Of all the quirky facets of life in this country, as any parent will know, one is the fact that no sooner have our kids returned to the classroom after the summer vacation than they get off again over the chaggim. True, there is still the odd school day, between the various religious holidays but, particularly over the eight-day Sukkot educational hiatus, adults and children alike can find themselves at a loose end.
Luckily there is an abundance of cultural and arts events going on, up and down the country, across all kinds of areas.
Let’s kick off – pardon the pun – with some hoofing entertainment, for all age groups, courtesy of the Vertigo Dance Company and its Dance in the Village festival. The three-day program (September 22-24) takes place at the company’s home base on Kibbutz Halamed Heh in the Ella Valley. This third edition of the annual event includes a slew of productions, for adults and children alike, featuring premieres, arts installations, a circus offering by the Zikit Theater gang, and guided tours of the Vertigo ecological village.
For tickets and more information: https://vertigo.org.il/village/village-dance-festival-3/
OVER AT the Jerusalem Cinematheque we can all get a better handle on some of the cultural movers and shakers in this country over the years, at the Culture Heroes documentary rollout. The silver screen itinerary, which runs from September 20 until October 2, includes profiles of such leading arts figures, across a range of disciplines, as internationally renowned writers David Grossman and A.B. Yehoshua, Yemenite-born diva Shoshana Damari, troubadour Meir Ariel and playwright Anat Gov.
For tickets and more information: *9377 and kupa@jer-cin.org.il
SUKKOT IS, of course, also a time for hosting guests, a la ushpizin custom. That is the central theme of the family-based Mishpachanu program at the ANU Museum of the Jewish People on the campus of the University of Tel Aviv. The hands-on activity gets patrons roaming around the museum armed with an activity kit that includes a task booklet, labels, maps and a bracelet.
Participants will look into the concept of the family, learn about Jewish families dotted around the world, and their customs, edibles and traditions. There will also be a musical quiz and family jigsaw puzzles.
For tickets and more information: www.anumuseum.org.il
THERE IS more in the way of music-based activities on offer at Liebling Haus in Tel Aviv, with the Kinder Cafe Presents: Electronic Summer series, designed to introduce kids to a fun, creative way of learning and experimenting with music. The program, based on collaboration with the Felicja Blumenthal Music Center and Lev Café, brings youngsters face-to-face with musicians from across a broad range of genres and styles, taking in workshops that explore the relationship between sound, high technology systems, and the playfulness they create.
The featured moderators include multidisciplinary artist Nimrod Gershonim, who works in sound, video, sculpture, and installations; musician, composer, and sound artist Daniel Davidovsky, and composer and sound artist and researcher Michal Oppenheim.
For more information: (03) 743-1075 and www.whitecitycenter.org
THERE ARE few more family-friendly entertainment genres than the circus, and if you fancy a Big Top spectacular the Magic Lights Circus troupe should fit the bill. Shows are due to take place at the Kfar Hayarok center at the southern edge of Ramat Hasharon on September 22-25.
Patrons can get a better understanding of the age-old art form by taking part in pre-show workshops, before they settle down, where they can marvel at the jugglers, tightrope walkers, acrobats, archers and magic tricks.
For showtimes and tickets: https://www.leaan.co.il/
MEANWHILE, IF you are looking to get away from the urban smog, and hustle and bustle, the annual Tamar Festival is due to take place at sites around its regular Dead Sea-side berth September 21-29.
The festival has stolen a march on practically every other cultural happening across the country for some time, as the agenda is due to feature a non-Israeli artist, and a pretty big one too. Canadian-born pop-rock star LP has been lined up as the main attraction, although there is no shortage of crowd-pulling personnel across the program.
The stellar Israeli lineup includes the likes of Beri Sacharoff, Amir Benayoun and Micha Shitreet, with veterans Gidi Gov and Yehuda Poliker also in the mix. One of biggest items in the four-day offering is a sunrise show at Masada fronted by Shalom Hanoch, with Shlomi Shaban guesting. That will be followed by Mosh Ben Ari, with Yuval Dayan putting in an appearance.
Other slots to look out for include the Idan Reichel Project, Quarter to Africa, funk-rock outfit Mercedes Band, young singer-songwriter Yasmin Mouallem and American-born crossover artist Omer Adan.
For tickets and more information: https://www.tamarfestival.com/
BUT THERE’S no need to leave town if you want to keep your offspring actively engaged, while improving your knowledge of Jerusalem’s lengthy historical backdrop. And you may even get to munch on something tasty while you’re at it.
The Tower of David Museum has announced the return of its Rope Adventure which centers on the physically demanding Towers in the Air activity that references the city’s millennia-long past. The course takes in ropes, ladders, omegas and climbing walls – allowing visitors to climb, slide, jump and feel the experience of active sports, surrounded by layers of history.
The museum has also lined up a fun cellphone-based digital tour and game for all the family, while visitors can enjoy an unparalleled view of the Old City and much of the western side of Jerusalem in the process.
Some activities require prior registration, and Green Pass regulations do not apply. For more information: *2884 and www.tod.org.il/en
SLIGHTLY FURTHER afield, geographically and culturally, a short drive eastward from Jerusalem, there’s a chance to get a better understanding of the lot and lives of Bedouin society in these parts. During the Open Tents event, on September 23-25, members of the Jahalin tribe at Khan el-Achmar will open their desert homes to members of the public for a taste of traditional hospitality. Traditional cuisine will be provided and handicraft items will be on sale.
You can just drop by, or register in advance by calling (054) 925-9458 or going to the Friends of Jahalin website, at: https://mailchi.mp/2d8046214dea/04xmz9jtxc
THERE IS more hospitality on offer over in Herzliya when the municipality-sponsored Home & Art event takes place, on September 24-25. Over the two days, 35 local artists from various disciplines, will open their studios and allow the public a close look at their work and creative processes. Entry to all studios is free.
For more information: https://www.herzliya.muni.il/events/?category=70
AND IF you like your reality with a twist of technological enhancement, the Jerusalem Botanical Gardens, in collaboration with the Outset Contemporary Art Fund, has just the thing for you. During the Sukkot week the gardens will host the Seeing the Invisible augmented reality (AR) contemporary art exhibition featuring works designed to blend into their natural surroundings.
Visitors can expect to undergo a “phygital” experience which combines the physical locations with the digital manifestations of works by a stellar rollout of artists from around the world, including Ai Weiwei, Sigalit Landau, Turkish-American new media artist Refik Anadol, Ghanaian sculptor El Anatsui and French-American visual artist Sarah Meyohas.
For more information: www.seeingtheinvisible.art