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

FRIDAY, APRIL 26

Visit “Crafted by Bees,” a new exhibition at the Israel Museum that combines innovative design, sustainable art, and the unique history of this land.

Slovak artist Tomas Libertiny was invited to work alongside beekeeper Rafi Nir to offer a bust of Roman Emperor Hadrian in a new exhibition, jointly curated by Rami Tareef and Dudi Mevorah. Tareef is the curator of Design and Architecture at Israel Museum, Jerusalem, while Mevorah is the senior curator of Hellenistic, Roman, and Byzantine Archaeology.

The Roman ruler was selected, as he is “a star in the museum’s collection,” Tareef told In Jerusalem, and this innovative artistic decision is the means “to put a spotlight on it.”

Libertiny said that he decided to work with bees because he “wanted to be like a conductor of an orchestra, to naturally transform chaos to order.”

Mevorah, who curated an extensive exhibition focused on Hadrian in 2015 titled “Hadrian: An Emperor Cast in Bronze,” said that this is a unique chance to examine the importance of the man who “copyrighted the name Palestine,” following the 135 CE Bar Kochba revolt.

'Crafted by Bees' (credit: Israel Museum, Jerusalem by Rami Tareef)
'Crafted by Bees' (credit: Israel Museum, Jerusalem by Rami Tareef)

Hadrian crushed the uprising and then erased the name Judea, renaming this region “Syria Palaestina.” “Nobody [had ever] changed the name of a province before,” Mevorah pointed out.

Come see what the buzz is about, between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. today, when admission to the museum is free.

Supported by: The Embassy of Slovakia in Israel; The Slovak Institute, Jerusalem; The Office for Slovaks Living Abroad; and Tatra Bank – Slovakia.

SATURDAY, APRIL 27

Visit the Train Theater (Hakaron) at 11:30 a.m. to enjoy a performance created for children on the autistic spectrum by Yoni Tal (Clipa Theater). Titled Sounds in a Jar, it follows Yoni, a boy who loves sounds and creates them by playing on shells, toys, and even vegetables. This Hebrew-language play is aimed at ages four and up. During the performance, children are able to leave their seats and walk around. After the show, parents and their children will be invited to learn how to produce the music Yoni creates on stage. The theater space is inside Liberty Bell Park. Hebrew only. 45 minutes long. NIS 35 per ticket. Call (02) 561-8514 to book.

SUNDAY, APRIL 28

Join a special tour of Jerusalem offered by the Yad Yitzhak Ben-Zvi Institute with a focus on Passover and Easter. Led by tour guide and poetry teacher Akiva Segal, the tour begins on Mount Zion and ends at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre to respectfully watch Orthodox Christians celebrate Palm Sunday. The tour will begin at 9 a.m. and end at noon. NIS 80 per person. Hebrew only. To book, call (02) 539-8888.

MONDAY, APRIL 29

Visit “Gaps Gaping in the Rhythm of Time,” a group art exhibition curated by Shira Friedman, which offers an unusual examination of the circular nature of time. Musrara Art School. Hours: Sunday to Thursday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. On display until Thursday, June 27, at 22 Shivtei Israel St. Admission is free.

TUESDAY, APRIL 30

Watch the play The Aflalo Family, a comedy written and directed by Levis Afuta about the generations gap within one Jewish-Moroccan family. The production is in Hebrew and Darija, the Arab dialect used by the Jewish people in Morocco. Performed at 8:30 p.m. Jerusalem Theatre, 20 Marcus St. It is 90 minutes without intermission. NIS 65-NIS 79 per ticket. Call 1-700-70-4000 to book.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 1

Attend a concert by the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra under the title “The Future Is Already Here.” Conductor Guy Feder will lead the young soloists of the capital in this 90-minute program that includes a diverse and rich offering, from Beethoven’s Creatures of Prometheus to Leroy Anderson’s The Typewriter. The concluding piece in this concert, the latter is a light composition usually performed with a live typist. 6 p.m. Jerusalem Theatre, 20 Marcus St., 90 minutes without intermission. NIS 50 per ticket. Call 1-700-70-4000 to book.

THURSDAY, MAY 2

Watch Hayao Miyazaki’s 2023 animated masterpiece The Boy and the Heron at the Jerusalem Cinematheque at 4 p.m. as part of a tribute to the Japanese director. This is the final film released by Miyazaki, and it received rave reviews. Shown in Japanese with Hebrew and English subtitles. This is your chance to enjoy what the Toronto Film Festival described as “a singular, transformative experience in film.” 11 Hebron Road. NIS 41 per ticket. Call (02) 565-4333 to book.

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.