Gene Simmons at the Letters, Light and Love LA show (Image: tatsu.cinema)[Missing Credit]
The letters were written by major figures of history, both Jewish and not, from Julius Caesar to Golda Meir to Albert Einstein and Frank Sinatra, all with one thing in common: the resonance the holy land has to Jewish people.
Einstein’s letter was performed by actor Tovah Feldshuh, having been first read by Einstein himself on the very same stage in 1929.
A special moment in the show came when former Hamas hostage Eliya Cohen, who survived 505 days held captive in Gaza, and his wife, Ziv Abud, who tirelessly campaigned for his release, took to the stage.
They read a deeply personal letter about love, separation, survival and the choice to live.
Sarah Sultman MBE, who founded and produced Letter, Light and Love, said: “I created [it] after visiting the communities in Israel affected by October 7.
“I came home deeply troubled by a narrative that erased thousands of years of Jewish history, and I wanted to tell our story through the voices of the people who actually lived it, whilst raising money for the people whose lives were changed on October 7.
Lawrence Bender and Jon Voight at the Letters, Light and Love LA show (Image: tatsu.cinema)[Missing Credit]
“Letters have a particular honesty. They capture people in the act of being human, hopeful, frightened, funny and loving.
“At a time when Jewish identity, Jewish history and even our right to tell our own story are being challenged, it feels more important than ever that we reclaim these voices and allow them to be heard.
“These letters are not simply historical documents, they are deeply human stories of mothers and fathers, children and lovers, dreamers and leaders.”
She added: “What began as a rather simple idea has become something far greater than we ever anticipated.
“When I first conceived Letters, Light and Love, Michal [Noé, the show’s co-producer] and I could never have imagined the journey it would take us on, from London to Carnegie Hall in New York City, and to Royce Hall in Los Angeles. Every city has added something new to this story, with so much money raised, and we can’t wait to see where it travels to next.”
Tovah Feldshuh at the Letters, Light and Love LA show (Image: tatsu.cinema)[Missing Credit]
Noé added: “Throughout the centuries, when faced with hate, our response has been to focus on the light, look forward and rebuild.
“Letters, Light and Love is a celebration of the shared history and heritage of our people, and of the beauty and resilience we find together. We are honoured to have been a conduit for people to come together and find comfort, connection and joy in our eternal story...
“For Sarah and I, the greatest measure of its success has never been simply the money raised or the theatres filled. It is the connections it has created, the conversations it has started and the reminder it offers that our history is not something that belongs only in archives or museums. It belongs to all of us.”
The Letters, Light and Love LA show (Image: tatsu.cinema)[Missing Credit]
Letter, Light and Love premiered at London’s Theatre Royal Haymarket in June 2024, where it starred presenter Rachel Riley MBE, and actor and JC columnist Dame Maureen Lipman.
Money raised that night went towards the rebuilding of Kibbutz Be’er,i which was largely destroyed on October 7.
In February this year, the second production was held at New York City’s Carnegie Hall, where it starred Actor David Schwimmer and actor Amy Schumer.
Across the three productions to date, £3.5 million has now been raised for charity.
