At selected cinemas throughout the country.MUSIC MAGNIFICENT INDEEDThe Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra will join the Israeli Opera Liturgical series to perform a concert of four Magnificats – by Bach, Vivaldi, Mozart and Schubert. Daniel Cohen (pictured) will conduct.Wednesday, 8 p.m. at the Tel Aviv Performing Arts Center; and February 23 at 8 p.m. at the Jerusalem Theater.BEST OF BRAHMSLeading Israeli composer, musician and conductor Gil Shohat will host a showcase of composer Johannes Brahms’s works this Sunday. The concert is part of the Israeli Opera – Tel Aviv Performing Arts Center’s “Falling in Love with Music” series and will feature Brahms’s Two Rhapsodies, Sacred Songs for alto, viola and piano, Piano Quintet and Sonata No. 2 for violin and piano. Performers include Shohat, mezzo-soprano Bracha Kol, violinists Eckart Lorenzen and Dotan Netel, pianist Batya Steinbock-Lorenzen, cellist Adiel Schmidt and violist Zvi Carmeli.Sunday, 8 p.m., Israel Opera – Tel Aviv Performing Arts Center, NIS 115/150, (03) 692- 7777, www.israel-opera.co.il
JAZZING IT UP IN TEL AVIVThe 23rd annual Tel Aviv Jazz Festival kicks off this week at the Tel Aviv Cinematheque.Expect top international and local acts, as well as a variety of Israeli musicians based abroad, including veteran jazz singer Mary Stallings (pictured), acclaimed baritone sax player Ronnie Cuber, celebrated percussionist Gerry Gonzales, “woodwind maestro” Oren Etkin and local sensations Nurit Galron and Swing de Gitanes.Tuesday through Friday February 24, Tel Aviv Cinematheque, (03) 606-0800 (Cinematheque); (03) 604-5000 (Inbal Center), www.jazzfest.co.il LATINO LOVECatch the latest installment in the Golden Saturday series. Yotam Cohen, one of Israel’s most gifted tenors, and the Latino Folklore Ensemble will perform popular romantic Latino songs and folkloric pieces from the Latino Folklore Ensemble’s repertoire.Saturday, 11 a.m., Israel Opera – Tel Aviv Performing Arts Center, NIS 100/140 (50% discount for pensioners), (03) 692-7777, www.israel-opera.co.il FANCY FOOTWORKWidely acclaimed Irish dance company Spirit of the Dance, known for its energetic, high-speed coordinated fancy footwork, is back in Israel to perform Tap Dance Fever in Haifa, Beersheba, Tel Aviv and Jerusalem.Wednesday and Thursday, International Conference Center, Haifa; Friday February 24, Beersheba Center for Performing Arts; Saturday February 25, International Conference Center, Jerusalem; Sunday and Monday, February 26 and 27, Hangar 11, Tel Aviv.
www.showtickets.co.il (Haifa, Jerusalem, Tel Aviv); (08) 626-6400 (Beersheba) THEATER FEMININE VOICESThe feminine voice takes center stage at the annual Holon Theater Women’s Festival, a multimedia festival jam-packed with the best of local and international female creativity. This year’s main act, acclaimed jazz singer Cassandra Wilson, will perform on Friday and Saturday evenings. Also on the bill are dance, theater, music, storytelling, exhibitions and workshops.Wednesday through Saturday February 25, Holon Theater, (03) 502-3001//2/3, *8965, kupot@hth.co.il, www.hth.co.il
CHILDREN THE GIVERThe Jerusalem English Speaking Theater (JEST) presents The Giver, a play (based on a book by Lois Lowry that is being read in schools around the country) about a 12-year-old boy named Jonas (Tzachi Goldstein) who experiences something incredible and undertakes something seemingly impossible.Kibbutz Ramat Rahel, Wednesday, also February 29 and March 6 at 6 p.m.; Thursday and March 1 at 8 p.m. (02) 642-0908 (tickets and group sales).
TRIPLE BILLChildren can enjoy three activities for the price of one on the third Tuesday of every month at the Israel Museum in Jerusalem. This week, meet the elephant from Holon with Lena Harash-Zahavi, make elephants with Thelma Schulz and participate in a fun activity with Orna Grannot, based on the book It’s a Good Idea to Buy Elephants in February by Yoel Hoffman.Tuesday, 4:30 to 6:30 p.m., Israel Museum, Jerusalem, (02) 677-1302, www.imjnet.org.il
MIXED BAG SANDY SATURDAYThe 17th annual Sand March takes place this Saturday at Nitzanim Beach.Located on one of the most pristine parts of the Israeli coastline, Nitzanim is the ideal spot for this different way to spend a day at the beach. Participants can choose between a family–friendly four-kilometer walk and a more advanced eight-kilometer route. There will be rest stops with fun activities for the whole family along the route. In the event of rain, the event will be postponed to February 25.Saturday, 9 to 11:30 a.m. Meet at the entrance to Nitzanim Beach.