Jonathan Spector’s ‘Birthright’ puts Jewish history and memory on the stage – opinion

Jonathan Spector's new play, "Birthright," explores Jewish history, memory, and identity through the lens of Yosef Hayim Yerushalmi's 1982 work, "Zakhor: Jewish History and Jewish Memory." The play, which premiered in Miami in 2025 and recently concluded an off-Broadway run, follows six American Jews over 18 years, examining their evolving relationships with Jewish identity and Israel before and after October 7, 2023. Spector was inspired by Yerushalmi's analysis of the tension between collective Jewish memory and modern historical scholarship, particularly how history has become a "faith of fallen Jews" as traditional religious practice recedes. The play delves into how Jews have historically turned to writing history in response to trauma, a theme highlighted by the character Lev, who grapples with the disconnect between the Jewish state's miracle and its surrounding violence.