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Play

How the Jews Wanted to Split-At the Red Sea 

CAST:

Introducer

Narrator 1

Narrator 2

Spy 1

Spy 2

Pharaoh

Narrator 3

Jew 1

Jew 2

Jew 3

Jew4

Moses 

Narrator 4

Joe Zebulun

Joe Naftali

Joe Benjamin

Joe Jew

Jake Jew

Nachshon

People Down The Aisle

Miriam

The Girls

(Introducer, Narrators 1 & 2, and Pharaoh stand side by side)

Introducor: JEM, the Jewish Educational Morning  Program of ASBEE, presents their version of what happened before the sea split. This presentation is called, " How the Jews almost split or scrammed when the sea wouldn't split for them". 

Narrator 1: When Pharaoh sent  the Jews out of Egypt, it wasn't clear if he meant to send them on the three day tour which they had been asking for so long, or if he had sent them away for good.  Well, Pharaoh decided after three days that what he really wanted was for them to come back. 

Narrator 2: He sent out spies who told him that  the Jews had escaped and were not planning on coming home in the near future. 

(Exit Introducer, Narrators 1 & 2;  Enter Spy 1 & 2)

Spy 1:  Pharaoh! Pharaoh! The Jewish slaves have run away and don't plan to come back, at least in the near future! 

Pharaoh: You fool! I knew they'd never come back. But if we try to bring them back, they'll come all right!  Ha Ha!  They'll be back yet!

Spy 2: That's right  almighty Pharaoh. Those Jews are already lost in the Desert. They're pretty bad at  figuring out which way to go. Our sources indicate that  they are stuck . They are caught in between the mountains and the Red Sea.

Pharaoh: Send out the troops! Get  out 600 chariots! Call out the captains! I'll hitch up my chariot myself!

(Exit Pharaoh, Spy 1 & 2; Enter Narrator 3)

Narrator 3: When the Jews saw the Egyptians behind them, with horses and chariots, they became scared. Some cried to G-d, Some complained to Moshe. Some argued about jumping into the sea.

(Exit Narrator 3. Jew 1-4, Joe Zebulun, Naftali, Benjamin, Nachshon, Moses with staff in hand, stand on stage (bima).  The people down the aisle stand blocking the aisle.)

Jew 1: G-d save us! G-d save us! G-d, you took us out of Egypt in order to bring us to Israel. Don't let us die here.

Jew 2: G-d, you brought all those plagues to  the Egyptians: blood, frogs, lice, and more. You finally convinced the Egyptians that you are G-d. If you let us die here, all your work will go to waste, and the Egyptians will say their G-d is better than ours.

Jew 3: (To Moses) Moses, you think there's a grave shortage in Egypt, so you brought us out here to die. Why did you take us out of Egypt? How did you get us into this mess? Didn't you make a deal with Pharaoh that  he wouldn't chase you?

Jew 4: Down with Moses!

Moses: Don't worry.  GD will save us! (Pause, To GD) GD save us! (Moses lifts staff) Split! Split!

Narrator 4:  At this point, there are two versions of what happened. The sea wouldn't split until someone jumped in. Some Rabbis say that all the tribes were fighting who would get to jump in first. Finally, Benjamin jumped first. The other Rabbis say that the opposite was true. everyone said they didn't want to jump in until Judah came out and jumped in. We will present both versions. Version 1:

Joe Zebulun: Wait a minute! Just you wait one minute! Don't stand around here complaining! Our tribe, Zebulun, will jump right in, and we'll swim to safety.

Joe Naftali:  Hey. Why should you get to jump in first? Our tribe, Naftali should jump in. You always try to steal the show!

Joe Benjamin:  Oh, stop bickering! I'm from Benjamin. I'm jumping right in and that's final.

(Joe Benjamin jumps, and the sea splits ( the people down the aisle turn to let them through. Then they turn back to block it again.)

Narrator 4: And here's the other version:

(Enter Joe Jew, Jake Jew, and Nachshon)

Joe Jew: I'm not jumpin in that sea. There are alligators in there!

Jake Jew: I'm not jumpin in either. You've got to be kiddin. I wouldn't step foot in there!

Nachshon:  Oh you cowards. You have no faith. I, Nakhshon ben Aminadav, of the tribe of Judah, I'll jump in and  G-d will save us.

(Nachshon jumps and the sea splits again. The people down the aisle turn to let them through. This time, all the actors pass through the sea- walk down the aisle.  Moses goes first.  Nachshon & Joe Benjamin follow.

As they walk, they all sing:)

Mi  khamokha ba-elim ado---- nai,

Mi khamokha nedar ba-kodesh,

Norah tehi-lot, oseh feleh.

Tzur Yisrael, kumah be-ezrat Yisrael,

Ufde khin-umekha, Yehudah, ve-Yisrael,

Goaleinu, a-do--- nai Tzevaot shemo,

Kedosh Yisrael.

(Miriam and  the girls dance in a cirlcle and carry fake tambourines, as they sing behind the boys.)

PROPS: Tambourines, reefs, staff, Moses' outfit, Pharaoh hat, sunglasses for spies, bathing cap for Joe Benjamin and Nachshon.