How do you spell child?

Conference Schedule:

10:00  – Opening

Opening remarks on behalf of the Train Theater: Kobi Frig, Train Theater CEO 

Shahar Marom, Train Theater Artistic Director 

About the conference: Tamar Hochstatter, Content curator. Author and editor of literature for children and youth at “Am Oved” publications.

10:15 – The child in the Train Theater, then and now

Naomi Yoeli, Independent theater creator, puppeteer, director, playwright, and dramaturg. On the differences between the children’s characters in the plays that she directed over the years. 

10:35 – Writers, directors, and actresses playing children on stage – Panel of women creators on the representation of children in the theater

With: Theater artist and puppeteer Meytal Raz; Actress, director of theater and children’s television Yarden Bar Kokhva; and director and playwright Tzviya Huberman

Led by: Danielle Cohen-Levi, director and playwright.

On the children in the audience: Razi Amitay, President of ASSITEJ Israel.

11:35 – “This is the last time I’m reading this!” Have children become too gentle to read books? 

Shoham Smith, Author of children’s literature. On the complex relations between children, parents, and books. 

11:55 – Family on high-volume 

Michal Pitovsky, Author, YouTuber, and researcher of the YouTuber phenomenon. On YouTuber families and the child figure within it. 

12:15 – Toys as models of reality

Shlomi Eigar, Toy designer and researcher. On how toy design testifies to changes in the perception of childhood. 

12:35 Lunch

13:30 – Opening of the Dalia Yaffe-Maayan Children’s Library

Kobi Frig, Theater CEO, Avi Cohen, Train Theater artist and representative of the family

14:00 – But have children really changed?

Panel of educators and therapists on the children of today, the space in which they live, and our attitudes towards them. 

With: Iris Chayat, Preschool teacher in the anthroposophical approach; Rachel Shapiro-Fink, Educational consultant in the spirit of progressive education; Ya’ara Inbar, Writer of books for children and adults and teacher of subjects in the humanities at the Hillel experimental school. Led by: Sharon Cantor, Communications professional, author, and literary critic.  

15:00-Show – My Hugo, by Ronit Kano

On stage: Ronit Kano, Yehonatan Ben Haim, and Ayala Dangor

Noa really doesn’t feel like doing her family tree project. She has way more interesting things to do. And besides, all the other kids have grandmas and grandpas with impressive heroic stories, and only her grandpa is not a pioneer, a warrior, or a hero. 

Very slowly and gently, and with the help of live music, shadows, unique wooden sculptures, and humor, Grandpa Hugo reveals his moving story to Noa. 

This is the childhood story of the father of Ronit, the creator of the show. 

A riveting human story full of love and courage, in times when evil raged in the world, about the goodness of humankind. A story that holds great hope, which formed thanks to good people who chose to act for others even if they endangered themselves in doing so.

The play is based on the life story of Jacques Kano. A play about benevolence. Every human, whoever he may be, is human.

In memory of Francois and Maria Knops and Rev. Jan Brujan of Belgium. Righteous among the nations.