• HAGAY HACOHEN
As the Jewish New Year begins and the cool breezes roll in, here are some ideas on what to enjoy in the capital.
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 10 – Readers who appreciate the works of late writer Amos Oz might enjoy the free Hebrew guided walk following his 2002 autobiographical book A Tale of Love and Darkness on offer today at 10 a.m. by Barutina. A new initiative created by the city of Jerusalem to encourage a return to regular cultural events and support local businesses. The tour is roughly one-hour long. For more information, call 050-7466848 or Email Barutina2021@gmail.com. The tour begins at 9 a.m., 21 Balfour St. For more information (in Hebrew) visit www.barutina.co.il/
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 11 – Do you need a good laugh? Of course you do. This is why today you are able to choose not one, not two, but three excellent Jewish comedies hell bent on offering you the mitzvah of happiness. The guffaws begin with the recent 2020 film An American Pickle (5 p.m.). What is this about you ask? It is about time traveling via pickles. Starring Seth Rogen, it is meant to be a side splitting look of our current Jewish-American (Israeli?) culture. This fine pickle continues with the 1987 Radio Days (7 p.m.) by Woody Allen. Starring Seth Green, the film explores the Golden Age of Radio in the 1940’s and 50’s. You want more? We got more! The 2004 Alles auf Zucker! is a film about funny German Jews. It brings together two estranged brothers; one is a religious Jewish man who lives in the former West Germany. The other is an assimilated Jewish man living in what used to be East Germany. Will the two brothers be able to forgive each other or will all their late mother’s money be given to charity? Come see at 9 p.m. (The film is in German with Hebrew subtitles only).
All films will be shown at the Jerusalem Cinematheque under the special screenings titled: It’s Hard Being a Jew. Other films include the French 2016 film The Jews (Sunday Sept 12 at 6 p.m. Hebrew subtitles only) and the 1996 Welcome to the Dollhouse (Tuesday September 14 at 6 p.m.). For details (and ticket purchase): jer-cin.org.il/en/lobby/its-hard-being-jew
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 12 – If you, a good friend, or a family member are masters of table tennis this evening is your (or their) chance to shine. An open-for-all table tennis competition will be held at the Meir Gershon St school at 6 p.m. today for those who sign up at 052-566-1193. Participation is free.
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 13 – The works of Yiddish language genius Sholem Aleichem will be placed on the stage at First Station today at 8:30 p.m. with a religious-minded adaptation by the Aspaklaria theater. Aspaklaria attempts to offer the best of Jewish culture by staging plays in a Halacha-minded fashion. This performance is based on Nightingale Yossel (1889). The second novel composed by Aleichem. In it, he tells the story of a young cantor who resides in a small Jewish town in the pale of settlement (the town is fictional, the pale was composed of parts of what today are Poland, Ukraine, Lithuania and Belarus). Blessed with a rare musical gift, Yossel is torn between his ambition to make something of himself and his religious and conservative town. The story is presented in the form of a musical (Hebrew only).
Nightingale Yossel will perform at 4 David Remez St at First Station. Box Office tickets are NIS 80 and online tickets are NIS 70 (Students pay NIS 60). Phone (02) 651-1936. Site: aspaklaria.org. Please note that many previous theater shows by the group can be watched online. Including an adaptation of the 1976 book Sursis pour l’orchestre by Fania Fénelon who survived the Holocaust as a member of the Auschwitz Women’s Orchestra. The book was also adapted to the movies in 1980 as Playing for Time. The recent theater adaptation is played only by women and is meant to be seen only by women.
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14 –The Jerusalem East and West Orchestra will perform at the open air of Safra Square tonight at 8:30 p.m. The special concert will include noted guest talents as Zehava Ben and Neta Elkayam. Tickets are NIS 30. As the concert is in the open air, prepare to dress warmly and bring your Green Pass. Patrons must wear a mask during the show. To buy a ticket call *6565.
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15 – Escape time itself at the Dials of Fate escape room at this family-oriented activity at the Islamic Art Museum. Based on the 1983 actual theft of many valuable timepieces from the collection, among them one made by Abraham-Louis Breguet for no other than Marie Antoinette, children and adults are invited to solve the case and restore the stolen goods. The clocks and watches were returned in 2006. It is likely that readers who try their hand at this game will not need that much time.
The price includes a visit to the museum. NIS 155 for three persons, NIS 110 for two, Contact: office@iam.org.il
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 16 – Treat yourself to a cup of coffee and gazing at the various characters walking up and down Emek Refaim Street as colorful covers of The New Yorker give you something interesting to reflect on at The Coffee Mill (23 Emek Refaim). Phone (02) 566 1665 Email coffeemill99@gmail.com. Or buy a gift voucher for a friend via thecoffeemill.co.il/
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.