The White City

Tel Aviv is referred to as “the city that never sleeps,” and this Thursday (June 30) it will live up to its name by hosting its annual White Night (Layla Lavan). Since 2003, when Tel Aviv was declared the White City by UNESCO, the municipality has been marking the honor by offering a host of special events for the benefit of the residents and visitors of Tel Aviv. Here is a selection of this year’s hottest music, food and cultural events taking place throughout the city.

Tour of Rothschild Boulevard
Various musical and theater street shows will line the beautiful boulevard.
Rothschild Boulevard, Bialik Street. All night long

Matti and Shlomo – until the sun rises
Matti Caspi and Shlomo Gronich will perform in an open-air concert, offering authentic Israeli music until the sun rises.
Northern Tzuk Beach, 1 a.m. Free admission

Indie city
Various concerts by some of Israel’s best rock bands.
Tel Aviv Museum of Art, Shaul Hamelech 27.

Israeli folk dancing
Starting at 9 p.m., Israeli folk dancing with Sarah Aviv with special guest dancers.
Gordon Beach. From 9 p.m.

Night market
The flea market in Jaffa will be open all night, offering special stores and arts & crafts stalls. There will also be numerous street theater performances, music, exhibitions, galleries and more.

Flea market, Jaffa. Free admission

All-night parties
R&B and hip hop will be playing all night in Bialik Square. Afrobeat, funk and hip hop artists will perform, starting at 10 p.m.

Tel Aviv’s famous Dizengoff Center will host a Pop-Shop party, where Dizengoff Street meets King George Street. The mall’s stores will be open through the night.
All parties free of charge

Yehudit Ravitz at Zappa
Israeli music legend Yehudit Ravitz will perform songs spanning her whole career, as well as new hits at a special concert.
Zappa Club, Raul Wallenberg 24. Free admission

At Jaffa Port

Ahinoam Nini and Mira Awad will perform their “Together and Alone” evening at the Jaffa Port, and artist Ruba will open her one-woman show “Out of Place,” a collection of recent works dealing with issues of belonging and identity. There will also be workshops with stylists Doreen Attias and Ravit Assaf.

A night at the opera

The Israel Opera will join in the celebrations in a concert of opera hits that will begin at midnight into the wee hours. The opera stars will each perform a few arias, accompanied by pianist Eitan Schmeister and Michael Ajzenstadt as host.
(03) 6927777, NIS 65 www.israelopera.

co.il.

– YONI COHEN