Jerusalem’s top events for the week of February 23rd

It’s the start of the Jewish party month, Adar, and Jerusalem’s calendar of events is packed with parties and happenings to get in the mood this week! Don’t forget to take advantage of the early spring festive atmosphere.

• Start the partying by hitting up Thursday Night Live Music at Colony, where the house band, Jerusalem Stone, continues its weekly residence gig.

• You never know what accessories, props and handicrafts you’ll need to have for a party! Check out the Bezalel Arts Fair on Friday.

  Jerusalem’s Biblical Zoo presents a slew of winter weekend events for the whole family,
  including musical performances, encounters with animals, animal shows
  and feedings. On Fridays in February, the zoo’s entrance plaza shakes with the sounds of the Trio Zaltzman.

• On Saturday see the beloved Israeli chanteuse Rita in concert at the Jerusalem Theatre, complete with a nine-piece band.

  Opera lovers who are not content to wait for this summer’s planned Jerusalem-area performances can get their fix at the Cinematheque this Saturday night, where New
  York’s Metropolitan Opera company continues its 2011-2012 simul-cast
  series on the big screen with a performance of Verdi’s Ernani.

  World beat outfit Gaya (pictured) hits the stage at Beit Avi Chai this Saturday night with an energetic concert, full of joie de vivre,
  which should have you bouncing out of your chair. The show is part of
  Beit Avi Chai’s ongoing Saturday night lineup of trailblazing Israeli
  music artists.

• If you’re feeling a little tired out from all the partying, slow down a bit on Sunday to indulge in an intellectual party instead, by checking out an evening of poetry at Tmol Shilshom, where members of the Israel Association of Writers in English present works from the group’s periodical.

• Make sure you’re still looking your best, and ready for anything, by catching up with yourself at the Mirror Room at the Bloomsfield Science Center this Monday. Appearances can be deceiving.

• Tuesday get over to HaTza’atzua to help them celebrate four years of partying. Asaf Cohen and Tal Pilus are playing live sets back-to-back. The bar’s two weeks of birthday festivities include special guest performances and DJs – as well as great deals on beer, cava and mini-shots.

• Wednesday it’s time to regain balance after a big week, so stretch out at the community yoga classes with Doron Mor.

This is just the tip of the iceberg! Check out our full events section for everything else going on.