City Notes: Bird festival enthusiasts flock to Hula Valley

News briefs from around the nation.

By COMPILEDJULIE STEIGERWALD

NOVEMBER 17, 2016 20:07

Hula Valley's Bird Festival (photo credit: TOURISM MINISTRY) — Hula Valley's Bird Festival

(photo credit: TOURISM MINISTRY)

NORTH

Returning for the sixth year, the Hula Valley Bird Festival is due to land from November 20 to 27.

Hundreds of participants are expected to flock to the festival, which offers tours, seminars and presentations at the location where more than 500 million migrating birds can be observed each year. The festival takes place at one of the most active times of year at one of the most important stopover and wintering sites for birds migrating south through the great rift valley.

The weeklong program will offer events at major birdwatching sites in the North before heading to the south, where participants can observe rare desert birds, endangered species and raptors.

Organized by the Israel Ornithological Center, the festival will include a birding tour program with stops including the Agamon Park, Hula Nature Reserve, Mount Hermon and the Golan Heights, the Beit She’an Valley, the Mediterranean coast and Lake Kinneret.

The festival will be based in the Pastoral Hotel in Kfar Blum at the heart of the Hula Valley and at the Ramon Inn in Mitzpe Ramon during the final weekend activities in the Negev.

CENTER

Turkey in Tel Aviv for lone soldiers’ Thanksgiving

In keeping up with the American tradition of Thanksgiving, the center that assists lone IDF soldiers will hold a festival meal laden with holiday classics such as turkey, pumpkin pie and mashed potatoes.

Pre-draft, current and former lone IDF soldiers, who serve our country without their families residing here, are invited to the free meal presented by the Lone Soldier Center in memory of Michael Levine on November 24.

The Thanksgiving meal will be held, in accordance with tradition, on the last Thursday of November at the WIZO building on King David Street at 6:30 p.m.

Free registration for lone soldiers is available at: https:// www.Eventbr i te.Com/e/ thanksgiving-2016 -tickets- 28720435596

Gordon Gallery opens new space in south TA

One of Tel Aviv’s leading art galleries, the Gordon Gallery, opened its third sister space yesterday in the city’s southern region.

Gordon Gallery opened its flagship location in 1966 on its namesake Gordon Street in Tel Aviv. It has since then held hundreds of exhibitions and published dozens of catalogues and art books.

The gallery, one of the largest collections of its kind, is known for its selection of fine Israeli art, as well as for representing today’s leading Israeli artists and several important estates.

The grand opening of the new space was held with New York-based duo FAILE’s first-ever exhibition in Israel. FAILE, which comprises the artistic collaboration between Patrick McNeil and Patrick Miller, unveiled a new suite of painting and works on paper titled “Strong Currents.”

The new gallery is located at 6 Hapelech Street. Gallery hours for the FAILE exhibition are 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday, Fridays 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturdays 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Yachting competition sails into White City

The Israel Yacht Championship is due to take place this weekend off the coast of Tel Aviv; the 22nd year of one of the country’s largest sailing events.

Hundreds of seafaring participants are slated to comprise some 40 teams competing in the contest.

Today, the festival is holding its traditional sea cruise in memory of the late industry pioneer Doron Ezra. Tomorrow morning, a buoy race will take place, along with the finals of the Israel Yacht Championship.

Hundreds of boats are due to take part in the various heats of the competition and events for the public will be held throughout the weekend at the Tel Aviv Marina.

The event is organized to promote the field of competitive sailing in Israel and to bring hundreds of sailors and skippers to the country’s Mediterranean shore.

SOUTH

Garzen festival to sweep Arava

In the expansive desert environs of the Arava, a force of rock ’n’ roll and electronic music will resonate with a message of unity at the first-ever Garzen Festival this weekend.

Taking place at the sandy oasis of the Han Nahal camping site, the 24-hour music festival is scheduled to begin at 3 p.m. today.

The event’s lineup of Israeli and international artists includes Red Axes, the White Screen, Autarkic, the Crotches, Shame on Us, Hila Ruah, Moscoman, Haxxan, Asaf Samuel, Deaf Chonky, Ryskinder, Hanokmim 2, Abrao, Avigad, Yonder, Zidan, Egozy and Uriah.

Entrance costs NIS 220 and tickets are limited to 500 attendees.

Transportation to the festival site is slated to leave from Tel Aviv at 1:30 p.m. on Friday and return Saturday at 3 p.m.