Many think of mid-January as a time in Jerusalem when the winter solstice celebration fun is behind us, the international peak tourist season has ended and the university students are hunkering down to contend with final exams and projects. These people look forward to the weeks ahead, when Jerusalem is overrun with fun for Arbor Day-like Tu Bishvat, which means that the countdown towards the revelry of Purim can’t be far away. But this week is hardly an intermediary time. From world beat pop shows to neuroscience’s trip to the movies to historic street closings to club show TV tapings, there’s plenty on tap this week for culture and entertainment in the Holy City.
- On Thursday, trailblazing Israeli world-reggae-pop rocker Mosh Ben Ari (pictured) returns to Jerusalem for a show at HaMa’abada. Ben Ari’s new show is an attempt to provide an intimate look at the artist’s experience and feelings, with new arrangements of older familiar songs, and plenty from his new, introspective album.
- If the movie Inception was not enough of a mind-freak for you, how about watching the movie on the big screen again, and immediately thereafter getting some context from a proper neurologist, a la the Bloomfield Science Museum’s Science from the Movies series at the Cinematheque?
- Some 150 years after the thoroughfare was first paved by the Ottomans, Friday is the first day of Jaffa Road’s closure to motor traffic, giving free reign to pedestrians until the Light Rail system goes live, which is expected to take place this summer.
- Breslov clarinetist-songster Chilik Frank recently won the moniker “Best Jewish Ensemble in the World” at a community event in Holland for his recording The Heart and the Wellspring. What’s so great about this neo-klezmer group? Head to HaMa’abada Saturday night to find out.
- Among the Israel Museum’s many exhibits is the newly opened Journey through Jewish Worlds, which presents a rare look at Swiss collector René Braginsky’s manuscripts from across the strata of Jewish history. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime chance to see some of these extraordinary papers.
- For having a relatively short history, contemporary Israeli society has produced no small amount of poets of note, from Haim Bialik and Rachel to Natan Alter and Hanoch Levin. On Monday, Beit Avi Chai delves into the works of these and more masters of verse, bringing them to life through music, in the first of a three-part series entitled The Sound of the Words.
- There are many reasons to make the restaurant Colony a destination. New to the mix is an exhibition by Boomants, the Armenian sculptor and painter of colorful, fairy tale-like dream-scapes, a worthy accompaniment to the venue’s high-end food and drinks.
- On Wednesday, head to the Yellow Submarine to see some up and coming Jerusalem musical talent, and have the chance to get your mug on TV, as the space hosts a taping of the Channel 1 series Live from the Yellow Submarine. This week’s shoot focuses on irreverent rock act the Collective, with next week’s finale headlined by Los Capros.
There’s plenty more to see and do at our full events section.
