"In My Field, It's Easy to Fall into Gossip Disguised as Humor"

We all received tools to help us find our way to our purpose, but it requires many prayers, and sometimes patience and persistence, to discover them. For Ra'anan Amihud—a married man and father of six from Yad Binyamin—it took two years to harness his talents and establish 'Ra'anan Theatre', a unique theater for children and adults that presents valuable content in a humorous, heart-opening way.

It all began when Amihud, a graduate of acting courses at 'Torat Haim' filmmaking school and scriptwriting courses in Yad Binyamin, decided to open a joint business with a good friend and turn his hobby into an official profession. That was nine years ago.

"At some point, my friend received a job offer in another field and left, and I decided to continue with the theater alone," he recalls. "In the beginning, it was very hard and even a little scary, but my love for the profession was stronger than anything. My belief is that a person who is connected to himself and develops his talent can connect with others and empower them, which is what kept me going despite the difficulties."

Amihud (35) started his acting journey leading activities at the 'Bnei Akiva' youth movement, where he was asked to craft plays on topics like Shabbat, modesty, prayer, and similar themes to engage the youth. His success there led to further engagements at high schools and seminaries in Gush Katif, where he lived then. "The theater's goal is to strengthen people with messages of faith and service of Hashem in an engaging way. I view this role as a very important mission, especially in our generation, fueled by media and experiences. For me, even if one person connects to my content and gains some inspiration in their service of Hashem, it's an achievement."

Amihud writes the plays himself, with a focus on spiritual, professional, and uncompromising quality. He performs almost anywhere he's invited but has certain boundaries, such as not performing with women, and he consults his rabbi on every script before it’s developed into a full performance. "In my field, it's easy to fall into gossip disguised as humor. Therefore, knowing how to act properly, what can be joked about and what can’t, how much slang to use, and how to maintain a clean channel for conveying messages, are crucial."

Alongside his theater work, Amihud recently released a children's audio disc titled 'Salvation Thanks to the Torah' — a fascinating and engaging story that has already received enthusiastic feedback from parents and children. "The entire process of making this disc, from start to finished product, was accompanied by great divine assistance. What I did was to apply the tools I acquired in scriptwriting studies—character building, their history, and the narrative. At the end of the disc, there's also a very catchy and fun song, wonderfully produced at 'Sarah Fox' studios, and the final product is beyond what I imagined and expected.

"One of the most amusing and flattering comments I received was from a friend who approached me one day and said: 'It's all your fault.' He explained that his wife asked the kids to tidy up the living room and played my disc in the background. What happened was that for an entire hour, instead of tidying up, they were busy listening to the story.

"Of course, hearing this made me happy because it means I succeeded in conveying the message in an interesting way. The children are my mirror, and through them, I see the reflection of the investment and thought I put into every detail. Now I just hope it reaches as many children as possible from diverse audiences, and that every child can find their personal inspiration in the story."

Click here to purchase the audio disc "Salvation Thanks to the Torah."