FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 28, 2007

Contact: Rachel Mattson, 917-216-1426

Jews and West Indians Create Purim Spectacle for Workers Rights

Party and performance highlight key labor issues of wages,  dignity and respect through theatre, performance and music.

New York- On Saturday, March 3rd, beginning from 8pm until the early morning, a social hall on 33rd Street will be filled with hundreds of Jews and non-Jews, a marching brass band, giant baby puppets, steaming trays of roti, clinking glasses of Manischewitz, and an incredible theatrical spectacle. This mayhem is "Roti and Homentashn," a product of an annual collaborative political theater project and Purim spiel, the story of the Purim holiday. Drawing on Jewish tradition and history, it is designed to support progressive political causes, particularly immigrant rights.

Domestic Workers United (DWU) and Jews for Racial and Economic Justice (JFREJ) have been working together for four years to improve conditions for more then 600,000 mostly immigrant women domestic workers across New York. IN 2003, they successfully passed the first Domestic Workers Bill of Rights through the New York City Council and have been working to pass a Bill of Rights through the State Legislature in Albany.

“We are so excited to extend our collaboration from the state-house and the street to the stage,” said JFREJ member Rachel Mattson.  “This event is an extraordinary hybrid: It’s a carnival! Its a costume party! Its political theater! Most of all, it’s a smokin’ klezmer-calypso-bhangra dance party,” she continued.

"Roti and Homentashn" was created by artists and members of JFREJ, theWorkmen's Circle/Arbeter Ring, a Yiddish culture, social justice and historic community organization, Domestic Workers United and Great Small Works, a local theater arts company who all worked in collaboration to pull together this theatre extravaganza.  The event is also a fundraiser for JFREJ's Shalom Bayit: Justice for Domestic Workers campaign, the Workman's Circle's Immigrant Rights and Health Care for All campaign, and the work of Domestic Workers United.

“We instigated this joyous collaboration with JFREJ, Great Small Works, and this year DWU, to celebrate Purim in a new way –using the tradition to support serious social change and great theatre,”  said Adrienne Cooper, Executive Officer for External Affairs at the Workmen’s Circle/Arbeter Ring. 

Roti and Homentashn takes a progressive twist on the Book of Esther, telling it from the perspective of the palace workers.  This event will feature klezmer, calypso and marching bands, dancing, and traditional Jewish and Caribbean food and drinks. Performers include DJ Rekha, Adrienne Cooper, Jennifer Miller (of Circus Amok), The Rude Mechanical Orchestra, Aaron Alexander, Jake Shulman-Ment and members of Romashka, The Culture Committee of the DWU, Ariel Federow a.k.a Miss JewSA, Daniel Lang/Levitsky, and Rachel Mattson. 

The Purim Spiel will be held at the Workman's Circle at 45 East 33rd Street between Park and Madison Avenues. Suggested admission is $12. No one will be turned away for lack of funds or costume. To RSVP to Nicole Solomon at 212-647-8966 x10 or info@jfrej.org