Photo by Meital Izbicki
1981
“All aboard. The train is about to leave the station.” In the heart of Jerusalem’s Liberty Bell Park stands a train unlike any other. It carries no passengers to distant cities, yet it departs on journeys that travel far beyond the city’s hills. Those who step aboard may find themselves wandering through enchanted forests or distant kingdoms. They may encounter mischievous creatures, curious travelers, brave heroes, and unlikely friends. Some are made of wood or cloth, others of shadow or sound. Yet all seem to come alive under the guidance of the storytellers who lead the journey. This is the journey offered by the Davidson Train Theater, where each performance becomes a new destination.
The theater began its journey in 1981 when four independent puppeteers came together with an unusual idea. Michael Schuster, Alina Ashbel, Hadass Ophrat, and Mario Kotliar sought to create a space devoted to puppet theater and visual storytelling for children. Rather than establishing a conventional stage, they found their home in a repurposed railroad car placed within Liberty Bell Park. With the support of the Jerusalem Foundation, the modest train car was transformed into a tiny theater, and from this unlikely beginning a new cultural institution was born.
The founders envisioned a place where children could encounter theater that respected their imagination and intelligence. Through objects, figures, shadows, and music, stories could unfold in ways that blurred the boundary between the real and the imagined. The small train car soon became a gathering place for artists exploring the possibilities of puppet theater, object theater, and visual performance. Over time the theater established a permanent repertoire of productions alongside new works created each year. The Train Theater also became a center for international artistic exchange. Since 1983 it has hosted the International Festival of Puppet Theater in Jerusalem, held every two years and bringing leading artists from around the world to the city.
A major new chapter began with the creation of the Davidson Theatre, a new home for the Train Theater within Liberty Bell Park. The project emerged from a joint initiative of the Jerusalem Municipality and the Jerusalem Foundation, and made possible through the generous support of the Davidson family. Designed by the Jerusalem architectural firm Sitton Plus Tannous, the new complex was conceived as a series of low structures reminiscent of train carriages. Beneath this playful architectural gesture lies a fully equipped center for puppet theater, including a large auditorium, smaller performance spaces, rehearsal rooms, and open outdoor areas where children can gather before and after performances.
The original train carriage that once housed the theater was carefully preserved as part of the site, linking the institution’s modest beginnings with its present scale. When the new building was inaugurated in 2021 during the International Festival of Puppet Theater, it marked not only a physical expansion but the beginning of a new era for one of Jerusalem’s most beloved cultural institutions.
Today the Train Theater stands as Israel’s leading institution devoted to puppetry and visual theater for young audiences. Throughout the year children and families encounter performances ranging from intimate storytelling with objects and music to full theatrical productions rich with visual invention. Workshops invite young visitors to experiment with puppets and stagecraft themselves, while programs such as Friday is Fun bring performances to neighborhoods across the city. Perhaps most importantly the theatre brings the magic of puppets to all children — from diverse backgrounds, to children with special needs and even hospitalized children.
The little train car that began this journey may long ago have been outgrown. Yet the train itself never stopped running. From Liberty Bell Park it continues to carry children and families on journeys of imagination. While the voyages themselves may only last an hour or less, they linger far longer in the memory of its passengers.
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