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Jerusalem International Book Fair

February 22, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Entrance, obviously

Entrance, obviously

When I first came to Israel in 1971, there were not many things happening in Jerusalem.

But one of the events that did take place was the Jerusalem International Book Fair. As avid readers we used to go there, browse among the thousands – no, sorry – tens of thousands of volumes in English, Hebrew, French, Spanish, and many other languages.

Angola and Romania

 

 

Two publishers in one corner

 

The Book Fair is for publishers to present their books, new or older publications, best sellers or less well known. They present books in almost all categories – literature, on art, crafts, professional topics, movies, history – local and worldwide and much much more.

It is also more friendly to the public, with reading areas and chairs for more comfortable browsing. [Read more...]

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Israel Philharmonics at Dizengoff Center

July 6, 2010 By 1 Comment

Often the shopping malls create special events, and on Friday mornings it is often a food market. Since weekends in Israel are Friday-Saturday, Friday morning is a great time to hold special events, such as food markets. Shoppers can either have breakfast, lunch or brunch or even better buy food for taking home, so they don’t have to cook over the weekend.

Friday morning a couple of weeks ago the Dizengoff Center in Tel Aviv hosted a food market. From the look of it most shoppers were happy and content, and even more so when they got the surprise of their lives.

Among the shoppers were members of the Israel Philharmonics and its choir.

The noise level at such events is quite high, but the Philharmonics managed to quieten everybody when it struck up the chords and full version of Verdi’s Il Trovatore and Rigoletto.

I was not there, but saw the news broadcast in the evening. And when I saw the clip on YouTube, I knew I had to share it with others.

So let nobody tell you that Israel doesn’t have talent and initiative. Enjoy!

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Changing Times with Dry Bones

February 7, 2010 By Leave a Comment

I like to start my week with something funny, and nothing has ever been funnier to me than Yaacov Kirchen and his Dry Bones. This time I have also included his comments on why (see below). I try to stay away from politics on this blog, but sometimes it is just not possible.

 


We live in an age of a great religious war.

The Islamist enemy seeks to overwhelm and subjugate the planet. Their goal is to erase all other religions and belief systems. This attack on [Read more...]

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Jazz Globus Festival, Jerusalem

November 25, 2009 By 1 Comment
Slava Ganelin

Slava Ganelin

Within the music world Israel is best known for within classical music from the Israel Philarmonic to the many soloists and conductors.

A field of music less prominent, but no less popular within Israel, is jazz. If you happen to be in Israel, and in particular in Jerusalem, and you want to hear international level jazz, you are in the right place.

Beginning Nov. 25 the sixth annual Jazz Globus Festival will run through to December 2. Most of the event will take place in [Read more...]

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Jerusalem Film Festival

July 8, 2009 By Leave a Comment

If you are visiting Israel at the moment or within the next two weeks, you may possibly take part in one of the world’s most prestigious film events, The Jerusalem Film Festival.

The festival is the brain child of Lia van Leer, who inaugurated the first festival on May 17, 1984. Lia van Leer and her husband Wim (z”l) were the founders and moving spirit behind the establishment of the Jerusalem Cinemateque in the Hinnom Valley, but strongly supported by George Ostrovsky, of Brazil and Paris, as well as former mayor of Jerusalem Teddy Kollek (z”l) and the Jerusalem Foundation.

Since its establishment the Jerusalem Film Festival has matured into its present form, stretching over 10 days, showing 150-200 films in all genres and celebrating the best of international feature films, documentaries, Jewish experience of identity and history, television dramas, directors, and of course encouraging the blossoming Israeli film industry. [Read more...]

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July-August Heat

July 5, 2009 By 2 Comments

Summer is here. As a matter of fact weather wise June seemed to have become July. Summer in Israel begins, for most people, as schools let out for the long summer break – a full two months. As in many other countries the question is now “What to do with the kids?”

Scout Camp

Scout Camp

Luckily there are lots of activities for the children, if you can afford it, and unfortunately not all families can.

During July and in some cases even the beginning of August, the children will go to summer camp. For the [Read more...]

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Israel Philharmonic Orchestra

June 20, 2009 By 2 Comments

The story of The Israel Philharmonic is a typical example of the development of the Jewish people in Palestine and the State of Israel.

In 1936 Bronislav Huberman, a Polish born Jewish violinist and musician, foresaw the Holocaust. He persuaded 75 Jewish musicians in major

At home with Zubin Mehta

At home with Zubin Mehta

European orchestras to immigrate to Palestine and be part of the “materalization of Zionist culture in the fatherland.”

The opening concert of the Palestine Philarmonics took place on December 28, 1936, in the Levant Fair Hall in Tel Aviv, conducted by Arturo Toscanini.

From its very beginning The Philharmonics set the tone, not just musically, [Read more...]

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