Overview: A Return to a Pivotal Moment
On November 1, Tel Aviv’s Heichal HaTarbut will host a highly anticipated return of Amos Gitai’s multidisciplinary work, Yitzhak Rabin: Chronicle of a Murder. This is a one-off memorial designed to mark the 30th anniversary of Rabin’s assassination and to revisit the days that shaped Israeli society in profound and controversial ways. Gitai—an accomplished filmmaker and theater-maker known for projects such as A Free Zone and Kippur—invites audiences to experience a curious blend of cinema, theatre, and live music that together strive to illuminate a complex historical turning point.
What to Expect: A Multimedia Re-examination
The production promises an immersive re-creation of the 24 hours preceding Rabin’s murder on November 4, 1995. Through a fusion of film clips, stage performance, spoken testimony, and live orchestration, the show attempts to reconstruct the climate of political incitement and social tension that surrounded Rabin’s leadership. A key element is the inclusion of Leah Rabin’s testimony from that night, providing a personal counterpoint to the public debate that defined the period.
Live Music and Visuals
Accompanied by the Haifa Symphony Orchestra, the performance layers musical textures with visual signals—moments drawn from Gitai’s own 2015 film Rabin, the Last Day—to create a sonic and cinematic memoryscape. The interplay between live sound, archival imagery, and theatrical narration is designed to move beyond a straightforward documentary retelling, inviting contemplation about memory, responsibility, and democracy.
The Creative Team: Returning to a Contested History
After premiering at the Avignon Festival in France nearly a decade ago, the work returns to Israel for its 30th anniversary in a reimagined form. The production features acclaimed actresses Karen Mor and Yael Abecassis, whose performances anchor the piece amidst the multimedia collage. Gitai’s signature approach—blending documentary material with performative interpretation—seeks to unpack not only the events of 1995 but also the enduring questions about rhetoric, polarization, and the health of public discourse.
Why Now: Memory, Polarization, and a National Conversation
The show arrives at a moment when Israeli society continues to wrestle with political polarization and the responsibility of speech in the public sphere. By revisiting Rabin’s era—an era marked by intense debate and violent tragedy—the production aims to spark dialogue about the paths a democracy can take when heated rhetoric crosses lines. Gitai’s piece does not offer easy answers; it invites viewers to reflect on how memory informs present-day choices in Israel, in 2025 and beyond.
Practical Details and Accessibility
Details about tickets and exact scheduling are typically released by the venue and production team closer to the date. Those interested should monitor official announcements from Heichal HaTarbut and the production company for seating availability, accessibility information, and potential post-show discussions that may accompany the performance. Given the intimate scale of the multimedia presentation, capacity will likely be limited, underscoring the event’s significance as a singular commemorative moment.
A Memorable Confrontation with the Past
“Yitzhak Rabin: Chronicle of a Murder” is not merely a historical reconstruction; it is an artistic attempt to understand a moment when the country stood at a crossroads. By weaving together the voices of Leah Rabin, performances by Mor and Abecassis, archival footage, and a live musical frame, Gitai crafts a narrative that asks how Israel arrived at 2025 and what it might teach future generations about democracy, commemoration, and civic courage.
