Meet the writer whose semi-autobiographical Jewish conversion story won her Canada's top Jewish playwriting prize

Meet Primrose Madayag Knazan. She's the winner of the Canadian Jewish Playwriting Competiton, and her new play, Precipice, is about a Filipino-Canadian woman who converts to Judaism—just like she did.

The Winnipeg resident’s play debuted in 2021 at the Winnipeg Jewish Theatre's So, Nu? Festival, beating nearly two dozen entries to claim the top prize.

Madayag Knazan calls Precipice a love letter to the symbolism and ceremony of Judaism. The former Catholic wanted to study the Jewish religion after meeting her husband-to-be’s rabbi, Alan Green, who had lived in the Philippines. Now the Knazans are raising their family in the Jewish tradition, with their sons enrolled in parochial school and one having recently celebrated his bar mitzvah.

Madayag Knazan joins The CJN Daily to discuss how her play, as well as her new novel Lessons in Fusion, provide a mirror for children like hers to face the challenges of being a visible minority within Canada's Jewish community.

What we talked about:

• Follow Primrose Madayag Knazan on Instagram
• Buy her novel Lessons in Fusion
• Watch the Compliments Challenge video for Kindness Week

Credits

The CJN Daily is written and hosted by Ellin Bessner (@ebessner on Twitter). Victoria Redden is the producer. Michael Fraiman is the executive producer. Our theme music is by Dov Beck-Levine. Our title sponsor is Metropia. We're a member of The CJN Podcast Network; find more great Jewish podcasts at thecjn.ca.