With the Sea of Galilee dropping to disastrously low levels and the heat of summer upon us, water is a hot topic these days. As temperatures begin to soar and water seems scarcer than ever, The Bloomfield Science Museum offers some form of relief with its Touching Water exhibit, the first of a series of water-themed exhibits to be hosted by the museum in the coming years.

 

According to exhibit curator Dr. Amir Ben Shalom, "This exhibit focuses on the history of water, the life cycle of water. I think that in addition to the mantra of save water which we hear so often, we need to understand what water actually is - its uses, its history. If people understand the water process," says Ben Shalom, "the way it enters our pipes, where it comes from, they will better understand how to care for and save it. The Touching Water exhibit deals with this whole process in a way that appeals to a wide audience, with interactive exhibits for children and interesting water facts for adults."

At the heart of "Touching Water" is Splash, a multi-media and dance performance that tells the story of Dani, a little boy who is scared of water. He befriends a water droplet, who takes him through the water cycle, ending finally in the ocean, where Dani overcomes his fear. "It's a sort of Alice in Wonderland-type journey," explains Joel Bray, Splash's choreographer and lead dancer. "Throughout the water cycle, the water drop turns into all these different characters. For example, when they are in the ice-stage she become this Queen Latifa-type hip hop dancer, at one point she's an aerial artist floating in the air, and the boy meets all these crazy characters along the way. I've tried to make it like a great Disney film - something that's for children but which their parents can enjoy as well."

Touching Water opens in July and will run throughout the summer.