Based on Shira Geffen’s delicate, vivid and moving fantasy The Heart-Shaped Leaf, this new stage adaptation takes us on a magical tale about a little girl named Alona on her journey through a windswept park.

As Alona makes her way home, she pauses beneath a tree, where a golden, heart-shaped leaf drifts down and comes to rest on her head. Unlike any other, the leaf becomes her quiet companion, shielding her from the pouring rain and sparking a tender inner journey. But as the two continue on, a question begins to emerge: does the leaf belong to her, or to the tree it came from? Should she keep this strange and comforting gift, or help it find its way back home? Through inventive staging and poetic storytelling, the show explores themes of connection, care, and the subtle complexities of letting go. It invites viewers—both children and adults—on a shared journey through the emotional terrain of childhood, where even the smallest encounters can carry profound meaning.

Co-directed by Geffen herself alongside Director Zvi Sahar, and brought to life through the evocative design of David Polonsky, the performance invites audiences into a world where imagination, nature, and emotion intertwine.

The show was produced as part of the Haifa International Children’s Theater Festival and received several awards:

Best Children’s Show

Best Direction – Zvi Sahar and Shira Geffen

Best Music Design – Asaf Roth

Best Puppet Design – David Polonsky

Special Mention for Puppet Performance – Goni Paz and Aviv Horowitz

Adapted and Directed by Zvi Sahar & Shira Geffen
Designed by David Polonsky
Assistant Director & Production Manager Yinon Cohen
Puppet Director – Gony Paz
Co-Creator & Performer – Rotem Goldenberg & Aviv Horovitz
Voices by – Dori Ben-Zeev
Music by Asaf Roth
Light Designer– Shai Dror
Costumes by Rona Mishol
Sound by Kobe Shmuely

Based on a book by Shira Geffen
Artistic Director Zvi Sahar
Produced by Itim Ensemble

The show was created with the support of Haifa’s International Children Theatre Festival, De-Vinci Cultural center, Tel Aviv-Yafo municipality, and Israel’s Ministry of Culture.