Jerusalem highlights: Week of July 30-August 5

Don't know what to do in Jerusalem the coming week? Here's a list of suggestions to enrich your summer.

 Snow will be the focus of a special expo at the Givat Ram Botanical Gardens (photo credit: Aaron Burden/Unsplash)
Snow will be the focus of a special expo at the Givat Ram Botanical Gardens
(photo credit: Aaron Burden/Unsplash)

FRIDAY AUGUST 30: The artists of the Agrippas 12 Gallery will present “Homage to Moshe Castel” to mark a decade since the opening of the Moshe Castel Museum of Art at Ma’aleh Adumim. Castel, a famous painter who fused East and West in his art and created murals for the Knesset and NYC’s Rockefeller Center, will be honored by a dozen artists who will reveal what in his work speaks to them today. Among the artists are USSR-born Lena Zaidel, who will present “Magical Stone 2” (2019) and USSR-born Max Epstein, who will present the 2019 installation “Red Filter.” 

The exhibition opens at noon today (Friday) at 12 Agrippas St. and will close on October 30. Opening hours are Sunday to Thursday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Friday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. 077-540-4897.

The Moshe Castel Museum of Art is at 1 Museum St. Ma’aleh Adumim. (02) 535-7000. Opening hours: Sunday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

FREE POPSICLE – Will be given to parents with a child who are also buying a pint of beer (for themselves) at Barmon Pub from noon to 5 p.m. today (Friday) during their After-Gan Friday special. 

13 Oli HaGardom St. 054-971-0434 

www.barmon-pub.com/

SATURDAY JULY 31: “To teach the sons of Judah the bow” (2 Samuel 1:18) could very well be the slogan of the Keshet Eilon Music Center, which invites the public to enjoy access to many online music classes and concerts held during its 31st International Summer Workshop for string instruments. Today (Saturday at 5 p.m.) violin player Schmuel Aschkenasi will conduct a master class that can also be seen online. On Sunday (August 1) at 8:15 p.m., a special concert will be held honoring the late violin player Ivery Gitlis. Next Saturday (August 7) at 8:15 a special performance of Peter and the Wolf by Sergei Prokofiev will be held. While it is warmly encouraged to make the trip up north and attend the shows in person, they will be available online too. All tickets to all shows cost NIS 70. 

Call (04) 985-8191 or visit www.keshetei.org.il for more details and to learn more about the many activities on offer.

SUNDAY AUGUST 1: A family from prehistoric times will be present at the Botanical Gardens (Givat Ram) for a special event today from 5 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Children (and hopefully, the adults who will join them for this) will be able to wander inside a white maze, solve a puzzle under ice (the puzzle is under ice, not the children), learn about global warming and see snow fall during the summer. Tickets are NIS 70 at presale and NIS 104 for regular tickets. Various credit card companies offer discounts for this show and the Jerusalem City Card will also lower costs so check online before booking. The “Snow Show” is on offer from July 25 to August 31. 

For those arriving via public transportation, their English site has a lot of information about which lines to take. (02) 679-4012, www.botanic.co.il/en/ 

MONDAY AUGUST 2: Open the gates! Walking Tour of Yemin Moshe to Nahalat Shiv’a. Until the mid-19th century, the Old City closed its gates in the evening and it was pay or pray to get through the night safely. Even though the Old City was overcrowded and unsanitary, people were afraid to build and live in the “wilderness.” We will visit the three first Jewish neighborhoods built outside the Old City walls, find out what finally convinced Jews to leave the Old City, and what their daily life was like. We will also tour and learn the evolution of Yemin Moshe. Meet at the Lion’s Fountain, at the junction of King David St. and Emek Refaim St. at 5 p.m. The tour is 2.5 to 3 hours: Mishkenot Sha’ananim, Yemin Moshe, Mahaneh Yisrael, Nahalat Shiv’a.

NIS 60/person. RSVP with guide Miriam Simon 054-521-6933. 

www.miriamsafiratours.com

‘HIGH MAINTENANCE’ – Sculptor Dani Karavan died this May and is dearly missed by the entire Israeli art world. Monday (at 6:30 p.m.) documentary filmmaker Barak Heymann will join the audience at the Jerusalem Cinematheque to discuss High Maintenance, his film about the famous artist, which was recently released. The movie, with English subtitles, is 66 minutes long, followed by a discussion with the director. 

NIS 40 per ticket. Location: 11 Hebron Rd, Phone (02) 565-4333.

WEDNESDAY AUGUST 3: Jerous-Sale, in cooperation with the Mothers Do Not Horde Community, is returning to Silo Coffee Shop on 7 Beit Lehem Road to offer free items to children about to begin the new school year (the idea is that mothers help mothers by passing along needed or useful things). Second-hand items will also be offered to people at affordable prices and workshops about sustainability will be held. The events are to take place from August 4 (Wednesday) to August 6 (Friday). No exact hours were given, but afternoon and evenings seem most likely. 

More details: jcya.org.il/

THURSDAY AUGUST 5: Taatua (Mirage), the latest dance performance created by Rami Be’er, artistic director of the Kibbutz Contemporary Dance Company, will only be shown four times across the land: tonight (Thursday) at the Jerusalem Theater at 8:30 p.m.; on Monday August 2 at Kibbutz Ga’aton (where Be’er was born) and twice in Tel Aviv at the Suzanne Dellal Center for Dance and Theater (August 9, 10). This is quite the treat for anyone interested in modern dance and a chance to see a world premiere of a new work by a leading Israeli master. Please purchase tickets in advance as none will be on offer during that evening.

NIS 180 per ticket / NIS 126 for senior citizens. The show is one hour long without intermission. Jerusalem Theater is at 20 David Marcus St. (02) 560-5755 

www.jerusalem-theatre.co.il/eng   

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.