(FREEHOLD, NJ) — The Freehold Jewish Center (Congregation Agudath Achim) will present the New Jersey premiere reading of award-winning playwright Gary Morgenstein's provocative new play The Silence of Our Friends on Sunday, April 26, 2026 at 2:00pm as a special fundraising event with all ticket proceeds going to the synagogue.
The Silence of Our Friends is set in Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s New York City where a retired professor hatches a desperate plan to combat surging antisemitism. As a fading marriage unravels, a lost love resurfaces, and the pain of parenting cuts deep, this timely and poignant new work explores the cost of silence - and the courage it takes to speak out.
Directed by Michele Coppolino, the reading will feature Judi Brennan Kuldinow; Jackie Kusher, Jacynth Apora, Martin Cordero and Howard Gandelman, with stage directions by Miriam Kapelushnik.
Tickets are available for purchase online. A talkback will immediately follow the reading. Refreshments will be served. The Freehold Jewish Center is located at 59 Broad Street in Freehold, New Jersey..
Said Rabbi Andrew Schultz: “As Rabbi of the Freehold Jewish Center, I am pleased to support creative opportunities which strengthen ties to Judaism. In light of the rising tide of anti-Semitism, dramatization of its impact is an effective way to raise awareness and sensitivity. Furthermore, when it comes to anti-Semitism, it's important we recognize the critical importance of having our voices heard. I am eager to view The Silence of Our Friends.”
“I’m honored that my new play will serve as a fundraiser to benefit the Freehold Jewish Center, one of New Jersey’s most historic synagogues with a rich history of serving its community, which will open its doors to present a story about one of the world’s oldest and most resilient viruses – silence in the face of evil,” said Mr. Morgenstein.
Gary Morgenstein's plays have been performed all over the United States, including New Jersey with sold-out productions of the Broadway World-winning A Black and White Cookie and the Perry Award-winning A Tomato Can't Grow in the Bronx at Center Players in Freehold, and a fundraising event reading of Dancing on Glass at the Freehold Jewish Center.
