The inhabitants of Chelm acknowledge the extreme disparity between the rich and poor folk, concluding that there is no true justice in Chelm. They therefore send two members of the community to go seek justice elsewhere. When these two Chelmites come across others who claim to have an entire warehouse filled with barrels of justice, they jump at the opportunity to procure one. However, upon returning to Chelm, they discover that the barrel isn’t filled with justice at all, but something else entirely. Ultimately, the Rabbi of Chelm guides everyone towards a deeper understanding of the very nature of fairness.

The JArtsTM TheatreWorks production of Tales of Chelm is based on the book, “The Wise Folk of Chelm” by Rabbi Seymour Rossel. Adaptors Jesse Garlick and Dori Robinson approach classic Jewish folktales through a modern lens in Tales of Chelm, reimagined by JArts Theatreworks. Composed of four segments, Tales of Chelm utilizes innovate performance techniques, such as puppets, masks and clowning, to tell the stories of the people of Chelm— Eastern European villagers who considered themselves uniquely wise, and whose antics have been amusing us since the sixteenth century. Learn how the town of Chelm came to be, follow along as they attempt the seemingly impossible, and discover why Jewish culture has rendered these stories immortal. Zany fun for all ages!