Jerusalem Dance Theater Presents: "When I Grow Up to Be Small - Janusz Korczak"

In honor of Holocaust Remembrance Day, the Jerusalem Dance Theater is once again staging the original dance performance inspired by Janusz Korczak, the great Jewish-Polish educator, "When I Grow Up to Be Small." The show, created by choreographer and artistic director Tamara Mielnik, draws inspiration from Janusz Korczak’s writings—chapters from his diary and excerpts from his stories: "Hershele and the Crazy Rabbi" and "Esterka." The performance combines the arts of dance, theater, and video art, telling Korczak’s story from World War I until his death alongside his students.

Preserving the memory of the Holocaust and the phrase "to remember and to remind" are very close to my heart. As a member of the "second generation," I heard stories of horrors and survival from my late parents, of blessed memory, who lost all their family members—my father in Poland, my mother in Romania—during this terrible time. Therefore, any work that memorializes the Holocaust is a blessing. This Sunday, ahead of Holocaust Remembrance Day, I watched a moving and original dance performance by the Jerusalem Dance Theater, "When I Grow Up to Be Small," which celebrates the world-renowned educational work of Janusz Korczak, who met his death through a heroic choice during the Holocaust.

Jerusalem Dance Theater presents the original dance performance inspired by Janusz Korczak, the great Jewish-Polish educator, "When I Grow Up to Be Small." The show, created by choreographer and artistic director Tamara Mielnik, draws inspiration from the writings of Janusz Korczak—chapters from his diary and excerpts from his stories: "Hershele and the Crazy Rabbi" and "Esterka." The performance combines the arts of dance, theater, and video art, telling the story of Korczak from World War I until his death alongside his students.

Tamara Mielnik, the show's creator, shares emotionally: "Staging this performance to mark Holocaust Remembrance Day in Israel holds a very powerful and moving significance for me as a daughter of Holocaust survivors. The show connects two worlds close to my heart that I have been exploring for over 40 years: Jewish identity, which rests on culture and language, and the world of dance, which expresses thoughts and feelings in an abstract and different way. This is a closing of a circle with my childhood, with my parents' home, and it is a modest thank you to a man who dedicated his life to children everywhere."

The special combination on stage between a theater actor portraying Janusz Korczak, modern dancers, unique music, and video art segments artistically expresses Korczak's life story and legacy: his immense contribution to humanity—as the Convention on the Rights of the Child was inspired by him and adopted by UNESCO—and the fact that he was Jewish and not a Christian Pole, as many tended to think.

In 2007, Tamara Mielnik premiered the show in France at the European Theater Festival, in a co-production with French playwright Fernand Garnier, receiving rave reviews. Since then, for about two decades, the performance has toured Israel and the world, using artistic means to convey the legacy, life story, and death of the man who shaped, and whose spirit continues to shape, the education of generations of children. The show has been performed dozens of times, and over the years, adults, young people, students, and youth have been moved and influenced by it. The performance is recognized by the National Culture Basket as part of dance events on the history of the Jewish people.

Tamara Mielnik, Founder and Creator:

Dancer and choreographer Tamara Mielnik (78) founded the Jerusalem Dance Theater with her partner, musician and theater person Dov Mielnik, in 1985 in Jerusalem. As an Israeli artist living and working in Jerusalem, a daughter of Holocaust survivors and a native of Belgium, her works over the years have dealt with the issue of Jewish identity. In her childhood in Brussels, Tamara was educated by a woman who later became her guardian and was a central figure in the Jewish community. Tamara was deeply influenced by her pedagogical approach, which was based on the teachings of Janusz Korczak, and Tamara continues in this spirit today as both an educator and an artist.

As part of her artistic activities, Tamara has engaged in many collaborations in solo performances and company shows across various settings worldwide: among other things, she was a guest solo performer in Alvin Ailey's company in New York, created Yiddish performances, participated in international festivals dealing with Jewish culture, and more. In 2012, Tamara established a religious dance company called TAMI, intended for all segments of the religious sector.

In 2016, Tamara Mielnik won the Minister of Education Prize for creators in the field of Jewish Culture for her extensive activities in the field of dance. The prize was awarded to her for her years of work and artistic creation dealing with the issue of Jewish identity.

In 2026, Tamara's book, "Tamara - Roots and Wings," was published, describing her life story and legacy in the world of dance and poetry. The book was written as a dialogue with Nicole Spodek and outlines her personal and artistic path over the years.

Jerusalem Dance Theater:
Jerusalem Dance Theater is a contemporary repertory company that works with creators with unique styles and statements from Israel and around the world, with the aim of maintaining a personal-cultural dialogue that brings different audiences together. The company was founded in 1985 by dancer and choreographer Tamara Mielnik. Ms. Mielnik, a daughter of Holocaust survivor parents, has staged dance works with value-driven messages and connections to Jewish heritage, as well as international repertoire.

The company performs at well-known festivals in Israel and around the world. Among the choreographers who have created for it are: Yair Vardi, Lior Lev, Eyal Dadon, Liat Waysbort, Ido Batash, Francesca Harper, Roberto Scafati, Noa Zuck, Pablo Girolami, and more. The company is recognized as a professional artistic institution for dance and meets high artistic standards set by the Ministry of Culture and Sports, the Jerusalem Municipality, and the National Culture Basket committee for children and youth, in addition to receiving impressive reviews from well-known dance critics.

Jerusalem Dance Theater aims to create artistic content relevant to Israeli and international culture to bring different audiences together and stimulate discourse on ethical issues, education, culture, society, and more.

"When I Grow Up to Be Small - Janusz Korczak":

Choreography and Artistic Direction: Tamara Mielnik

Dancers: Hadar Hanna Gino, David Benayon Dos Santos, Noga Anny Alpert, Alon Giladi, Iris Friedman, and Ishay Molcho.

Actor: Yehonatan Ben Haim

Rehearsal Management: Laura and Laurence

Music: Hana Ajiashvili
Video Art: Judith Darmon

Lighting Design: Dov Mielnik

Duration: 60 minutes

The show is suitable for teenagers and adults.

Jerusalem Dance Theater Office: 053-3513633

Website: https://jdt-company.com/