Gesher Theatre opened in 1990 as a marginal immigrant troupe in Tel Aviv, and soon became one of the most popular innovative theatres in Israel. It has now achieved international acclaim. However, because its bilingual performances and multicultural cast challenge cornerstones of Zionism, the mainstream Israeli media constantly debate Gesher’s position. Gesher: Russian Theatre in Israel – A Study of Cultural Colonization discusses Gesher’s history and analyzes its controversial media reception. What emerges is an extension of postcolonial theory to new cultural contexts, leading to a groundbreaking model of interethnic relations. This book will be of value to scholars of cultural studies and immigration, as well as to anyone interested in contemporary Israeli culture.

The Author: Olga Gershenson is Assistant Professor of Judaic and Near Eastern Studies at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst. She earned her doctorate in communication from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst, her master’s in communication and journalism from Hebrew University in Israel, and her bachelor’s in Russian philology from Ural State University in Russia. Her research on Israeli cultural studies and critical ethnography has appeared in major academic journals.