Editor’s note: Due to the current security situation, events listed below may be postponed or canceled. Check before booking, and stay safe.

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 29 

Watch the 1936 black-and-white gem Dodsworth by William Wyler. Screened at 6 p.m. at the Jerusalem Cinematheque as part of a larger tribute to the director, this film is an adaptation of the 1929 same-titled novel by Nobel Prize winner Sinclair Lewis. 

The plot depicts a Midwestern couple, Sam Dodsworth (Walter Huston) and Fran Voelker (Ruth Chatterton), who travel to Europe. As the Americans visit England, Italy, and France, they meet not only Europeans but also Americans who opted to live in the Old World. 

A powerful drama about middle-aged examination of life decisions, the dialectic movement in the film between the US and Europe reflects the personal life of Wyler himself. Born in Switzerland to a Jewish family, Wyler was an artistic youth sent to the US by his parents to work at Universal Studios, thanks to a relative, Carl Laemmle, who co-founded it. 

When he left Europe, he was a family disappointment due to his lack of interest in business and his great love of theater and opera. Wyler went on to make some outstanding films with the greatest names in the industry. 

These include Funny Girl (Tuesday, January 2, at 5 p.m.); Roman Holiday (Monday, January 1, at 6 p.m.); and Ben-Hur (Sunday, December 31, at 4 p.m.) with, respectively, Barbra Streisand, Audrey Hepburn, and Charlton Heston. NIS 41 per ticket. 11 Hebron Rd. Call (02) 565-4333 to book.

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 30 

Attend a festive concert as singer Tzachi Seton and pianist Raviv Leibzirer perform works by Israel Prize laureate Nurit Hirsch in honor of her 80th birthday. This first performance kicks off a wider program honoring those who shaped Israeli music by gifting it some of its most beloved Hebrew songs, such as Naomi Shemer, Ehud Manor, and Sasha Argov. 

Here, the audience will enjoy songs such as “Say Hurray for This People” (“Lechayeh Ha’am Hazeh”) and “He Who Makes Peace in Heaven”(“Oseh Shalom Bimromav”). The 90-minute event has no intermission. Hebrew only. NIS 119 to NIS 149. Jerusalem Theatre, 20 Marcus St. Call (02) 560-5755 to book.

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 31 

Visit Amulet-Painting, a new exhibition of paintings by Ella Cohen Vansover at the New Gallery Artists’ Studios Teddy, curated by Tamar Gispan-Greenberg. The works, which the artist describes as talismans, offer an examination of Jewish amulets.

This exhibition is a continuation of earlier exhibitions such as Symbol and Jewelry Box, in which the artist explored collecting, body-object relations, and Jewish ritual. 

Amulet-Painting is on display until Tuesday, February 20. Hours are 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Teddy Stadium, Gate 22. Free admission. For more information, visit www.ellacohenvansover.com. 

MONDAY, JANUARY 1 

Dance your blues away at Blues Jerus at the President Hotel (3 Ahad Ha’am St.), which was abandoned and is now operated by the Israel Impact Center.

A free dance class will be offered from 7:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., and the dancing will continue until midnight and possibly longer. Suitable for couples and singles. Free admission, but donations to defray rental expenses are welcome. 

TUESDAY, JANUARY 2 

Mark the beginning of the New Year with a gala concert by the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Judi Axelrod as she leads the New A-Cappella Ensemble. The program includes spiritually moving works such as Vivaldi’s “Kyrie” and “Cum Dederit.” 

The third movement from the Nisi Dominus Cantata, Vivaldi’s “Cum Dederit,” is a profound musical adaptation of Psalm127:2-3 (“For He grants sleep to those He loves”). The 8 p.m. performance continues with Handel’s “Largo,” “Eshet Hayil” by Seter, and ends with excerpts from Strauss’s opera Die Fledermaus (“The Bat”). 

The performance is 90 minutes, without an intermission. NIS 105 to NIS 120 per ticket. Henry Crown Hall at the Jerusalem Theatre, 5 Chopin St. Call (02) 561-1498 to book.

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 3 

Rock ‘n’ roll singer and songwriter Ollie Danon will perform songs from his upcoming third album at the Yellow Submarine at 9:30 p.m.

Since his 2016 album The Silence of the Earth was released, where he confessed “It is allowed to think everything now; it is a strange period in which the trees lower their tops,” Danon has been lauded as a rising star. Tickets are NIS 60 for this standing-only show, at 15 Harkhavim St. Call (02) 679-4040 to book. 

THURSDAY, JANUARY 4 

Unwind at Hataklit (The Record) pub during their 1+1 happy hour deal from 4:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. The pub’s cats Guinness and Goldstar will purr as you sip O’Hara’s Irish Stout or any of the other beers on tap and reflect on your week. 7 Heleni Hamalka St. Open from 3 p.m. to 4 a.m. the following day. 

Call (02) 624-4073 to learn about special offers. For example, if you get five other people to sign up, you can ask Yossi Komar to arrange a trivia night on any topic you like. Text 054-731-2120 to learn more. True to its name, the pub also holds occasional record sales.

Throwing a special party? Opening an art exhibition or a new bar? Bringing in a guest speaker to introduce a fascinating topic? Drop a line at hagay_hacohen@yahoo.com and let In Jerusalem know about it. Send emails with “Jerusalem Highlights” in the subject line. Although all information is welcome, we cannot guarantee it will be featured in the column.