Culture in Israel

Passover 2026: Great films to watch dur­ing the hol­i­day

TV Time: From biblical epics to new streaming hits, here’s what to watch this Passover week.

|ByHANNAH BROWN
A SCENE from 'The Prince of Egypt'
ZENDAYA is in the third season of ‘Euphoria.’

From Euphoria to Red Hot Chili Peppers: What to watch in Israel this week

TV Time: A new Red Hot Chili Peppers documentary, Euphoria’s return, and a comedy classic lead this week’s picks.

|ByHANNAH BROWN
DENIS PODALYDÈS plays author Georges Simenon’s distinguished inspector Maigret in ‘Maigret and the Dead Lover’

‘Maigret and the Dead Lover’: Bringing French detective back to big screen - review

For those who enjoyed the books, the movie will bring them back to the atmosphere of the police headquarters on the Quai des Orfevres. 

|ByHANNAH BROWN
Idan Raichel: Taking it all in stride.

Israeli artist Idan Raichel blends music, art and desert magic in 'Fata Morgana'

Idan Raichel’s desert festival “Fata Morgana” blends music, art and resilience amid a time of war and uncertainty.

|ByDAVID BRINN

Inside the unexpected cultural renaissance happening in Beit Shemesh

From Shlock Rock to major Israeli theater productions, Beit Shemesh’s cultural center is turning the city into an unexpected arts destination.

JANUARY 10, 2026ByALAN ROSENBAUM
Lenny Solomon at the keyboard with the Shlock Rock band at the 40th anniversary concert in Beit Shemesh.

New Israeli craft beers tell stories of war, recovery, and creativity

From light lagers to imperial stouts, Israel’s new craft beers offer unique flavors and stories in every sip.

JANUARY 10, 2026ByDOUG GREENER
The brewer of four Shomron beers says that brewing is what cured him from post-trauma after many years of active combat duty.

Melting Point at the Museum for Islamic Art shows what jewellery can be

Melting Point brings artists together to show how jewellery evolves into storytelling, emotion, and cultural memory in a time of rupture and renewal.

JANUARY 10, 2026ByBARRY DAVIS
‘Memento Mori’ by Adi Harush and Ben Tzur references Victorian mourning jewelry and the arc between heritage and contemporary works.

Grapevine: Puttin' in the Ritz

Movers and shakers in Israeli society.

JANUARY 10, 2026ByGREER FAY CASHMAN
The majestic King David Hotel in Jerusalem

HBO Max arrives in Israel while Anderson’s film sparks controversy

TV TIME: HBO Max launches in Israel with a full slate of hit series and films, while Paul Thomas Anderson’s 'One Battle After Another' draws sharp criticism for its politics and plot.

JANUARY 9, 2026ByHANNAH BROWN
‘The Pitt.’

How a Jew and an Arab made a comedy about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict

A bold new Jewish-Arab comedy, “Bella,” uses humor to explore shared pain.

JANUARY 9, 2026ByHANNAH BROWN
A scene from ‘Bella.’

Israel's ‘palace’ of art and architecture in Ma’aleh Adumim marks 15 years

The Moshe Castel Museum of Art marks 15 years of presenting the works of underappreciated Israeli artists to the public.

JANUARY 3, 2026ByABIGAIL KLEIN LEICHMAN
SELF-PORTRAIT of Pinchas Shaar (1923-1996).

‘Let’s start bigger’: Israelis behind ‘The Department of Magic’ detail creative process - interview

Amit Weiss, an acting and cinema student at Sapir Academic College near Sderot, and Talia Novich, a technical writer in Haifa, are creatively inseparable.

JANUARY 3, 2026ByMIRIAM SELA-EITAM
The Department of Magic.

What to watch in Israel: War is over with ‘Murder at the Dead Sea’

TV TIME: Israeli satire, British scandal, and classic dramas converge as television cautiously moves back toward escapism.

JANUARY 3, 2026ByHANNAH BROWN
Photo from Murder at the Dead Sea

Three artists, three questions: Recurring motifs through chaos and order

Three artists, three questions, and a shared urge to find order in chaos through repetition, light, and form.

DECEMBER 27, 2025ByBASIA MONKA
Ariel Hacohen