SATURDAY JULY 10: They Fought for Their Country, to be screened at 9 p.m., is a 1975 Soviet war film directed by Sergei Bondarchuk based on the same titled novel by Mikhail Sholokhov. The movie depicts the heroic Soviet defense of Stalingrad [now Volgograd] during the Second World War – siege that lasted 872 days and cost roughly two million lives. It ended with the Red Army turning back the tide of the war and driving the Nazi army out of the Caucasus, eventually liberating Auschwitz and putting an end to Hitler’s empire with the conquest of Berlin.
This week offers those mostly familiar with the British and American perspectives on the war a unique chance to see some of the best Russian-made films on the Great Patriotic War, including The 1985 film Come and See by Elem Klimov (Monday at 8:30 p.m.), which focuses on the Nazi occupation of Belarus as seen through the eyes of a young man who joins the resistance movement and the 2012 action movie White Tiger by Karen Shakhnazarov (Thursday at 6 p.m.) The film includes a disturbing scene where German actor Karl Krantskovski in the role of Hitler claims that Europe had always been afraid of two things, Jews and Russia.
Russian films and the victory over the Nazis at the Jerusalem Cinematheque offers a special deal: four tickets for the price of NIS 100. Otherwise tickets are NIS 40 per movie. 11 Hebron Rd., (02) 565-4333.
“In the Future I Shall Live a Great Deal in This Room” is a new art exhibition recently opened at Studio of Her Own. The exhibition includes works by Anisa Ashkar, Lenni Dotan Dinar, Elham Rokni and Dafna Shalom. Referring to the 1933 film Queen Christina with Greta Garbo, whose line it was, the featured works deal with the body as a site of memory. The studio is meant to empower women artists.
“In the Future I Shall Live a Great Deal in This Room” – a new group exhibition at Studio of Her Own at 10 Kaf Tet BeNovember St. Admission is free. Opening hours are Sunday 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
SUNDAY JULY 11: “Fitness is happiness” will take place today from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at the playground at 8 Aba Berditchev at French Hill. For more information about the type of sports on offer, call (02) 541-6000. Admission is free.
MONDAY JULY 12: Now adults, teenagers who were once part of efforts to prevent the 2005 Disengagement from Gush Katif will mark 16 years to this past event, and their former youth, with a special panel. Come hear how they view things nearly a generation later and maybe see things through another set of eyes.
NIS 50 expected donation fee. Event to be held on 22 Chai Taib at Beit Knesset Dati Leumi at 8 p.m.
TUESDAY JULY 13: Jerusalem hosts an International Opera Competition today at 3 p.m. The second round will be held on Wednesday at 5 p.m. Held at Harmony Culture Center at 1 Koresh St. Aadmission is free. The location, near the walls of the Old City, enables patrons to enjoy high-end culture and then enjoy one of the loveliest attractions the city has to offer. For details: (02) 621-1777 or gtmarina@jerusalem.muni.il
Getting ready for Shmita, in English! Jewish law mandates that the next Jewish year, to begin on September 7, will be a Shabbat of the Land, meaning that the earth of the land of Israel be given a chance to rest.
This has a wealth of implication for agriculture, public parks such as the Jerusalem Botanical Gardens and individuals who enjoy gardening and wish to learn more about what all this might mean for them.
The Torah VeHa’aretz Institute recently opened an English-language department for this expressed purpose and will offer a series of online lectures by Rabbi Moshe Bloom. The next lecture will be on Monday July 19 and will be about how to shop for fruits and vegetables during Shmita. Seeing as all lectures are recorded, the July 5 lecture on Preparing Your Garden Inside and Outside Your Residence can be enjoyed online this week as well should one email the institute at jmjmslj1@gmail.com and request it.
The cost is NIS 35 per one lecture and NIS 95 for the entire series. The final lecture will take place on Monday July 19 and will discuss Kedushat Shevi’it in Your Kitchen. More information: //en.toraland.org.il/ or (08) 684-7325.
THURSDAY JULY 15: Baruch Spinoza is one of the great names in philosophy, but how many people have actually had the great joy of reading the works penned by this humble optical lens grinder? Seen as the prince of philosophers, the ideas of this great figure in Jewish and Western thought will be discussed, admission free, today at 8 p.m. at Holzer Books by Dr. Zadok Alon.
Holzer Books, 91 Jaffa Road. 076-543-3800
Kurim is a new, Jerusalem-based multi-disciplinary art magazine in Hebrew. Its second volume, Behind the Scenes, was launched on Wednesday July 7 following its first volume which was around the theme of “Messengers.” You may enjoy an online copy of Behind the Scenes here. Those interested in submitting their own materials can do so via kurim.poetry@gmail.com
Throwing a good party? Opening an art exhibition or a new bar? Bringing in a guest speaker to introduce a fascinating topic? Why not 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. While all information is welcome, receiving such notifications is not a guarantee they will be featured in the column.