TORONTO – Reading the plot summary of current Teatron Toronto Jewish Theatre production Hard Love – a divorced couple become reacquainted 20 years later because of their respective children, who were romantically involved – one might expect a light comedy. But this thought-provoking play, set in the ultra-orthodox Jerusalem neighbourhood of Mea Shearim and in Tel Aviv, is far from a weightless chick flick.

Written by award-winning Israeli playwright Motti Lerner, the powerful romantic drama tackles issues of religion, faith, loyalty and true love.

Hannah, the sheltered mother of the bride, is played convincingly by French Canadian actress Tara Nicodemo. Montreal native and veteran actor Howard Rosenstein portrays Zvi, a talented writer who had fled the cloistered community although, on an emotional level, he never managed to completely escape.

The play demonstrates the extreme divisiveness in certain segments of Israeli society between the haredim and the secular; there is no ‘middle ground’ in this story.

Although Zvi had rebelled against the tight authority of the rabbinate and what he sensed was fear mongering, it was his refusal to tolerate any religious expression whatsoever in his home that caused Hannah to utter the interesting observation that in their case, it was he, not she, who was the fanatic.

Hard Love was first performed in Israel in 2003; it premiered in English two years later in North Carolina. Ari Weisberg, Teatron’s artistic director, initially doubted that the play would succeed in North America.

“I thought, well, a play about a conflict between the secular and ultra-orthodox? I didn’t think it would catch here,” he explained in an interview. “But when I finally saw it and read it a couple of times, I fell in love with it. I saw there is this conflict, but it’s not a political conflict like it is in Israel. It doesn’t bring all the political antagonism. It’s a personal conflict within themselves and between themselves. Zvi claims he’s so secular, but to me he’s really not. That’s why he’s so scared of G-d.”

Nicodemo acknowledged, in conversation with the Jewish Tribune, that she “was not very familiar” with Jewish religious life other than having observed from a distance the Chassidic community in her hometown of Montreal. Nevertheless, “I felt very connected to Hannah from the beginning. I felt the same in many ways – her modesty, her belief in something greater than we humans.”

Rosenstein, too, was “very attracted” to his character. “There were many similarities to me. Searching for the truth. He doesn’t [necessarily] accept what is given to him as truth. He needs to poke at it, and by doing so he provokes a lot of anger from the community…even if it means abandoning love in the process. I have a lot in common with him.”

Hard Love, playing through Jan. 16 at the Toronto Centre for the Arts, is a captivating, superbly acted play that adds to the list of Teatron’s worthy cultural contributions to this city.