Israel’s summer events

ABIGAIL KLEIN LEICHMAN ISRAEL21C

Everywhere you go in Israel this season, you’re bound to bump into a festival to your liking. Even before international festivals became a strategy in luring the tourist trade, Israel has been finding reasons to celebrate year-round. But, each year from May to September, the festival season really heats up. The mother of them all will be the new Jerusalem Season of Culture, offering diverse dance, theatre, art and opera events throughout the city, which runs from May 18 until July 28.

While Houses from Within, the Israel Festival and the Jerusalem Light Festival have already come and gone, there are still several large upcoming festivals. Here are a few of the top ones, in date order.

The International Puppet Theater and Film Festival happens July 21-23 and July 28-30. A colorful street procession opens this annual event based at the Israel Puppet Centre in Holon, known as Israel’s “Children’s City.” Some 30 performances by resident and international artists are planned, as well as conferences, exhibitions, workshops for professionals and amateurs; a conference on the therapeutic use of puppets; and Puppetry on the Screen, a show featuring puppets in the world of film.

The annual International Arts and Crafts Fair is a popular outdoor event, this year from Aug. 15-27. It has been held for 30 years at Hutzot Hayotzer, an amphitheatre near the walls of the Old City, and draws crafters and artisans from around Israel, as well as many European and African countries. Concerts held in conjunction with the festival take place at Sultan’s Pool nearby. It’s open every evening (except Fridays) between 6 and 11 p.m.

Held in the mystical Galilee city of Safed, the International Klezmer Festival showcases 45 artists performing “Jewish soul music” on eight stages and in the ancient cobbled alleyways of the city. Held Aug. 15-17, those on the bill include Sinai Tor, Simply Tsfat, Aaron Razel, the Persian Jerusalem Orchestra and Vilna Klezmer, among others. Visitors will also find a huge outdoor arts-and-crafts sale, tours and children’s events.

The Red Sea Jazz Festival, held Aug. 22-27, is one of the country’s largest jazz events. Held in three venues on the Eilat Harbor overlooking the Red Sea, the festival features several concerts every evening. Attendees may sign up for clinics with guest artists or sit in on nightly jam sessions. Styles spotlighted range from New Orleans to Latin jazz. Every evening at 7 p.m., an open concert is staged to give exposure to upcoming young Israeli jazz groups.

The Haifa International Film Festival happens later in the season, from Sept. 13-22. Haifa’s was the first international film festival in the country, founded in 1983 (others include the Docaviv International Documentary Film Festival in Tel Aviv, May 12-21; Sderot International Film Festival, May 29-June 2; Tel Aviv LGBT Film Festival, June 11-18; and the Jerusalem Film Festival, July 7-16). Held on Mount Carmel overlooking the Mediterranean Sea, the festival features 280 screenings, including 170 premières. Outdoor events, workshops and film competitions are held. A new one this year is the Fedeora Competition, sponsored by the Federation of Film Critics of Europe and the Mediterranean.

For information on other festivals in Israel, visit mfa.gov.il.

Israel21C is a nonprofit educational foundation with a mission to focus media and public attention on the 21st-century Israel that exists beyond the conflict. For more, or to donate, visit israel21c.org.

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