Avi Kushnir
Avi KushnirMoshe Shai/Flash90

On Sunday evening, a performance of “Abdullah Schwartz,” a play being staged in Rishon Letziyon, was interrupted when one of the members of the audience refused to don a face mask.

According to Ynet, following the woman’s refusal to follow the regulations, actor Avi Kushnir climbed down from the stage and asked the woman to “let us continue,” but the woman did not relent. She was then removed from the hall by ushers and the play resumed.

On Saturday evening, Walla reported that another actor, Mordi Gershon, was suspended from the Habima theater and taken off the cast of three plays due to his refusal to either be vaccinated or to submit to a coronavirus test.

The Habima theater does not compel its staff to be vaccinated, but it does require its non-vaccinated staff to be tested for coronavirus as a condition for further employment. Gershon refused to comply and passed up on three separate roles.

Noam Semel, the director of Habima, confirmed the reports that Gershon had been suspended. “Habima decided on this course of action after Mordi Gershon was approached a number of times and asked either to be vaccinated or tested, according to Health Ministry guidelines – and unfortunately he refused. Following consultation with our lawyers, we decided to suspend him, following the receipt of multiple complaints from actors, theater workers, dressers, and make-up artists, asking not to be assigned to work with him due to his refusal to comply with coronavirus regulations.”

Semel added that, “Mordi will receive a salary for his remaining days of paid leave. Habima will not compromise with regard to the Green Pass regulations and coronavirus testing, and I as director am obligated to safeguard the health of the general public, the actors, and the theater’s other employees. Therefore, last week I arranged for Covid-19 testing to take place at the theater itself, and most of the actors and employees were tested.”