"I Was a Sensitive Child. Today, as a Director of a Jewish Children's Theater, I Share My Stories and Boost Their Self-Esteem"

In the performances of the 'Hoshen' Theater, founded by Neria Meir, there are lights, songs, and costumes, but one thing is missing: actors. "Fifteen minutes before the show begins, students selected by the teachers come to me. I conduct a quick audition for them and assign them roles. They receive costumes, the lights in the hall go down, and the show begins," surprises us with his original and successful style of plays.

"I remember one time performing at a school when a teacher approached me and asked, 'Do you know who the child who played the main role is?' I replied that I didn't, and she excitedly told me that the student is known as a 'problematic' child. He doesn't sit in classes, and the staff mainly knows him for his disciplinary issues. It was the first time the teachers experienced him positively. For the first time, for 45 consecutive minutes, he was attentive, focused, and cooperated magnificently. The educational team, who watched the student flourish on stage, was amazed and captivated throughout the show."

Many children who play alongside Neria feel that they don't have a place in the classroom—but when they express themselves in the right space, they are amazed at their abilities, discovering that they are talented and have something to offer.

"I Got Hurt a Lot, It Was Hard for Me to Share What I Feel"

As a child, Neria was introverted and sensitive. "I was vulnerable, and it was hard for me to express what I felt. My mother, who always cared for me, encouraged me to share and open up to society. Today, I think the ability to express oneself is essential for building self-confidence. When we share with others and express our emotions, we gain tools for coping and also get to know ourselves better.

When a child struggles and doesn't share, distress develops. The combination of performances with children from the audience, who fully participate in the play, gives them the ability to express themselves, strengthens their confidence, and provides them self-recognition of their abilities."

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((Photography: Sagiv Cohen

'Hoshen' theater has been around for more than a decade. The turning point came when Neria tried to think of ways to integrate children into the performance so that they would be active within the story. "The idea for children to take an active part in acting developed slowly until it became a unique genre of a show incorporating the students." Probably, only Neria knows how the show will end, since the students don’t memorize the scripts, nor are they chosen for special skills, yet the result is undoubtedly impressive. The scenery, costumes, and live music are all precise and blend marvelously with the students on stage, performing before an audience that sometimes includes parents. "It takes a lot of courage," Neria says with a smile, "but the great beauty is when all these things blend perfectly."

"The Mother Thanked Us in Tears"

Neria also finds joy in uplifting children—and adults—who need it especially. "A touching case I particularly remember was of a child who became ill and underwent very harsh treatments," he recalls. "His parents were looking for anything that could cheer him up and make him smile. They reached out to us with his painful story, and to cheer him, we sent them a show we filmed especially for Chanukah. I remember how the mother approached me in tears, thanked us, and said that together with the child, the medical staff and she watched the show, and amidst all the pain, they couldn't stop laughing. It was a moment I will definitely remember. I had a great privilege to touch the heart of a child who was suffering so much."

Simchat Torah, the outbreak of the Wars of Swords, and schools closed. Even now, Neria—whose performances are mainly before school students—does not stop for a moment. This time, instead of going to schools, he visits IDF bases, playing music for soldiers, performing for families of the evacuees, and entering bomb shelters. He understands that now, the free time and talent he has can and should be used to help and cheer the People of Israel.

When we ask Neria how the 'Hoshen' theater came to be, he goes back in time to Shabbat evenings during his youth, which he remembers as a particularly sweet time. "After the meal, my brother and I stayed around the Shabbat table, singing and storytelling into the night for hours. Everyone would share what happened to them during the week, and the stories were always full of color and interest. The phrase that accompanied us was: 'Live the story and tell the life,' and that later drove me to play music and sing at community events and celebrations." Neria started his journey as a teacher, and after a decade of teaching, where he encountered various educational challenges, he felt he wanted to help children differently. "I wanted to touch the hearts of children. That's what motivated me and gave me the strength to leave an organized job like teaching and become independent, a status where no one guarantees you anything. You have to lift your eyes and pray to the Creator of the world."

"I'm Not Here to Babysit, I Have a Mission"

Today, Neria Meir manages the 'Hoshen' Theater, which features 10 different plays, sings, and plays music at performances, and conducts workshops for educational teams on integrating acting tools in the classroom. "It’s very important to me to write the content I produce myself, and sometimes I even consult with religious figures to ensure the performance is meaningful and uplifting. I'm not here just to babysit and keep kids busy but to strengthen them, using this tool for Torah, faith, and fear of Heaven."

When Neria is asked if he sees the influence of the performance on children, he recalls with a smile one of the times he entered a school for another show for the students. "I didn’t have a chance to settle in, and a sixth-grader recognized me, hummed a song from one of my shows, laughed at my surprised look, and said: 'You were at our school five years ago, I still remember your song.' I was moved to find that even after five years, children still remember my performances. And if a child remembers my song from a Chanukah play—then I believe the show’s content influences them. I have shows that repeat in different cities, and it's not easy. But when I finish the show, I feel a great privilege and also bless that the performance contributed to me no less than to the children."

"Actor" is not a good enough word to represent Neria Meir. "Above all, I am a Jew who wants to touch the hearts of the People of Israel," says Neria, who, after a decade in teaching, has learned to feel the children, identify their difficulties, and develop an approach to reach them. "I always tell the teachers I work with that we collaborate hand in hand. My goal is to broaden the children's souls, teach them good character traits, and deepen the messages."

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