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The people

Behind every moment on stage stands a dedicated group of artists, musicians, designers, and performers. David the Servant King is brought to life by an extraordinary community of women who believe in the power of creativity, faith, and storytelling. This page celebrates the people who make the production possible. Click on their image to read their bio.

Creative Team

Shlomit Koffler Weinreb

Executive Producer, Scriptwriter, Music, and  Lyrics

Avital Macales

Scriptwriter

Ayelet Sanay

Director

Ellen Macales

Musical Director / Choral Arranger

Gabriella Friedman

Choreographer

Shayna Levine-Hefetz

Production Manager

Zahava Margulis

Set Coordinator

Osnat Alexa Solace

Costume Coordinator

Penina Taylor

Website and Digital Marketing

Ruth Hyman

Stage Manager and Props Master

Amit Ben Atar

Music Arranger

Cast

Avital Macales

David

Rivka Deray

King Saul

Tamar Rabinowitz

Nitzevet

Shlomit Koffler Weinreb

Samuel the prophet / Ensemble

Malkah Fleisher

Yishai

Michal Lourenco

Jonathan

Zahava Margulis

Michal / Ensemble

Esther Attia

Caleb / Ensemble

Meira Bar-Lev

Doeg the Edomite / Ensemble

Ariella Anouchi

Gershon / Ensemble

Chana Weisman

Eliav

Naomi Fleisher

Avinadav

Leah Fleisher

Shammah

Reiut Cohn

Otzem / Bully / Amalekite boy / Ensemble

Rachel Anolick

Radai / Ensemble

Aviva Karpel

Avner / Conductor / Ensemble

Penina Taylor

Yoav / Soldier

Anne Sperling

Benaiah / Ensemble

Shayna Levine-Hefetz

Avishai / Marketplace Vendor / Ensemble

Rachael Rosenbaum

Archangel / Harpist /Deborah the Servant / Ensemble

Rachelli Prawer

Maidservant / Ensemble

Sharon Katz

Witch of Ein Dor

Linda Pardes Friedburg

Hanani the Messenger / Ensemble

Yehudit Kontorovich

Tamar the Vendor / Ensemble

Rivka Morowitz

Hagit the Customer / Ensemble

Tamar Odes

Yael the Servant / Ensemble

Yael Yehuda

Avigail the Customer / Ensemble

Shlomit Koffler Weinreb

Shlomit Koffler Weinreb is an award-winning musician and composer/songwriter whose work has been recognized in major national competitions and featured on radio stations across the United States. She has recorded four original albums, including two with the acclaimed Jewish women’s band Ayelet Hashachar, where she served as composer, vocalist, and guitarist/percussionist for more than two decades.

Since making Aliyah to Efrat in 2021, Shlomit has composed for and performed in women’s theater productions, with her music featured in Mikvah the Musical and Heroines. She looks forward to writing the music for Raise Your Spirits’ upcoming musical, Miriam. Shlomit founded New Note Productions in 2024 to fulfill her dream of bringing the new musical, David the Servant King to life onstage. By telling the little-known backstory of David’s early years in story and song, she hopes to deepen the audience’s understanding of and love for Israel’s greatest king.

Avital Macales

Avital Macales (David ben Yishai/Scriptwriter) is a trained singer and actress who has spent nearly two decades performing leading roles in English-language musical theatre throughout the Jerusalem area. She is humbled to portray David, alongside a remarkably talented and passionate cast and crew, and is honored to have partnered with Shlomit Koffler Weinreb in creating the script.

Avital previously co-wrote and co-composed three original musicals with Sharon Katz—Count the Stars, Hidden, and Whisper Freedom—each illuminating a different chapter of the Jewish story. She is also the creator of three original songs giving voice to biblical figures — Moses, Joshua, and Noah — which can be found on YouTube.

Whether tapping away at her computer late at night or stepping into the heat of the stage lights, Avital delights in bringing our ancestors’ voices, struggles, and triumphs to life. Especially if it involves a cool belt.

Ayelet Sanay

Ayelet Sanay (Director) is a playwright and theater director with over fifteen years of experience. Her artistic focus lies in exploring the intersection between biblical stories and contemporary life — a connection that made her a natural fit for directing David, the servant king.

Her plays have been featured in events such as the Jerusalem Arts Festival and the Spring Festival at the Simta Theaters in Tel Aviv–Jaffa.

Ayelet teaches theater and playwriting, mentors emerging creators in various settings, and directs both professional and community productions.

Her work emphasizes strong aesthetic and artistic presence on stage, combined with depth and emotional sensitivity — both with the actresses and for the audience. Her goal is to elevate Jewish women’s theater to the highest level of professionalism and impact.

Ellen Macales

Ellen Macales (Musical Director and Choral Arranger) has vast experience in the field, having served as musical director for the Surflight Summer Stock Theater in Beach Haven, NJ, and the Plays-in-the-Park community theater in Edison, NJ. She also served as musical director and choral arranger for the Women’s Performance Community of Jerusalem, in the productions of Count the Stars, Hidden, and Whisper Freedom. Ellen currently conducts and composes music for a women’s choir in Rehovot, known as the Doron Choir. Her choral arrangements have been sung by other choirs in Israel and abroad. She teaches piano at the Ron Shulamit Music Conservatory in Jerusalem.

Ellen, a pianist, singer, composer and conductor, is thrilled at this opportunity to apply her musical skills as musical director and arranger for the production of David the Servant King.

Gabriella Friedman

Gabriella Friedman (Choreographer) is a Bat Sherut serving in Jerusalem. With her background in jazz, hip hop, and lyrical, and her exposure to modern, Afro-Caribbean, jazz funk and musical theater, she has been dancing and choreographing for many years. She is immensely grateful to have the privilege to make her large-scale choreographic debut with DAVID!

Shayna Levine-Hefetz

Shayna Levine-Hefetz (Production Manager/Avishai/Ensemble) is a proud wife, mother, and grandmother living in Neve Daniel. She has degrees in special education and psychology and made aliyah 10 years ago with her family. Shayna studied piano and performed in choirs/plays since she was five, including two years as a member and musical director of Kol Echad, an acapella group at Boston University. The group’s repertoire included some of her original compositions. Her music video, The Everlasting Flame, has been used in educational programs around the world. Shayna recently co-wrote Heroines! (Raise Your Spirits) and composed “Rachel’s Song” for the show. She retired from the stage when an infection left her with a vocal cord injury over 12 years ago and thankfully was able to return to performing in 2021. Shayna performs with two other companies and is proud to join the production team of David the Servant King.

Shayna wishes to thank the other members of the creative and production team, cast and crew whose dedication, collaboration, talent, creativity and flexibility has made this show a success, her husband and kids for sharing her with the theater family, her parents for being so supportive even from the other side of the world, and Hashem for giving her the opportunity once again to perform.

Zahava Margulis

Zahava Margulis (Michal/Ensemble) is thrilled to be part of this beautiful production! Having previously played only male roles, she’s excited to make her stage debut as a woman. She thanks New Note, the Jerusalemites in the cast for being bus buddies, and her roommate for tolerating her shower singing.

Osnat Alexa Solace

Osnat Alexa Solace (Costume Coordinator) is a recent graduate of Tel Aviv University with a BA in theatre directing. A long time veteran of community theatre, she is thrilled to be working on a story about King David.

Penina Taylor

Penina Taylor (Web Designer/Yoav/Ensemble) brings her lifelong love of music and theater to the stage. She has sung in ensembles, played guitar and flute, and performed in many productions through high school and beyond. Penina is also an international public speaker, inspiring audiences in the US, Canada, the UK, and South Africa.

Penina created the website for this production. Her desire to create beauty and her love of storytelling led her to discover web design and online marketing as another way to express her creativity. She now designs websites, writes engaging content, and develops digital marketing plans—whenever she’s not on stage, her first and forever passion.

Amit Ben Atar

Amit Ben Atar is the head of Bit Studios, a composer, arranger, conductor, and pianist whose work spans film, theatre, and a wide range of musical projects. An experienced music arranger, Amit brings a deep creative sensibility to every stage of the musical process.

He studied at Rimon School of Music in the Composition for Film, Theatre, and Television track, and, in addition to his work at the studio, today teaches digital courses in music production, arranging, theory, and recording. Amit’s multifaceted expertise and artistic vision make him an invaluable partner in shaping powerful musical storytelling.

Rivka Deray

Rivka Deray is an actress and Producer for theater, TV, and Film.
Her work has premiered at Cannes International Film Festival, Jerusalem International Film Festival, Cleveland International Film Festival, among others; and her films can be viewed on HBO, Amazon Prime, Lifetime, and more. Rivka is delighted to return to theater playing King Saul in David the Servant King.

Tamar Rabinowitz

Tamar Rabinowitz (Nitzevet) studied acting at Circle in the Square Studio and NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. After making aliyah in 2017, she joined the Women’s Performance Community, appearing in Hidden: The Secret Jews of Spain and Whisper Freedom. Tamar created Ayelet HaShachar Women’s Band with Shlomit Koffler Weinreb and Lisa Friedman.

Malkah Fleisher

Malkah Fleisher (Yishai) is proud to be playing alongside her daughter, Leah (who is now also her son, Shammah!). Co-founder of Kumah, Inc. (alongside her husband, Yishai), which counters anti-Israel narratives, and co-founder of the Judean security initiative B’yadaim Shelanu. Malkah is a happy wife, mother, and resident of Efrat.

Michal Lourenco

Michal Lourenco (Jonathan) is so excited to be portraying such an inspiring character in the show. Michal has loved singing her whole life and has performed in two previous musical theater productions—experiences she cherishes deeply. Michal lives in Efrat and works in Jerusalem. Her hobbies include singing, reading, and learning through discussion.

Esther Attia

Esther Attia (Caleb/Ensemble), to tell you the honest truth, doesn’t actually act on stage as much as she has fun while others happen to be watching. Esther is a woman of spirit, sincerity, and simcha, and is looking forward to playing her part in sharing this priceless story of our heritage.

Meira Bar-Lev

Meira Bar-Lev (Doeg/Ensemble) has performed in nine Israeli musicals since 2009. A Transformational Love Coach, she helps divorced, widowed, and single Jewish women over 40 heal deep heartbreak and confidently magnetize real partnership. This production of King David’s story moves her deeply, fusing ancient courage, sisterhood, and soaring music into one unforgettable experience.

Ariella Anouchi

Ariella Anouchi (Gershon/Ensemble) lives in Efrat with her son Matanya. As a yoga therapist and embodied Torah educator, she supports others on their journeys to live more harmoniously as spiritual beings in physical bodies. She is grateful to continue being part of the growing women’s theater community in Gush Etzion.

Chana Weisman

Chana Weisman (Eliav ben Yishai) runs the Women’s Vocal Group in Jerusalem, a voice-training course where she helps women find their true voice and fall in love with it. She is thrilled to be acting alongside the talented and wonderful women in the cast of DAVID.

Naomi Fleisher

Naomi Fleisher (Avinadav ben Yishai/Ensemble) is excited to return to the stage in her first ever musical! A lifelong lover of entertaining and music, she’s grateful to join the DAVID cast. Originally from Philadelphia, she now lives in Efrat with her husband and three children and loves making others smile—onstage and off.

Leah Fleisher

Leah Fleisher (Shammah ben Yishai/Ensemble) is a 12th grader in Horev and a first-time actress who has dreamed of being onstage for years. She’s thrilled to debut alongside her mom, Malkah. Leah has a black belt in taekwondo, which she brings into her role. Living in Efrat, she enjoys horseback riding, martial arts, and hiking.

Reiut Cohn

Reiut Cohn (Otzem ben Yishai/Ensemble) is thrilled to perform in DAVID. She has taken voice lessons for 12 years, performed in concerts, plays, and events, studied ear training through The Juilliard School, and recently portrayed the lead in the short film Fiction. Originally from Teaneck, NJ, Reiut is currently a lone Bat Sherut in Jerusalem.

Rachel Anolick

Rachel Anolick (Radai ben Yishai/Ensemble) is excited to return to the stage. She previously played Roman in Whisper Freedom and sang in the David the Servant King preview concert. When not singing and acting with friends, Rachel is usually either in nursing school or caring for her five children.

Aviva Karpel

Aviva Karpel (Avner/Conductor/Ensemble) is a musician and retired teacher based in Bat Ayin, and also a naturopath and reflexologist specializing in women’s and children’s health. A longtime participant in women’s musicals, most recently Heroines!, Aviva has served as musical director for several Raise Your Spirits productions. She loves Shabbatot with her children and grandchildren.

Anne Sperling

Anne Sperling (Benaiah/Ensemble) is privileged to live in Jerusalem, having made aliyah from Baltimore in 2014. Science writer by day, flute-playing runner by night (not at the same time), with a passion for learning Tanach. Previous credits include Whisper Freedom and FRAGILE, and co-managing backstage for Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.

Rachael Rosenbaum

Rachael Rosenbaum (Archangel/Ensemble) is an Efrat-based singer-songwriter. Her soul-stirring music is influenced by Celtic and American folk styles. Rachael’s angelic, penetrating voice has been likened to those of Judy Collins and Joni Mitchell. Her original music can be heard via all major streaming platforms, and you can follow her on Facebook and Instagram.

Rachelli Prawer

Rachelli Prawer (Nitzevet’s Maidservant/Ensemble) made aliyah from Melbourne, Australia and currently lives in Neve Daniel with her husband and three children. She loves playing the piano, studying Tanach, writing, and anything crafty or creative. This is her first public performance since high school!

Sharon Katz

Sharon Katz (Witch of Endor/Ensemble) is a storyteller for stage, film, print. Women’s theater legend. Founder of Raise Your Spirits, Dames of the Dance. Co-founder the Women’s Performance Community of Jerusalem. Producer of 20+ shows and 50+ Jewish films. Co-author/co-composer of seven musicals. Character actress/tap dancer since 2001. Author/illustrator of two new books.

Linda Pardes Friedburg

Linda Pardes Friedburg (Hanani the Messenger/Ensemble) is grateful to have performed in original women’s musicals based on Jewish history for over 20 years, while raising kids and grandkids who help continue writing it in Gush Etzion! She is awed by the timely, creative brilliance of DAVID and all the blessed poet warriors of our generation.

Yehudit Kontorovich

Yehudit Kontorovich (Tamar the Vendor/Ensemble) lives in Neve Daniel. She holds a B.Ed. in Dance and Movement and has taught ballet and modern dance for over a decade. She is now a neonatal nurse and lactation consultant. Yehudit is thrilled to be part of DAVID and looks forward to sharing its spirit with the audience.

Rivkah Morowitz

Rivka Morowitz (Hagit the Customer/Ensemble) is from Elazar, a proud mother of eight and wife to Menachem. She grew up singing and trained with the Tel Aviv Conservatory and Philharmonic choirs. Rivka now sings with the Kolot Etzion and Zimrat Efrat choirs, is an avid performer with Raise Your Spirits, and appeared in Whisper Freedom.

Tamar Odes

Tamar Odes (Yael the Servant/Ensemble) is ecstatic to be part of DAVID. She is a playwright, poet, and composer. Acting and bringing stories to life has always been Tamar’s passion. She made aliyah from Melbourne, Australia, eight years ago and lives in Jerusalem with her husband, Josh.

Yael Yehuda

Yael Yehuda (Avigail the Customer/Ensemble) is a fortunate mother of eight and a blessed grandmother. Living in Efrat, Yael is a longtime registered nurse and teacher, and a talented singer-songwriter and artist. She sings and performs with two choirs as well as in musicals. Her original songs can be found on her personal YouTube channel.

Penina Taylor

Penina Taylor (Yoav/Ensemble) is a lifelong musician. She sings, plays guitar and flute, and has performed in many stage productions since high school. Penina is also a professional public speaker who has inspired audiences throughout the US, Canada, the UK, and South Africa. She loves bringing creativity and meaning to every performance.

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Tamar Rabinowitz

Tamar Rabinowitz studied acting in New York City, graduating from Circle in the Square Acting Studio and NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, and later apprenticed with the off-Broadway Classic Stage Company (CSC) Repertory.

After making aliyah from Baltimore eight years ago, she continued her artistic journey in Jerusalem, joining the Women’s Performance Community and appearing in productions such as Hidden: The Secret Jews of Spain and Whisper Freedom. She is currently reprising the role of Nitzevet from the New Note Production Concert of David the Servant King.

Tamar spent two decades performing and recording with the well-known women’s band, Ayelet HaShachar with bandmates Shlomit Weinreb—Executive Producer, Composer, and Lyricist of David, The Servant King, and Lisa Friedman.