DECEMBER 2 • 2021 | 49

Means to Me is that no 
matter when you see it, the 
show is always going to be 
timely,” says Glick. “The 
way that [playwright] Heidi 
Schreck treats the text of the 
Constitution and the world 
of law is exactly the way we’re 
taught as Jews to examine the 
biblical text in the Talmud 
and have it connect to our 
personal lives.”

As they navigate successful 
careers as producers, 
Sussman and Glick continue 
to be good friends, colleagues 
and mentors, including 
both being recipients of 
the prestigious Prince 
Fellowship for producing 
new works. The project 
Glick developed with his 
2013 Prince Fellowship is 

the new musical Eighty-Sixed, 
about one man’s journey 
during the AIDS epidemic, 
which will have its world 
premiere in May 2022 at San 
Diego’s Diversionary Theater. 
Sussman’s project, developed 
over the last seven years, with 
additional support from her 
2019 Prince Fellowship, is the 
new musical SUFFS, which 
is centered on the American 
women’s suffrage movement. 
SUFFS will start performances 
in March 2022 at The Public 
Theater in New York City.
“Who would have thought 
that two nice Jewish kids 
from the Midwest would 
end up working together on 
Broadway?” Sussman always 
jokes with Glick.
Guess it was beshert. 

Rachel Sussman grew up in Bloomfield Township.

continued from page 47

“I HOLD THIS PROJECT SPECIAL IN 
MY HEART BECAUSE, IN ADDITION 
TO THE BEAUTIFUL MUSIC, WE 

ARE DOING SOME GOOD.” 

— MICHAEL HARPAZ

as Christian students from 
Michigan colleges appear on 
the organization’s website to 
give testimonials of the value 
of their travel. 
“This is a good song to 
bring Jews and Christians 
together,” said Scott Phillips, 
Passages executive director. 
“I’ve heard this song many 
times in church.”

Passages has been compared 
to Taglit Birthright Israel, 
which sponsors visits of 
Jewish young adults to Israel. 
Berkove, who explains the 
main goal of Passages as 
educational, also describes the 
group as a Zionist organization 
that supports Israel and is 
friendly toward Jews.
“‘The Blessing’ is a Christian 

song and so it was decided 
that this would be a Christian-
Jewish collaboration,” 
Berkove said. “However, we 
are all looking forward to 
an opportunity to create a 
musical collaboration that 
will celebrate the Abraham 
Accords or Jewish-Muslim 
Relations.” 
The lengthy time involved 
in completing the project 
had to do with the pandemic. 
Performers had to videotape 
themselves, and the results of 

their efforts had to be merged 
technically. Jacky Clark-
Chisholm, a member of the 
gospel-singing Clark Sisters 
and a Grammy Award winner, 
wanted a Detroit setting that 
reflected her hometown. 
“It’s nice to shed a little 
light in the world,” said 
HarPaz, whose professional 
engagements just before the 
pandemic included being an 
MC for major events as well as 
an actor. “That’s what we tried 
to do.” 

“The Blessing Israel” brings a Jewish flavor to a Christian song.
Details

“The Blessing Israel” is 
available on YouTube.

