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From rock to dance to archeology, here are some events to mark down in the calendar.

By BARRY DAVIS
Algir band (photo credit: Wikimedia Commons)
Algir band
(photo credit: Wikimedia Commons)
Algier, 10 years after
Rock fans over a certain age may recall an album called Menoim Kadima (“Engines Ahead”) by Algier. The extraordinary collection came out in 2004, and the 10th anniversary of its release will be marked at a concert at Tel Aviv’s Ozen Bar on December 25 (8 p.m.).
At the time, Menoim Kadima made waves through the local pop and rock community, and is considered by some to be one of the best Israeli rock albums ever. The group was founded by childhood friends – vocalist, guitarist and keyboardist Aviv Guedj; vocalist and guitarist Gavriel Belachsan; and drummer Dvir Lavie – and was the second release by the band, following their debut CD Ne’emanut Utshuka (“Loyalty and Passion”).
The group disbanded two years after Menoim Kadima, which proved to be the last record Algier made. Sadly, Belachsan died last year but the other band members, as well as a string of other top rock musicians, will be on hand to perform all the numbers from the excellent album.
For tickets and more information: www.facebook.com/ events/745262678854560/
Dancing age
The Warehouse 2 arts venue in Jaffa Port will host an event around the topic of age on December 17 and 29 (both 9 p.m.).
The Gil (Age) program includes an intriguing dance production choreographed by Sally-Anne Friedland, called Me & Mai. The work was inspired by Friedland’s performance in a show called Edna in which she played the role of the matriarch Sarah, who discovered at the age of 90 that she was pregnant. Me & Mai combines solo and video dance, and portrays a young female dancer just starting out in life and her career.
Gil also includes a performance of Edna, and an exhibition of dance-related works by painter Marlene Ferrer.
For tickets and more information: (03) 902-1563
The taste of peace
The 2014 Kinneret Flavor Festival will take place at various locations around Lake Kinneret (the Sea of Galilee) on December 18-27. This is the 10th edition of the annual festival, and will mark the 20th anniversary of the signing of peace accords between Israel and Jordan.
The gastronomic side of the bilateral treaty will be commemorated with a meal created by chef Ilan Roberg at the Roberg Restaurant at Moshav Livnim, close to the northwest corner of the Kinneret, which will replicate the dishes consumed at the time by King Hussein and Yitzhak Rabin.
There are countless cross-ethnic and traditional culinary delights on offer during the festival, including an Italian-Mediterranean fusion that will be created by guest chef Mane Strum at the Tzel Tamar restaurant at Kibbutz Ashdot Ya’acov Ihud, just south of the lake.
There is more to the Kinneret Flavor Festival than just great food, with a wide range of fun activities laid on for all the family – including a free rodeo show at the Vered Hagalil ranch to the north of the Kinneret, a treasure hunt in Jordan Park, the Light and Fire Festival at Hamat Gader, and an abundance of food and other items all around the region.
For tickets and more information: (04) 675-2727 and www.kinneret.info
The mystery of the desert
If you’re looking to get a better handle on the aesthetics and workings of the Negev Desert and, specifically, the Ramon Crater and its environs, you should get yourself over to Mitzpe Ramon between December 18 and 20.
The three-day program features a wide range of topics relating to culture, research and matters of a spiritual nature, and will include guided tours of various area locations.
There will be informative and entertaining lectures and workshops given by archeologist and researcher Prof. Emmanuel Anati, who will lead a jeep trip to Mount Karkom – which Anati believes is the biblical Mount Sinai. Fellow archeologist Dr. Uzi Avner will take participants on a trek to Mount Eldad and Ramat Matred, and there will be a camel trip through the desert that will focus on various plants used by the Beduin for medicinal purposes.
For more information and to register: (050) 749-8021 and www.negevtour.co.il