judaism, sexuality, freedom, oppression, and the power of art. Needless to say, I was hooked. Though I’ve never felt very religious, I genuinely enjoyed learning about Judaism in Hebrew school and while studying for my bat mitzvah. I remember reading Night in my 8^th grade English class and learning the phrase “never again.”

“the play is eloquent and contemporary in its themes of freedom of expression and the universality and the ubiquity of oppression” –Marty Tuzman, Honorary Producer of Indecent

Earlier this week, while still processing my feelings surrounding the show, I read this NYTimes Article that I had bookmarked about Immigrant Children being detained at the border. I sat on my couch and cried reading about the conditions they are being kept in. Overwhelmed with thoughts shooting off in every direction, I kept coming back to two questions: How is this treatment not considered indecent? and How can I help? While I still do not have an answer to the first question, I have come up with an answer to the second.

In an effort to play my part, I am having a sale on my Galentine’s Day Greeting Cards. I will be donating 100% of the proceeds to HIAS (Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society) a global organization that “helps refugees rebuild their lives in safety and advocates to ensure that all displaced people are treated with dignity.” You can read more about their mission here, their response to the border crisis here, and their Charity Navigator rating here. I know this is a small step, but it’s something.

You can check out my greeting card designs here and place an order through this form.

“art has the power to save us, save our souls, and our society, from the darker forces of the world.” – Rebecca Wright, Director of Indecent