Avishai Shitrit: "When I was asked to operate Tzur's puppet, I just couldn't do it"

We hold the conversation with actor Avishai Shitrit after a long and exhausting day of filming that began in the early morning hours and ended at eight in the evening. "Are you sure you can talk?" we ask.

Shitrit immediately answers positively, a broad smile appearing on his face, reminiscent of the smile on the face of 'Tzur'—the puppet familiar to children from the show 'Tzur Meshelanu'. Only later in the interview, when he tells us what he goes through during the filming hours as he operates the puppet for an entire day, will we understand how our question was spot-on and how much more exhausted he is than one might imagine.

Prayer for Everything and for the Voice

In fact, the first time Shitrit stepped into Tzur’s shoes was about six years ago when the popular show was first produced. His story of being accepted to the Hidabroot channel is one full of divine providence, and he shares: "I came to the first audition as a puppeteer. Besides me, there were twenty other people competing for the role. In the end, the team evaluating us took me aside and said, 'You handle the puppet very well, but you don’t have a child's voice. Try to make a child’s voice.' I tried and failed, and the team said, 'We’re sorry, but Tzur must have a child's voice and not an adult's.'

"I went home feeling down, and then they called me and suggested I come in a week for another audition where I’d sit with the puppet and try to produce sounds. I was really desperate and told them, 'I already made all the sounds I could, I have nothing new.' Nevertheless, we agreed I’d come. I realized I had a week to achieve a child's voice, but how do you do that?"

At this point, Avishai recalls while in high school and at his hesder yeshiva, when he wanted a special blessing for success in various matters, he would go to Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu, of blessed memory, and wait all night until sunrise, then enter for the vatikin prayer to receive a blessing. "When I asked to be accepted to the channel, it was shortly after the rabbi's passing, so I went to pray at his grave. I cried to Hashem, prayed, and asked. After that, I went to the audition, sat again with the puppet, and was told, 'Try.' I opened my mouth and attempted to make sounds, and suddenly, I produced the familiar voice: 'Hey, hello kids'—Tzur’s voice."

Avishai recounts that he was stunned, and the producers were also surprised and asked him: "Where was this voice until now? Did you buy it on eBay?"

"The truth is," he adds with a smile, "that for a long period, I feared that like how the voice came, it would suddenly disappear in the middle of filming. Therefore, before each shoot, I would go aside to talk and check if the voice was indeed there, and only then would I come to film. The truth is, to this day, when I sit and watch Tzur, I can’t believe that’s my voice..."

And what's it like to step into the shoes of a puppet?

"I really enjoy it. I actually started my career as an actor and never thought of being a puppet. There was even a bit of disappointment when I realized all the actors would be seen and I wouldn’t, but eventually, I discovered the endless possibilities that can be brought out of a puppet since it's all about bringing the puppet to life and making it a living human. It's fun and brings life to me as well."

You're no longer a young child; can I ask how you connect with Tzur’s mindset?

"Right, I’m 39 years old, but luckily, I’ve never left my childhood. I've always been connected to children, really at a childlike level. I love mingling with young kids, laughing, and playing around with them. My kids always say to me, 'Dad, you're embarrassing,' but I know they truly enjoy it too.

"Before entering the acting world, I was a teacher and never agreed to enter a classroom higher than first or second grade. I wanted to be with young children only, and during breaks, I couldn't sit in the teachers' room; instead, I played soccer, tag, hide-and-seek, and even jumping elastics with the kids. That's my joy. Acting in a children's movie felt natural to me."

What does the role of Tzur require from you?

"To operate a puppet, you must first be an actor, that's clear, but besides that, you need to have a technical sense and good coordination to make the puppet look good on screen, to move like a child and not like a fabric puppet. The goal is for the puppet to become lively and real."

And it's certainly difficult.

"Very," he agrees, "I train for it a lot. I came to Hidabroot already having experience in the field, yet I still need extensive practice."

Lying Under a Bench

Every filming day is physically exhausting," Avishai explains. "When you're holding the puppet, you have to sit in various positions so that you can't be seen," explains Avishai. "The position I usually sit in is with both hands raised—one hand is inside the puppet's head, and the other hand is in the puppet's hand, and my head is bent almost to the floor—so that I'm not seen. I sit like this all day."

One time, he recalls that the pain intensified when they were supposed to show Tzur sitting on a bench, which required the puppeteer to lie ... under the bench. "I had to lie down for hours under the bench and lift both hands. I could hardly move my limbs. All day long, I waited for the lunch break, and when it finally came, everyone went to eat and... forgot to lift the bench and get me out. I remember myself shouting to everyone: 'Hey, wait, I'm here, please get this bench off me.'"

Through an entire filming day, you stay in such positions? How do you manage?

Avishai points out it’s really not easy. "After a minute of sitting, you realize how painful and hard it is. At one moment your shoulder aches, the next moment you feel like your neck is almost breaking apart. But then you somehow get used to the position, and the joy of creation dulls the pain. Oh, and I also have a privilege."

What is it?

"Because I am hidden and bent, I can keep the text in front of me and simply read from it, while all the other actors have to memorize entire scripts by heart..."

The Mission: "To Teach Good Values"

In this entire role, Avishai mentions there is a significant dimension of mission. "Every time, I am amazed to see the number of views, thank God, on our different programs. Because the opportunity here is huge – so many children watch Tzur because they simply love him, but along the way, they also learn about values. We, as parents, know how often we try to educate our kids and instill them with good values, but when they see in front of their eyes a child like them named Tzur who failed in offending a friend and then goes to apologize, or honors parents, helps adults, or does not participate in a boycott – it is a million times stronger than telling our children: 'You must honor parents,' 'Do not boycott,' and so on.

"Of course, there is also a significant responsibility. I know that if I say a word in the wrong place or mistakenly convey a negative message—then this too will be learned from me. I really need to be careful and weigh every word."

Finally, Avishai shares that he also has good news: in less than a month, Tzur will leave the filming studio and meet the children of Elad and Petah Tikva in two major performances organized especially for them. The performance in Elad will take place on 7.8 (Tu B’Av) and in Petah Tikva on 8.8 (16th of Av).

"I am very excited about these performances," says Tzur—oops, Avishai—smiling. "I think they have tremendous potential because they will actually connect children with the characters they’ve always seen on the flat screen without being able to touch or feel them. Now it will be like magic – there will be Tzur's familiar home, the yard the children know, everything will be on the stage. It's a huge privilege to bring joy to so many children. I thank Hashem for this place and for this privilege."

Professionally, will performing be harder for you than the movie?

"It will be harder, because unlike what happens in film shooting—on the stage, I can't say 'Cut, cut' and stop everything to move my hand a little or manipulate my limbs. So until the end of the show, I'll need to be well hidden and not be seen, but at the end of the performance, I promise not to miss the greatest joy there is - seeing the children. I strive to reach every child who wants to meet me and shake my hand. I can't promise I'll succeed, but I really want to."

For details and ticket reservations for the shows: 0732221300