In a riveting scene from the Apple TV+ World War II series “Masters of the Air,” Nate Mann plays Lt. Robert Rosenthal, a Jewish American bomber pilot who discovers the bodies of Jews murdered by the Nazis. As he surveys the devastation, he notices a phrase carved into a wall: “The Judge of All Judges.”
It’s hard not to judge Mann’s performance in the new off-Broadway play “Birthright” at MCC Theater as anything less than exceptional. With effortless charisma, commanding stage presence, and razor-sharp comic timing, Mann is worth the price of admission alone.
Written by Jonathan Spector, who won the Tony Award for “Eureka Day,” and directed by Teddy Bergman, “Birthright” unfolds across three acts, each set on a different night in the lives of the same group of friends. The first, in 2006, follows them after returning from a Birthright Israel trip. The second, in 2016, takes place amid anxiety over Donald Trump’s election. The third, in 2024, explores the aftermath of Hamas’ October 7 attack and the war in Gaza.
The production gradually transforms from a comedy about young Jewish adults finding themselves into a tense examination of politics, identity, friendship, and what it means to be Jewish in the United States today.
The next standout performance comes from Hale Appleman, who is mesmerizing as the enigmatic Lev. Quietly magnetic, Lev arrives carrying a thick stack of printed emails sent by Alona (Molly Ranson), leaving the audience wondering about both his intentions and whether romance might still be possible between them.
What is Birthright, and why is it barely mentioned in the play?
Founded in 1999 by philanthropists Charles Bronfman and Michael Steinhardt, Birthright Israel offers free 10-day educational trips to Israel for Jewish young adults, to strengthen their connection to the country and their Jewish identity. The play briefly nods to the long-running stereotype that many American participants hooked up with Israeli soldiers during the trip, but Birthright itself quickly fades into the background.
Instead, it serves as the launching point for friendships that evolve and fracture over nearly two decades. In recent years, Birthright has faced criticism from opponents who argue that the trips present an incomplete picture of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, a debate that ultimately becomes the play’s central focus.
The character who most forcefully embraces that criticism is Izzy, played by Molly Bernard. Izzy becomes the play’s most outspoken critic of Israel, culminating in a blistering confrontation during the third act with Chaya (Zoe Winters). Chaya accuses Izzy of minimizing Hamas’ atrocities and ignoring the complexity of Israel’s efforts to fight Hamas while trying to avoid civilian casualties. Izzy, meanwhile, believes she is the only one willing to confront uncomfortable truths about Israel’s conduct in Gaza.
One of the play’s most effective devices comes during this exchange. Chaya pulls up articles from The Jerusalem Post on her phone while Izzy counters with articles from anti-Israel publications. Their competing sources are projected onto the wall behind them, allowing the audience to watch not just the argument itself, but the information each woman relies upon.
Winters, who many viewers will recognize from HBO’s “Succession,” delivers one of the evening’s strongest performances. She begins as flirtatious and confident before revealing a woman weighed down by grief, anger, and personal loss.
‘Birthright’ is about feelings, not facts
Audience members on both sides of the political spectrum may leave wishing the characters had made stronger arguments. Those sympathetic to Israel may want Chaya to respond more forcefully to accusations of genocide. Others may feel Izzy never fully articulates the strongest critiques of Israel’s military campaign.
But “Birthright” is ultimately less interested in determining who is right than in portraying how ordinary people actually argue about Israel. Most people are not experts in international law, military history, or Middle East politics. They argue from emotion, personal experience, friendships, headlines, and social media posts. In that respect, Spector’s dialogue feels remarkably true to life.
The play captures another uncomfortable reality as well: even those who feel informed often remain silent because they fear damaging friendships, romantic relationships, or professional opportunities by speaking too openly.
Will the nice guy finish last, or first?
Eli Gelb plays Noah, an earnest and endearing nebbish who hopes to win Chaya’s affection despite the many obstacles standing in his way. Gelb is often excellent, though at times he edges a bit too close to a Jonah Hill impression.
Noah spends much of the play attempting to mediate the increasingly bitter disputes between Izzy and Chaya. Rather than engage deeply with the issues themselves, he repeatedly tries to defuse the tension with humor, even joking that perhaps their conversations will somehow solve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. His reluctance to take a firm stand feels recognizable, reflecting many people who prioritize preserving relationships over winning political arguments.
The absence of an actress is felt
Abbi Jacobson, best known for co-creating and starring in “Broad City,” exited the production before previews for personal reasons. Molly Bernard, who had originally been cast as Alona, stepped into the role of Izzy, while Molly Ranson joined the cast as Alona. Bernard handles the demanding role capably, though her portrayal occasionally leans more toward exasperation than persuasion. One can’t help but wonder how Jacobson’s comedic instincts might have changed the chemistry during Izzy’s confrontations with Chaya.
Liz Larsen is steady as Deborah, while Ranson brings warmth and subtlety to Alona, whose move to Tel Aviv becomes another point of tension among the group’s friends, particularly when Izzy confidently assigns motives that may or may not be true.
Set in Annandale, Virginia, Birthright succeeds because its relationships feel authentic even when its politics become messy. Spector skillfully balances humor with emotional weight, reminding audiences that Jews are anything but monolithic in their views. The play also explores the insecurities, ambitions, and disappointments that shape its characters beyond their politics.
Why “Birthright” is worth seeing despite an anticlimactic ending
The play ultimately stumbles in its conclusion. After building toward an emotional climax over three acts, the ending feels surprisingly anticlimactic, relying too heavily on characters describing events rather than allowing the audience to experience them. A more dramatic payoff would have elevated an already compelling production.
Even so, Mann, Appleman, and Winters deliver performances that would be at home on Broadway. Their work alone makes “Birthright” worth seeing.
The play doesn’t attempt to represent every viewpoint within the Jewish community, nor could it. Instead, it presents a believable cross-section of opinions, anxieties, and relationships while asking difficult questions about what it means to be a Jewish American today, how friendships survive political disagreements, and what personal or professional consequences can come from expressing unpopular views.
Rather than trying to educate audiences about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, “Birthright” explores how people experience it emotionally. If the play encourages audiences to move beyond slogans and social media talking points and engage more deeply with the issues it raises, it will have accomplished something worthwhile. Those questions don’t end when the curtain falls. They follow the audience out of the theater just as they follow the characters onstage and, increasingly, the actors portraying them. In that sense, “Birthright” is less a history lesson than a meditation on identity, belonging, and the cost of disagreement, making it one of the more thought-provoking new plays of the season.
