FRIDAY, MAY 10
Attend a noon piano recital by Idan Shturman at the Jerusalem Music Centre and enjoy Schumann’s Fantasia Op. 17 and Liszt’s Sonata in B Minor before Shabbat begins. Free admission. 3 Yemin Moshe St. Call (02) 300-2205 to book.
SATURDAY, MAY 11
Enjoy a live transmission of Puccini’s Madama Butterfly as soprano Asmik Grigorian makes her debut at the Metropolitan Opera in the role of 15-year-old geisha Cio-Cio-San. Tenor Jonathan Tetelman takes on the role of Pinkerton, with the role of Suzuki performed by mezzo-soprano Elizabeth DeShong.
The Italian opera speaks about an impossible love affair between the young and idealistic Cio-Cio-San and cynical US Navy officer Pinkerton, who views her as a temporary diversion. Suzuki is the maid who stands by her mistress until the tragic end.
Conductor Xian Zhang will also make her Met debut as conductor. Performed in Italian with English subtitles. Jerusalem Cinematheque, 11 Hebron Rd. NIS 170 per ticket, call (02) 565-4333 to book.
SUNDAY, MAY 12
Attend a free concert by the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra under the title “Remembering, Singing, and Telling Stories for Memorial Day.” Conductor Yaron Gottfried will lead some of the best musical artists in the country, such as Rita, Idan Raichel, and Yehuda Poliker, during a 90-minute performance at the Sultan’s Pool. 8 p.m. To reserve tickets and more info, visit shorturl.at/iCMQ4.
MONDAY, MAY 13
Remembrance Day can be an overwhelming, grief-intensive experience. For those seeking a way to connect with the larger Jewish destiny and find some solace in the rich legacy that Jewish history offers, Beit Avi Chai created a short series of films titled “Let Objects Speak.”
Co-created with various Russian museums, such as the Pushkin State Museum in Moscow, the series offers a taste of the Jewish-related items in their respective collections.
These include shards from the Jewish garrison on Elephantine Island, situated in the upper Nile; a 19th-century Torah shield (State Museum of the History of Religion in St. Petersburg); and a memory vase in honor of Jewish merchant Moisei Ginsburg.
Presented in English by Matti Friedman, this is a gentle, erudite glimpse into the strong roots of the Jewish nation.
For more information, see www.bac.org.il/en/videos/?seriesID=1034.
TUESDAY, MAY 14
Mark Independence Day by visiting the Israel Museum, Jerusalem, free of charge, and marvel at “Common Ground.” Co-curated by Amitai Mendelsohn, Tanya Sirakovich, Ahiad Ovadia, and Pirchia Eyall, this group exhibition focuses on the ways Israeli art meets archaeology.
The works range from painter Menashe Kadishman to street artist Addam Yekutieli (Know Hope) and Elham Rokni. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., 11 Rupin Blvd.
WEDNESDAY, MAY 15
Attend a lecture by Efrat Halmish about the meaning of living in the City of David in light of the Holocaust, the War of Independence, and Independence Day. This offer is available throughout May.
It is possible to book a pianist who will provide a musical arrangement in the spirit of Remembrance Day and Independence Day. NIS 60 per person. The talk includes refreshments.
Other offers within “Women and Stories,” created by Jerusalem City Hall, include a musical gathering at a private home in Nahlaot during which pianist Yonatan Nitzan and Hanna Bat Yael will present songs of hope. Groups only. NIS 50 per person.
Kineret Botil will share the legacy of her Yemenite-Jewish family who have been living at Ein Kerem since the War of Independence. The lecture is in Hebrew, but you can discuss the option of English encounters with the hosts. Group events only. NIS 50 per person.
Each encounter is between one hour and 90 minutes. To book, call Halmish at 052-3331786; Bat Yael at 054-540-0150; or Botil at 052-346-6426.
✱ Watch The Garden of Eden, a 2013 documentary film by Ran Tal that focuses on the Gan Hashlosha National Park (Sakhne, or “hot pool,” in Arabic). Divided into four parts, one for each season, the film begins and ends during Independence Day.
Tal speaks with various people from the many groups that comprise Israeli society. Among them is an Arab man who wants to live in a place where he would see neither Jews nor Arabs; a woman who was the victim of an abusive husband; and a Russian-speaking woman who lost her feeling of belonging while in Russia but still doesn’t feel she has a full life here.
8 p.m. NIS 30 per ticket. Shown with English subtitles. Cinema By Sam Spiegel, 3 Menora St. Visit cinema.jsfs.co.il/ for more.
THURSDAY, MAY 16
Attend a performance that blends Ethiopian music with jazz, thanks to sax player Abate Berihun, his band Tesfa (Hope), and hosting singer Tombola Abebaw Tekla, who made aliyah two years ago. 8:30 p.m. NIS 70 per ticket. Confederation House, 12 Emile Botta St. Call (02) 539-9361 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.
