Christmas Musical

A short clip made by CMC can be watched: HERE.

Notre Dame Auditorium in Jerusalem became a stage for light, music, and hope as around 40 Hebrew-speaking children and youth from across Israel performed “Simha, the Angel Bringing Hope.” This Christmas musical, created by a team of St. James Vicariate and two educators from Austria, united the Vicariate's children and young people from diverse backgrounds in a shared celebration of faith and joy.

It was more than performance itself. It was a journey of hope and creativity. Arabic-speaking choir children from Ramleh joined the Hebrew-speaking group for a special day during rehearsals, where they sang “Silent Night” together and participated in an arts workshop. The stars they created became part of the stage design, adding a unique and heartfelt touch to the set.

A short clip about the preparations may be seen on Instagram: HERE.

Performed in English and Hebrew, the musical told the story of Simha, an angel pointing towards the ultimate source of hope: Jesus. It wove together songs, dances and dialogues that captivated the audience. This was not the classic Christmas tale of Jesus in a manger. It was a fresh and timely reflection of the hope we seek today.

Some feedback from the many attending highlighted the impact of the evening.

“Wow, that was wonderful. Thank you so much for a great and most enjoyable time. I so enjoyed the children, the music, and the story script—so real for the now! Really, it was splendid. Blessings in abundance for a good 2025, and above all, that we will experience the peace that we pray and hope for.”

Another shared:

“It was delightful. I so enjoyed the children, the music—everything. I was able to forget everything else for a moment and fully enter into the joy of the evening. Thank you so much; it must’ve been an enormous amount of work. May you all be richly blessed, and may the New Year bring the peace we so earnestly pray for.”

One couple reflected:

“It was wonderful to see all the kids in action—such sweet angels, beautiful songs, and fantastic stage design. Kol ha’kavod! The encouraging closing words from Fr. Piotr were also very moving. We loved it!”

The children’s smiles and the warmth of the audience spoke volumes. In a time marked by division, this musical offered something differen: A moment to pause, come together, and share in hope.

As the final song of the evening echoed through the hall, it was clear that the message of Simha had reached beyond the stage. It reminded us all where our true hope lies and encouraged us to carry that light into the world.