Apparently the cultural center in Israel is in Tel Aviv, so at least it seems to many.
But the truth is that the cultural scene in Jerusalem is rich and vibrant and includes theater, music performances, festivals, art exhibitions and countless works.
Jerusalem Day, which took place today, is a good time to get to know this scene.
A play by the Khan at the Hansen House,
"In general, Jerusalem is a city that offers amazing and unusual possibilities in the various spaces that exist in it," says Udi Ben Moshe, the artistic director of the Jerusalem Khan Theater.
"The city allowed us to put on shows in crazy locations that only it has. We put the show 'Glory' to the Yemin Moshe neighborhood. We walked with the audience in the streets - and it was an experience. "With a deep historical layer. We are constantly looking for special projects that this city allows because of its history."
According to him, the theater scene in Jerusalem is flourishing.
"In recent years there have been more and more theaters in the city, including the incubator and the specularia. The Jerusalem audience is curious and looking for something meaningful. When we do a play followed by a discussion or lecture, it immediately fills up."
I see a lot of kippah wearers in the audience.
We are now doing a greenhouse project for Jerusalem writers.
"I'm in touch with the Ma'aleh Film School, I want to catch their graduates before they run away to television, and bring them to the theater."
A street show as part of the "Winter Noise" festival, Photo: No credit
"Art connects"
Aharon Feuerstein, director of Nissan Nativ's acting studio for the past seven years, says that "there is a revolution in Jerusalem. The Ma'aleh Film School and the Musrara School also have a concentration of art and artists, and this is one of the things that most characterizes Jerusalem. Lots of people want to make their voices heard. The fact that the audience here is diverse - religious and secular, Arab and Jewish - adds tension, And art loves tension. I'm a person from a religious background, wearing a kippah, but we've never had censorship, even when we put on very intense plays. Jerusalemites are more tolerant of each other, and that's something that characterizes the city and its cultural scene. ".
According to Gabi Hamburg Pima, curator and director of the art department at the Givat Ram Botanical Garden, "A lot is happening in Jerusalem. Some started in an underground scene, under the radar. A project like 'Your Own Studio', which started with religious artists; there is the Hansen House, which caters to a community of designers and artists; there is the Anana Center, the Center for Contemporary Art, Nature and Research in Ein Yael; there is 'Feel Beit', a place on the Commissioner's Palace promenade "Contemporary, performance, music performances and parties, which actually connect the Arab residents to the Jews. Thanks to the special human fabric in the city, different beliefs and different sectors meet through art. It becomes a means of this connection."
"Something disposable"
Hadas Vanunu is the artistic director and producer of the International Jazz Festival, which takes place every year in Jerusalem.
She says, "There is a very interesting and original musical performance in Jerusalem. Unlike the Tel Aviv work, which is very much influenced by world trends, in Jerusalem it mainly comes from below, from the connection with the people and the place. Jerusalem may lack places to perform in relation to Tel Aviv. Strong.For example, 'The Distillery', a performance club that started as a cave with a stage and today actually holds the Jerusalem alternative scene, with a recording studio and a rehearsal room.
Musrara Mix Festival, Photo: Uri Barak
A lot of musicians from the world of rock and electronic go through there.
"There is of course the 'Submarine', one of the oldest places, celebrating 30 years this year. It is a performance club, which today is a real educational institution with a music trend. It has projects for young ensembles of teenagers, sound courses, and of course performances every evening."
According to Venuno, the assessment also reaches the Jerusalem municipality.
"The municipality organizes a lot of events, even free events," she says. I understand that what is happening here is one-time. "
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