FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 17
If you enjoyed last week’s recommendation of “Shalosh T’nuos” by RAZA (Chana Raskin), consider elevating your soul with an all-female adaptation to the great Qawwali (Sufi devotional music) singer Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. Ilahi Sufi Qawwali just released Haq Ali Ali via Bandcamp, available for free here: fanna.bandcamp.com/track/haq-ali-ali-2.
Part of the Bali-based Sama School of Music, this is a great entry point from which to explore Sufi music, such as the 2021 album Textures of Infinity: Raag Meditations by Tahir Qawwal (Geoffrey Lyons).
✱ Dance away your worries over the recently proposed reformation of the legal system at Reformation Party at Shoshana Bar (7 Shoshan St.) at 10 p.m. with DJ Shaprut (Ron Shaprut). Artists Jacob Yona and Shalem Mosheyahu will create on-the-spot art you may take home if you wish. Listen to DJ Shaprut here: soundcloud.com/ronshaprut . No admission price listed.
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 18
Watch The Lover of Mr. Mouse, a new dark comedy meant for adults based on the children’s book An Apartment to Rent by Leah Goldberg, at Mikro Theater (22 Marcus St.), the fringe theater space within Jerusalem Theatre.
Directed by Efim Rinenberg (Stupid Like Hamlet), patrons will enjoy an uninterrupted hour of laughter thanks to this reexamination of a cherished Israeli classic. 8:15 p.m. NIS 50-100 per ticket. Shown with Russian and Hebrew subtitles. Call 560-5755 to book.
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 19
Need a place to study? Why not park yourself at one of the Urban Art galleries in the capital, thanks to Maydale (a student-oriented information service offered by the municipality) – as part of this urban project. Venues include Dojo (11 Bezalel St., Sunday to Wednesday from 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.) Gingoli Center (3 Tuviah St., Sunday from 7:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Monday, Wednesday and Thursday from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Tuesday from 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.); Beita Gallery (155 Jaffa St., Sunday, Monday, Tuesday and Thursday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.); Modular (21 King George St., Sunday to Thursday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.) Hub Youth Center (22 Shivtai Israel St., Sunday to Thursday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.) and Kenya 4 (4 Mavo Goli Kenya St., Sunday to Thursday from noon to 6 p.m.).
You can sit and study and avail yourself of free Wi-Fi and coffee. Don’t worry about losing power on your laptop – all of the venues have electrical outlets to rejuice your devices. Take a break and revive body and soul with a free art workshop (See Thursday, February 23).
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 20
Watch First to Stand – The Cases and Causes of Irwin Cotler (2022) as part of the Jerusalem Jewish Film Festival at 6 p.m. and stay to listen to an English-language discussion between Cotler and Times of Israel founding editor David Horovitz.
Cotler has represented victims of human rights abuse, including Natan Sharansky to Saudi blogger Raif Badawi. This is a chance to learn about the current situation of human rights from a global perspective. Jerusalem Cinematheque, 11 Hebron Rd. Call 565-4333 to book a ticket.
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21
Watch Judges Under Pressure (2021), a Polish documentary film by Kacper Lisowski that follows the judicial reforms in Poland (in Polish with English and Hebrew subtitles).
The Israeli media often compares the situation here with the Polish one; watch this film and make up your own mind. Stay for a Hebrew discussion concerning the judicial reforms being offered here and how it differs, or not, from that introduced in Poland. (11 Hebron Rd. Call 565-4333 to book a ticket).
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 22
Listen to SHOD as they break records, glue the pieces together, and play them at Mazkeka (3 Shoshan St.) at a 9:30 p.m. concert. SHOD are Yaara Haim (turntable) and Gili Amar (percussions). Stay on and listen to pianist Yehezkel Raz cast his unique musical spell at the second half of the evening. NIS 50 per ticket.
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 23
Visit Dojo (11 Bezalel St.) to attend a free Risograph workshop from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Why is this 1982 printer making a comeback and hailed as the alleged record player of print technology? Because it offers a unique, hands-on, working process.
The paint is based on soy. Each layer requires the user to take out a cartridge and place the one she wants to use. The result is a slower working process that offers more control, as well as a different “feel” to the final printed page. In Poland, Oficyna Peryferie is fairly well known as being a part of this trend (See: oficynaperyferie.com).
HEADS UP:
Enjoy a noon concert with the Jerusalem Street Orchestra at the Botanical Gardens on Friday, February 24, at 11 a.m., at a very affordable cost. The performance will be held at Ha’agam, a unique venue for special events which enjoys a view of the lake and a variety of plants inside the gardens.
The program includes Mendelssohn’s String Symphony No. 10 and Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto in A Major and Symphony No. 40. The price range starts at an affordable NIS 20 and goes up to as large a sum as patrons wish to contribute. Book via www.eventer.co.il/botani.
✱ Don’t miss out on enjoying the English-language musical Into the Woods by Stephen Sondheim on Thursday, March 2, a co-production of the Incubator Theater and Starcatcher. (Beit Ha’am, 11 Bezalel St., 8 p.m.) Tickets are NIS 99; if you purchase nine tickets the tenth is on the house. To book, call *6627.
Throwing a special party? Opening an art exhibition or a new bar? Bringing in a guest speaker to introduce a fascinating topic? Drop me a line at hagay_hacohen@yahoo.com and let In Jerusalem know about it. Send emails with “Jerusalem Highlights” in the subject line. Although all information is welcome, we cannot guarantee it will be featured in the column.
