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An exhibition revealing the life, relationships and works of the author Franz Kafka, as well as his cultural influence is currently being displayed at Israel's National Library. The exhibition also tells the story of how Kafka's manuscripts came to be published, a story that begins before his death and concludes in 2019 with the deposit of his archive at the National Library of Israel.
To mark 100 years since the passing of Franz Kafka, the National Library of Israel is displaying, for the first time, original items from the archive of one of the most influential authors of the 20th century and to this day - a writer who was able to brilliantly describe the "Kafkaesque" and often pointless reality of modern life. The exhibition offers an experience that honors Kafka's legacy and invites visitors to make their own way through a literary labyrinth.
The new exhibition, “Kafka. Metamorphosis of An Author,” will open on December 4, 2024 at the National Library of Israel in Jerusalem.
The exhibition presents, for the first time, the rich Kafka archive preserved at the Library, as well as contemporary works by artists inspired by Kafka.
Among the items on display are Kafka's famous will, in which he asked to burn all his writings after his death, the accusatory 100 page - long "Letter to his Father", original manuscripts of his well known books The Trial, Amerika, and The Castle, as well as his stories and novellas. including The Metamorphosis, first and rare editions, personal letters, as well as his own drawings, photographs and Hebrew writing exercises. The exhibition also includes materials that serve to show the massive influence Kafka's work had in Israel and around the world, including adaptations in theatre, film, dance and the visual arts. For the purpose of this exhibition works were commissioned from eight of the leading illustrators in Israel - Isakov, Leoa, Biniashvili, Warshavsky, Yekutieli, Salomon, Fahima and Kichka - who were asked to correspond with the works of Kafka and the figure of the author himself.
The National Library of Israel is one of three institutions worldwide that hold items from Kafka's personal and literary archive. The exhibition 'Kafka: Metamorphosis of an Author" covers his life story, his works, his relationships with his family, friends and loved ones, and offers a deep examination and understanding of his attitudes towards Judaism, Yiddish and Zionism. The exhibition also traces the fascinating story of his estate and how his literary works were eventually published by his closest friend, Max Brod. The story begins before Kafka's death and comes to a conclusion in 2019, when Israel's Supreme Court decided that Kafka's archive was a cultural asset that was to be deposited at the National Library.
The curators of the exhibition are Dr. Stefan Litt, The National Library of Israel's Curator of the Humanities Collection and Mr. Hadas Ophrat, a recipient of the Israel Prize for his contribution to theatre production and design in Israel.
The National Library of Israel was founded in 1892 and is one of the core institutions of the State of Israel. The library presently holds over 5 million books, periodicals, rare manuscripts, personal and institutional archives, newspapers, maps, and photographs. The library also houses the National Music Archives.
The National Library building is built in the form of a stone block with a concave upper surface resting on a glass platform.The building was designed by the Swiss architecture firm, Herzog and de Mouron and local architectural firm, Mann - Shinar. In 2023 CNN voted the building as having the most fascinating architecture.
The library main repository which has 14% oxygen with the purpose that no fire can happen , this means that no person can enter due to the inability to breathe. It contains over 4 million printed items.
The reading halls surround the well of light shining down from the skylight in concentric circles like a ripping pool. About 200 000 books and periodicals fill the open shelves.
In the permanent exhibition one will encounter the rarest and most fascinating items in the National Library's collection.
The library is certainly worth visiting. Tours are available as well as an excellent restaurant as well as prayer facilities for followers of all the monotheistic religions.
More on the Visit
Age suitability: Visits and tours of the Library are suitable for children, adults, and everyone in between, particularly from reading age (7) and up.
Visit duration: The tour itself lasts about an hour and a half. You are invited to stay as long as you’d like when your tour is over :)
How to Get Here
The address of the Library’s new building is Eliezer Kaplan St 1, Jerusalem. It is centrally located between the Knesset and the Israel Museum.
Arrival by public transportation is recommended.
The National Library of Israel website https://www.nli.org.il/en
An online exhibit is available
Online exhibit - https://www.nli.org.il/en/visit/exhibitions-and-displays/current-exhibitions/kafka-100-years
Photos credit Silvia Golan
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On Sunday, 3 November 2024, Poland's new Ambassador to Israel, H.E. Mr. Maciej Hunia opened a photographic exhibition at Beth Shalom Aleichem in Tel Aviv entitled "Guardians of Angels" which depicted the preservation and protection of Jewish cultural heritage sites in Poland.
Jews first arrived in Poland in the 10th century and in the 13th century the Statute of Kalisz was issued which established the legal status of Jews. In 1500 Jews existed in 100 localities. In 1765 the Polish Lithuanian Commonwealth had a population of 750 000 Jews. In 1933 Poland's Jewish population was 3.3 million. 1992 marked the rebirth of Jewish life in Poland by the appointment of a Chief Rabbi and the establishment of the Union of Jewish Religious Communities (ZGWZ) consisting of 1594 members in 2022. Every year the Jewish Culture Festival is held in Krakow and a Jewish Film Festival in Warsaw. In Wroclaw a festival called "Simcha Festival" is celebrated annually. There are Jewish kindergartens, schools and high schools in Warsaw and Lodz. Jewish studies are offered at the Universities of Warsaw, Krakow, Poznan and Lublin. In Warsaw a Jewish Theatre, The Ester Rachel Kaminska Theatre exists performing plays in Yiddish.
The ceremony started with a heart wrenching song in Yiddish by Olga Avigail, "Ofyn Weg Shteyf e Boym" who also played the accordian while singing.
H.E. Mr. Marciej Hunia, ambassador of Poland to Israel briefly spoke, saying that Jewsih culture in Poland is closely connected to Polish Culture and that the Jewish contribution to Poland's public life, science, culture, art and the economy was enormous. During World War 11 the Germans attempted to annihilate not only Jews and Jewish culture but all structures reminiscent of Jewish identity namely over 400 synagogues and almost all Jewish institutions.He concluded his talk by stating that during the difficulty Israel is experiencing "be sure that Poland understands Israel's situation and emphatically supports it".
Since World War 11 over 1200 Jewish cemeteries in Poland have grossly been neglected and in 2002 the "The Foundation of Preservation of Jewish Heritage in Poland" - (FODZ) was established by the Poland's government.
"Young Guardians of Jewish Cemeteries", a voluntary organization of high school students as well as initiatives of families and local communities undertake the responsibility by dedicating themselves to the meticulous care of Jewish cemeteries in which there are over 10 000 volunteers in various associations related to the cause. Different Organizations are actively engaged in restoring the memory of local Jewish communities in Poland by collecting and publishing the names of individuals who were murdered in the Holocaust.
opening hours of the exhibition:
Sunday:11-18
Monday: 9:30-17:30
Tuesday: 9:30-18:00
Wednesday: 9:30-18:30
Detailed hours in Hebrew you might find here: https://bethshalomaleichem.co.il/%d7%a7%d7%95%d7%a8%d7%a1%d7%99%d7%9d-%d7%a7%d7%95%d7%a8%d7%a1%d7%9f/
The exhitibition will be there till 20.11
Ten Years ago, Rabbi Shapira who founded the Jewish Cemeteries Association whose aim is the preservation of Jewish cemeteries in Central and Eastern Europe was not present, his speech was read by the Embassy's "Master of Ceremony".
A short video was shown featuring young Polish volunteers involved in restoration projects of cemeteries and a few said that it was "their moral responsibility to do so". Another volunteer mentioned the fact that despite the constant work involved in the cemeteries he never gives up as opposed to the demands and challenges he faces.
Present at the event despite having to face two previous flights from Warsaw to Tel Aviv which were cancelled, was Mr. Pawel Kulig who represented the association "Guardians of Remembrance". His speech was translated into Hebrew and he mentioned that "the work is for you and not for us". He nostalgically quoted a song by Airk Einstein entitled, "Ani v' Ata" implying that "together we can change the world".
The event was concluded by Olga Avigayil's "Sholem Lid" or "Peace Song" which started in Yiddish and ended in Hebrew. Reference was made on behalf of the Polish Embassy acknowledging the Polish Cultural Association in Israel efforts.
Notable guests present were H.E. Mr. Gershon Zohar, Israel's ambassador to Poland from 1993 - 1997, Dr. Laurence Weinbaum who is Director General of the Israel Council on Foreign Relations and Chief Editor of Israel Journal of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Andre Gasiorwski, President and CEO of Global Forum which is an umbrella organization of 250 associations and lastly Brother Seweryn Lubecki, originally from Pszczyna, Poland who has been living in Israel for 36 years, he is a Fransiscian friar at a monastery in Ein Karem, birthplace of John the Baptist.
A special mention of thanks to Mrs. Magdalena Kukula and Mr. Lukas Levy of the Embassy of Poland in Tel Aviv who graciously provided Diplomacy,co.il with invaluable information regarding Jewish life in Poland and about the exhibition.
בית שלום עליכם | Beth Shalom Aleichem
Address : 2 Berkowitz Street, Tel Aviv, Israel
Beit Shalom Aleichem is located in the cultural center of Tel Aviv - near Beit Ariela, the opera house and the theater
The Chamber - which itself serves as a center for Yiddish culture in Tel Aviv and Israel. There is an intensive activity at home that includes:
Annual courses for teaching Yiddish - beginner, advanced and affordable classes - who participate in them
Over 300 students every year; Courses on Eastern European Jewry:
history, culture, literature; Music and theater performances.
The Chamber - which itself serves as a center for Yiddish culture in Tel Aviv and Israel. There is an intensive activity at home that includes:
Annual courses for teaching Yiddish - beginner, advanced and affordable classes - who participate in them
Over 300 students every year; Courses on Eastern European Jewry:
history, culture, literature; Music and theater performances.
Photos by Silvia G. Golan
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Celebrate Sukkot and Family with NLI Treasures in New Downloadable Exhibition
The National Library of Israel invites you to decorate your Sukkah with a gorgeous new exhibition celebrating "Family" — the complexities and sub-themes the theme encompasses, and all illustrated with items from Library collections.
The downloadable PDF can be printed as rollups or desktop posters, contains links to a companion website with additional content, and is available for free use.
The exhibition was produced by the Library’s Gesher Le Europa program, in partnership with the European Association for the Preservation and Promotion of Jewish Culture and Heritage (AEPJ). For seven years running, AEPJ has marked European Days of Jewish Culture with content featuring items from NLI collections – all seven series are available on the Library website.
Rare Jewish Treasures Featured in Holiday Video Series
Join National Library of Israel for a journey through the Hebrew calendar. The video series "A Look at the Jewish Year" provides insights into the Jewish calendar and holidays through the lens of the Library's renowned collection of Jewish manuscripts, books, printed materials and more.
Exceedingly rare items showcased in the videos include a nearly thousand-year-old Jewish calendar found in the famed Cairo Geniza; the 13th century Worms Mahzor, which includes the first written example of Yiddish and survived the Holocaust; and an 18th century manuscript known as Sefer Evronot featuring an array of stunning illustrations. More modern items, such as an early 20th century poster of a traditional Sukkot holiday meal, and Simchat Torah flags are also presented. The project also includes source sheets with questions and links to additional materials.
The series was produced by the National Library of Israel in collaboration with the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies.
Sukkot Treasures Online For All to Enjoy
NLI website contains a rich selection of information, images, songs, lesson plans, and resource packs that are perfect for keeping children of all ages busy during the Sukkot holiday. Check out the Sukkot at the National Library of Israel page and Sukkot educational resources in English that use NLI primary sources to teach about how the holiday has been celebrated throughout history.
A Virtual Visit to “A Treasury of Words”
The Library's permanent exhibition invites visitors to embark on a journey through the cultural artifacts that are the heritage treasures of the Jewish People and the State of Israel. There is nothing like seeing these in-person but a new online exhibit provides a sampling of the experience. The virtual version of A Treasury of Words highlights the power of text, its ability to change the world, formulate ideas, push them forward, define a place, community, and nation, and express the spirit and talent of its thinkers, writers, and poets.
The stories behind these items and more can also be found in the magnificent coffee-table book, 101 Treasures From the National Library of Israel, now also available in a Hebrew edition. Both are on sale at the Library book shop and online store.
About the National Library of Israel
Founded in Jerusalem in 1892, the National Library of Israel (NLI) serves as the dynamic institution of communal memory for the Jewish people worldwide, and Israelis of all backgrounds and faiths. NLI holds the world's largest collections of textual Judaica, Jewish and Israeli music, maps of Jerusalem and the Holy Land, as well as world-class collections of Jewish and Islamic manuscripts, rare books, photographs, community and personal archives, and more. Along with being Israel's preeminent research library, NLI is also dedicated to encouraging audiences in Israel, and around the globe, to engage with its treasures through a range of innovative educational, cultural, and digital initiatives, as well as through its new landmark building, all of which reflect NLI's central values of democratizing knowledge by opening its collections, and resources to as broad and diverse an audience as possible.
For more information: www.nli.org.il/en
www.facebook.com/NationalLibraryofIsrael
www.youtube.com/user/NLI2010/featured
www.tiktok.com/@library_of_israel
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Reena and Vinod Pushkarna and their son, Kunal are doyon's of Indian food in Israel, having started their restaurant chain, Tandoori, 40 years ago. They were the first to introduce Indian food in Israel. Since the early 80's , a generation of Israelis "grew up on her" Chicken Tikka and for that reason she decided to emphasize "kids menus". In 2023 the government of the Republic of India awarded her an order of merit for services rendered. Today their chain has two restaurants, one located in Herbert Samuel, Tel Aviv with a mesmerizing seaview of the Mediterranean and the other located in Herzliya's industrial zone Mercazim building, an ideal venue for business lunches.
On Thursday, 31 October three of us experienced an unforgettable gastronomy enjoying lunch in their plush restaurant in Tel Aviv served by three professional waiters with extraordinary service skills, rarely encountered in Israel.
The service staff were exceptional in their gracious manner displaying patience, professionalism and an innate knowledge of the menu recommending dishes.
Tandoori the name of the restaurant, is a traditional Indian clay oven reaching a temperature of 600c and a hallmark of Punjabi cuisine where chicken, meat and fish are baked.
Our meal started with an assortment of four entrees which included Chicken Tamarind wings, Fish Taco Papad (small fish fillets of locus), Fish Pakado (fillets cooked and fried with chickpea flour batter) and Bhel Puri (fluffy rice flakes). It was accompanied by a selection of relishes presented in small bowls consisting of cilantro, mango ajar, coconut flakes, tamarind and fruit chutney.
The second course consisted of a selection of dumplings or dim dim, namely chicken, beef, vegetable and tofu.
This was followed by a selection of vegetables (broccoli and potato), Panner (Indian cottage cheese), grilled locus, fish pakora and lamb samosas.
Main courses were Seekh Kebab (grilled lamb in the clay oven), Tandoori Chicken (grilled in the clay oven) and Chicken Tikka (grilled cubes of chicken).
Exotic desserts offered on the menu are gulab jamun (homemade cheese dumplings, cardamon and aromatic syrup), Elaichi kheer (rice pudding cooked with milk, rosewater cardamom, saffron and pistachio), the all time Indian classic vegan sweet carrot halwa (grated carrots cooked with cardamom and aromatic spices served with a non dairy vanilla ice cream). Another exotic dessert featured is Zafrani kulfi which is made from pistachio ice cream, spices, falooda noodles and saffron.
From the large choice of deserts we decided to have the Gulab jamun (described in the the above paragraph) and the Western classic, Pavlova Mango (cream, meringue, almond, and ginger served with raspberry and mango coulis), this was conceptualized in Australia and New Zealand in the early 20th century named after the famed Russian ballerina, Anna Pavlova when she toured these countries.
Drinks included Mango Lassi (a cool summer drink of liquidized mangoes, yogurt, milk, cream and ground cardamom) and Nimbu Pani (fresh lemon juice and water).
Unobtrusive Indian music was played amidst a cosmopolitan atmosphere patronized by guests from abroad staying in the surrounding luxury hotels as well as people working in Tel Aviv. The restaurant seats 160 guests and includes a circular bar providing additional seating where there is a drinks menu available of Indian cocktails with " Lunch Bowl Deals" that can be ordered, however only during the day.
.The sea view is unparalleled and contributes to the restaurant's elegant interior and aesthetics. Tandoori offers takeaways and is an excellent venue for family celebrations, business functions, romantic encounters and personal outings.
In Israel, Indian cuisine has become popular and in many localities almost a household necessity thus Tandoori offers "special lunch box" specials as well as "Thali specials" on Wolt and 10bis. For lunch Tandoori offers a set menu priced at 78 shekels, ideal for working people as it is light and filling. Starters include bowls served with a dish of choice consisting of either rice or quinoa followed by a main course of a choice of Beef Korma or Chicken Tikka Masala prepared in a clay oven.The set menu also includes "soup of the day", naan bread and dessert. For an additional price of 10 shekels a soft drink, draft beer or a glass of wine is available.
We are most thankful to Reena Pushkarna and her dedicated staff for a memorable gastronomic experience and promise to return, hopefully in the not too distant future.
TANDOORI - A REAL TASTE OF INDIA
Tandoori Events
Tandoori Delivery
Tandoori Events
Tandoori Delivery
TANDOORI Lands End adress : 76 Herbert Samuel, Tel Aviv-Yafo
Tel Aviv : Tel 03-6296185
Tandoori Herzliya: 32 Maskit St., Herzliya Tel 09-9546702
www.tandoori.co.il
Photos by Silvia G. Golan
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Group Exhibition at Kibbutz Yad Mordechai Carpentry Workshop presents : "The Sun Did Not Stand Still"
Creating Hope And Renewal Through Art October 8 - October 26, 2024
Artists: Nir Adoni, Daniel Oxenberg, Shai Azulai, Brit Einstein, Eyal Assoulin, Roi Binsky, Zadok Ben David, Orna Ben Ami, Sophie Barzon Makai, Tamar Branitzki, Uri Gersht, Liya Dayagi, Daphna Dishi, Reut Dafna, Einav Halpern Sanker, Doron Wolf, Ofra Wolf, Ariela Wertheimer, Natalia Zourabova, Gabi Salzman, Moshe Tarka, Nurit Livne, Yona Levi Grossman, Zohar Morag, Ido Markus, Ruth Nevo, Shira Sagol, Yana Stup, Dana Sitton, Sarita Peled, Michel Platnick, Lala Kalush, Tamar Karavan, Gidi Rubin, Lior Reisel, Khen Shish, Ronen Shahrabani, Eran Shakin
Curators: Lilach Shmoul and Shlomit Oren DUART
On October 8, 2024, a year and a day after the October 7th disaster, a unique exhibition was opened at Kibbutz Yad Mordechai. For the first time, artists from the Gaza Envelope host artists from central Israel in a joint display of solidarity, representing the Israeli spirit through art. The works in the exhibition serve as a testament to hope, faith, and the ability to grow through creativity. Many of the participating artists were personally affected by the war, and their works reflect both the difficulty and pain of their experiences, as well as hope for a better future. The exhibition will be held in the Yad Mordechai carpentry workshop, a 70-year-old facility that has long served the kibbutz and its members.
On October 8, a group exhibition was open at Kibbutz Yad Mordechai marking revival and continuity. The exhibition will present inter-regional cooperation that expresses the fascinating diversity of the emerging art field in Israel. The works displayed in it represent hope and the belief in the ability to continue growing in difficult times, even when time seems to stop and the pain and fracture seem unbearable.
The exhibition offers visitors a look at the creative forces at work in our regions. The works touch on the effects of time, memory and renewal. The artists participating in the exhibition, many of whom were personally injured in the war, express and reveal the pain and difficulty that accompany them in coping with the challenges of the past and present. Their works represent the preservation of historical memory and at the same time the movement and continuity, which are both the source of relief and those that enable the processing of trauma and growth from it.
The exhibition's title, 'The Sun Did Not Stand Still,' is taken from Margaret Larkin's award-winning book. It tells the story of Kibbutz Yad Mordechai, named after Mordechai Anielewicz, leader of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising, and recounts the sacrifice of kibbutz members who lost their lives in one of the fiercest battles during Israel's War of Independence. The book is etched in collective memory as part of the kibbutz ethos, with the sun symbolizing constant movement and continuity.
The exhibition is an initiative of Limor Livne, a Kibbutz Yad Mordechai resident. The opening night taked place on October 8, 2024, with the participation of the artists and public figures, including Benny Gantz, Chairman of the State Camp alliance, former Defense Minister and IDF Chief of Staff, and current Yad Mordechai resident, who assisted in establishing the exhibition, MK Alon Schuster State Camp 🇮🇱 Former Deputy Minister of Defense, Minister of Agriculture, Rev. Shaar HaNegev Regional Council, Hezi Bezalel ( businessman and honorary consul of Rwanda), Chemi Peres, Chairman of Peres Center for peace and Innovation , Gidi Mark CEO of Taglit Birthright Israel and many more.
The exhibition will be displayed in the carpentry shop of Kibbutz Yad Mordechai and will be open free of charge to the general public during the holiday period, 26.10.24-8.10.24. Opening hours: 10:00 - 19:00, Fridays 10:00-14:00
As part of the exhibition, there will be tours, cultural events and artists' dialogue meetings
Full information at the link here https://sunneverstands.co.il/
Photos by Silvia G. Golan
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