It was the moment that almost brought Israeli actor Chaim Topol to tears.
As Topol and the cast of Fiddler on the Roof received a standing ovation at last week’s gala charity premiere at Melbourne’s Her Majesty’s Theatre, two young Iraqi refugees made their way onto center stage.
Topol and the kids (Photo: Barry Crocker)
Their goal was to present the show’s star with flowers and a check for the proceeds from the opening-night performance.
Ahmed, 13, and Emmanuel, 11, arrived in Australia five years ago suffering from the effects of chemical warfare. They both underwent several operations including leg amputations and the fitting of prosthetic limbs.
The Fiddler on the Roof charity premiere grossed USD 100,000, part of which will be donated to Maccabi Victoria and Variety - the Children’s Charity.
Organizer Richard Tessel said the presentation by the boys came as a complete surprise to Topol, a longstanding ambassador for Variety.
Reprinted with permission of the Australian Jewish News
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