The Jerusalem Festival of Light is an annual arts festival held every summer since 2009 in Jerusalem. The festival displays the work of leading international artists who use light and colour as their creative material. More than 250,000 visitors viewed the light show in 2011. In 2012 the show was extended into the city's Muslim quarter for the first time, it was located on Rehov Hagay, the commercial street leading into the Old City from the Damascus Gate. The Festival of Light in the Old City provides through the use of light a dramatic and artistic dimension to the Old City’s nights. From the illumination of architecture to light statues, the festival is a public and family oriented celebration that artists from different fields partake in. Special attention is put on the sensibilities surrounding the Old City, as a Holy place for Judaism, Christianity and Islam.

City Information: 106 | 02-5314600
E-mail: DrCarole@jerusalem.muni.il

Jerusalem Festival of Light
Artist: Luminarie De Cagna

The Red Sea Jazz Festival is a jazz festival held annually in Eilat, Israel. This year, while carrying on its tradition inviting prominent Jazz legends to perform in the Eilat Port it also creates a platform for emerging local artists promoting innovative and rejuvenating approaches. It also provides a venue for collaborative efforts, with special productions exclusive to the festival. Every day at 7pm, as the Red Sea Jazz Festival opens, you are invited to enjoy a free show bringing to stage the best up-and-coming Israeli Jazz bands. The festival's program offers 3 daily shows per venue featuring 20 international and local ensembles, altogether 40 shows over four days. The featured performances will be held in three main venues: The intimate venue, Piamenta, accommodates an audience of 1,000 in club seating arrangement. The midsize venue, Kaminsky, offers seating for an audience of 2,000 while the large venue, Gottfried offers 3,000 seats. Some of the special productions have included Randy Brecker & Mark Egan, The Jazz Beatles, Miroslav Vitous & John Abercrombie and Charlie Haden & John Scofield.

E-mail: jazz@redseajazzeilat.com

Red Sea Jazz Festival

Boombamela is a festival held annually located on the sandy beach of Hof Nitzanim, between Ashdod and Ashkelon. It is described by its organisers as "a place for meeting, experiencing, crossing borders and transcending social limitations through music, creation, and connection with nature". Over the years, the festival has risen in popularity and prominence and is now perhaps the most notorious of Israel's festivals. More and more foreigners have taken note of the festival in recent years. The festival grounds are divided into villages where people may rest and listen to spiritual teachings and areas for performance and camping. There are also restaurants, shops and bathroom and shower facilities. For socialising, there are many chai (tea) shops, where chai is sold and pillows for sitting provided. There are organized bus services from all over Israel to Tel Aviv specially, and from there, organized bus rides to Hof Nitzanim. The festival features many performing bands on several sound stages, during the day as well the night, and dance clubs which operate around the clock. A great variety of music genres can be heard at the festival, including reggae, trance, hip-hop, Indian Ragas, and rock.

E-mail: office@boombamela.co.il

Boombamela

Acre Festival of Alternative Israeli Theatre is a four-day performing arts festival held annually in the city of Acre, Israel during the Intermediate Days of the Sukkot holiday in early autumn. The festival features a competition for original plays premiering at the Festival, along with offerings of local and foreign theatre troupes, street theatre and open-air performances, a concert stage, artisans' displays, workshops, projects and a conference. The majority of the Festival's plays come from outside the mainstream of establishment Israeli theatre. Some combine media and genres such as pantomime, clowning, video, dance, and performance art rarely seen in the conventional theatre. Many are staged in historic venues within the Old City of Acre, such as its Crusader-era citadel and knights' halls that have undergone conservation.

During Hebrew Book Week, outdoor book fairs are held all over the country and publishing companies sell their books at a discount. Bookstores in Israel typically offer sales during this time which can last up to a month. In recent years, Hebrew Book Week has been extended to ten days. In addition to book sales, a variety of literary events are held during Book Week, such as get-togethers with authors and public readings. The award ceremony for the Sapir Prize take place during Hebrew Book Week. There is also a heightened level of attention paid to literature in the media. Venues in Jerusalem have included the Israel Museum, Liberty Bell Park, Safra Square and the old Jerusalem Railway Station.The fair in Tel Aviv takes places at Rabin Square.

Hebrew Book Week
Photograph: Beny Shlevich

Israel Festival is a multidisciplinary arts festival held every spring in Israel. The Israel Festival started in 1961 as a summer festival for classical music in the ancient Roman theater in Caesarea. Throughout the festival, audiences are able to enjoy performances by artists from all over the world, as well as premieres of Israeli works and tributes to leading Israeli artists. Throughout the years the festival grew in the number of art disciplines and activity centers with recent festivals including classical music, ballet, jazz, theater, visual arts and lectures, combining high quality programs from Israel and abroad. From 1982 onwards the Israel Festival was adopted by the City of Jerusalem and most shows are held within its boundaries. Some of the shows are offered free. Street performances and special performances for children are also part of the festival.

Address: Israel Festival, P.O.B 4409, Jerusalem 91044 20 Marcus St., Jerusalem 91040
E-mail: israel_f@zahav.net.il