The Jerusalem International YMCA hosts a variety of Yuletide and multicultural events.
By ARIEL DOMINIQUE HENDELMANThe Jerusalem International YMCA decorated inside and out for the holiday season(photo credit: HADAR ALFASI)
Jerusalem’s International YMCA is much more than a workout facility and hotel; it is an interfaith hub buzzing with festive activity.The YMCA has many events on offer this holiday season, including a giant Christmas Bazaar, workshops for children presented in cooperation with the Science Museum, a robotic musical event called Puja, a children’s show in Arabic, and the grand finale, the annual Christmas Eve Concert.The bazaar ran from December 15 to 17, featuring Christmas merchandise, an arts and crafts fair, homebaked pastries, a decorated Christmas tree, carillon bells, Santa Claus ready to pose with children for photos – and even a snow machine to create the winter wonderland atmosphere that can be somewhat lacking in the Jerusalem climate. This year, approximately 7,000 people attended the bazaar in total over three days, with more than 50% coming from east Jerusalem.“We had a fear that after [US President Donald] Trump’s embassy announcement, people from east Jerusalem would not feel comfortable coming to the Y, but it wasn’t true, thankfully,” Anya Shani, director of culture and events, says. “They came and no one judged anyone. One of the women selling arts-andcrafts materials was from Gaza. She was worried that people would not want to buy her items, but that also proved to be not true. People keep on living regardless of politics. We just keep on doing what we are doing.”The YMCA worked in cooperation with Beitar Jerusalem, a studio next to the Clal Building in Davidka Square that teaches women from east Jerusalem how to knit and make jewelry, to give three booths to artisans from east Jerusalem to sell their embroidery and bead work. The bazaar created a space where handmade products from Gaza and east Jerusalem were sold in west Jerusalem in an environment shared by tourists, Israelis and Palestinians. This kind of shared society work is part of the Jerusalem International YMCA’s mission to serve as a bridge between cultures and faiths, all of whom call Jerusalem home.For the past two years, the bazaar has also hosted a party for children from east Jerusalem and Ramallah. This year, they welcomed a group of blind children from Ramallah, who enjoyed a free show in Arabic, as well as holiday gifts.“Everyone sings and dances together with Santa, and it’s just a lot of fun,” Shani adds. “Because we offer many coexistence programs throughout the year, people from Ramallah and east Jerusalem feel safe to come here. We are the only cultural institution in Jerusalem that can actually bring people from east Jerusalem because most won’t come to other events. They don’t want to be associated with those institutions. The fact that we are international means that they don’t have to cooperate with the municipality, which they probably wouldn’t feel comfortable doing. This is what we are trying to achieve; to be a place for three religions and a welcoming home for everyone.”On December 15 and 16, the YMCA collaborated with the Science Museum to host workshops for children, as well as a show on static electricity, which proved to be popular with children and parents alike. The Puja robotic puppet show, which was originally scheduled for December 15 to 17, has been extended until at least the end of the month because of its success. Artist Yani Shenster has created a musical presentation that is truly unique.“There are different musical instruments that are robotic and connect the ancient to the future in an incredible way,” Shani states. “People were shocked; they had never seen anything like it before. Words cannot explain, it must be experienced.” The YMCA also hosted a children’s show in Arabic with musician Roni Rock, who dressed up as Santa Claus for the occasion.The Christmas Eve Concert will be held on December 24 in the YMCA’s auditorium, featuring three ensembles: the YMCA Jerusalem Youth Chorus, the Bel Canto Jerusalem Oratorio and the ABAAD East/West Ensemble. The concert will also feature Gaby Shefler playing the tower bells. This is the last year that the original bells will be played; they are being sent for renovation in January. “The Christmas concert is always one of our biggest of the year,” Micah Hendler, co-director and founder of the YMCA Youth Chorus, says.“It’s an amazing celebration not just of Christmas, but of all the different traditions and holidays that happen in Jerusalem during this time of year. We try to make a space for everyone with this concert and it is always a wonderful event. This year, we’re focusing on a mixture of East and West, and different musical styles; Arabic and Western, classical as well as non-classical music.”Every year, the Jerusalem YMCA’s Christmas Eve concert sells out, which means 660 people attend. The concert is a holiday tradition and has been happening for more than 20 years. It encapsulates the YMCA’s mission of serving as a beacon of interfaith cultural events. The in-house youth chorus, comprised of Israeli and Palestinian children, sings music of different traditions and languages on a weekly basis throughout the year. They will bring their repertoire to the concert, as well as more traditional Christmas songs. With the Bel Canto choir, an adult, classical choir, and the ABAAD East/West Ensemble, a group that plays a mix of music with instruments such as an oud, a darbuka, a piano and other percussion, the Christmas Eve concert is an event that aims to capture Jerusalem’s multifaceted nature during the holiday season, with all of its myriad traditions and languages.“The youth chorus will be singing some popular music, Christmas carols and Hebrew songs,” Hendler adds. “At the end of the concert, there is always a sing-along, so that everyone in the audience gets to sing Christmas carols. It’s always a special evening with high energy. People are inspired by what is possible in Jerusalem, despite everything else. You can still have a space where people can come together and celebrate music together, even if it’s not their holiday, in a way that is inclusive of everybody. This is still possible in Jerusalem; there are people who are thirsting for it.”The audience in past years has been comprised of many traditions and backgrounds and this year is expected to be no different. It is an event for anybody who enjoys the spirit of Christmas and wants to feel a part of the celebration. Above all, it is a Jerusalem tradition.
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