Why Didn’t You Come before the War?

Elizabeth (Lizzie) is a single child, growing up with her survivor mother Helena. They live in Tel Aviv in the 60s. Lizzie's life is hard, filled with the silence of her indifferent mother, who only opens up to her four friends: the troubled Ita, the well-groomed Zosia, the religious Gita, and the glamorous Fanny. They all hide their pain and horror, exposing it only to one another at their weekly meeting, during which Lizzie eavesdrops. The play focuses on the tense relationship between mother and daughter.