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- Written by Silvia G. Golan
In order to celebrate Romanian Language Day - one of the most important events in the diplomacy of culture, designed to highlight the diversity and spiritual wealth of various Romanian-speaking communities in the world - the Romanian Institute of Culture from Tel Aviv organized and hosting an event dedicated to the personality and work of the writer Panait Istrati, described by Marin Sorescu as "the first Solzhenitsyn in European literature".
This event took place at the institute, in Romanian and Hebrew, on Monday, September 2
The event was attended by
- The Israeli journalist Benny Ziper, who will talk about his research that he did at the "Panait Istrati" house in the city of Raila - a museum that preserves manuscripts, books with a dedication, rare editions, first editions, documentary photos - documentary
- The Israeli journalist Benny Ziper, who will talk about his research that he did at the "Panait Istrati" house in the city of Raila - a museum that preserves manuscripts, books with a dedication, rare editions, first editions, documentary photos - documentary
material intended for the study of the life and work of Panait Istrati;
- Zamfir Blanc, curator of the "Panait Istrati" museum and deputy director of the city museum in Raila, with a lecture and video on "Panait Istrati and the Jewish world in his time";
- Lucian-Zev Hershkowitz, historian and librarian at the National Library of Israel, with a lecture on "Jewish Aspects in the Panait Istrati Writings".
- Zamfir Blanc, curator of the "Panait Istrati" museum and deputy director of the city museum in Raila, with a lecture and video on "Panait Istrati and the Jewish world in his time";
- Lucian-Zev Hershkowitz, historian and librarian at the National Library of Israel, with a lecture on "Jewish Aspects in the Panait Istrati Writings".
The work of Panait Istrati (1884-1935), written in French and Romanian, has been translated into more than 30 other languages.
In the stories and novels he wrote, he describes the world of the proletariat, whom he knew closely in his city of Braila and in the Danube Delta, where he met a mixture of peoples and religions, as well as in the various cities of Europe he passed through during his life. Among the subjects ,the favorites in his literary work are due to the fascination for the East, which for Istrati was a source of general knowledge and self-knowledge, of liberation and of light. Likewise, wandering and nomadism are also important themes in Istrati's work, since the concept of wandering fits his extroverted, hasty and excited nature. Among his most famous works are "Kira Kirlina", "The Deer of Baragan Field", "Kudin", "The Old Englishman", "Sunrise", "Confession for the Defeated".
"Fanait Istrati was discovered by the French author Romain Rollin in the early 1920s - of the last century.
"Fanait Istrati was discovered by the French author Romain Rollin in the early 1920s - of the last century.
Panait Istrati quickly became one of the most famous writers in the world. Except for a few cases, he wrote his work in French, but kept the atmosphere, thought and features of the Romanian language. Later, he rewrote a large part of his work in his native language.
"He is the writer whose work is marked by love of man and love of freedom - the only human asset for which one must sacrifice everything: money, glory, health, life, and even his personal freedom" - wrote Zamfir Blanc, curator of the "Fanait Istrati" treasure and deputy director of the city museum in Raila.
The Romanian Institute of Culture in Tel Aviv is pleased also to present the exhibition of paintings
"Surrealism, Music and Flowers" by the Romanian-born Israeli artist Paul Simo.
The official opening took place on Thursday July 25 at 18:00 in the presence of the artist and distinguished guests.
Paul Simo is a native of Capilinita (Hergita district) who graduated from the Bard School of Popular Art, Romania. After immigrating to Israel in 1989, he continued to work in the field of art and decorative painting. Paul is an active member of the Netanya Artists Association who exhibited in solo and group exhibitions in Israel and abroad including Romania, Hungary, China, South Korea and the USA and won prestigious awards
The exhibition is open until
24.09.2024
Entry is free but you need to book in advance
For more information and to register for a visit
Tel.: +972-3-696 17 46,
Photo courtesy of The Romanian Institute of Culture in Tel Aviv
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- Written by Stephen Abrahams
At a photographic exhibition,commemorating the 80th anniversary of the liquidation of the "Kovno Ghetto" entitled "Back to Kaunas", by acclaimed photographer, Mr Michael Shubitz who works for German television as well as being a film artist, was hosted on Sunday,1 September at the Jerusalem theatre by the ambassador of the Republic of Lithuania to the State of Israel,H.E. Mr. Audrius Bruzga in association with the Embassy of Lithuania to Israel,the Lithuanian Institute of Culture,the Association of Lithuanian Expatriates in Israel and the Fristo Stiftung.This exhibition was originally created by Mr. Shubitz for "Kaunas 2022 European Capital of Culture",
One of the most well-known ghettos in the German - occupied east was the Kovno ghetto.Between 1920 and 1939, Kaunas, was the country's capital and largest city.In 1939, it had a Jewsih population of approximately 32 000 which was 1/4 of the city's population.
Soon after occupying the area, German officials established a civilian administration for the local district under SA Major General Hans Kramer.Under his auspices, in July and August 1941, German occupation officials concentrated the remaining Jews, some 35 000 people, in a ghetto established in Slabodka.It was an area of small primitive houses and no running water. After the Ghetto was liberated by the Soviet army on 1 August 1944, 500 Jews survived in forests and bunkers.
Mr. Michael Shubitz,whose Father had miraculously survived the ghetto by giving a false name when taken as a prisoner from the 7th fort to be executed, was saved.This fact was confirmed years later when Mr. Shubitz met Prof. Porat, whose speciality was the "Kovno Ghetto". In addition to the afore -mentioned he was a policeman in the ghetto, who collaborated with the Jewish underground. As mentioned in his speech, this exhibition was a cathartic experience for him as his parents never spoke of their past. The only remnant from the Shubitz family,also on display, was a family photo that survived the war, which included his Father as a boy taken on the occasion of his sister's immigration to Palestine.
Present were survivors of which two spoke.Dr. Shalom Kaplan Eilati spoke passionately in Hebrew saying that the 12 elongated photographs of the survivors' portraits "is a sad memorial to the 220 000 Lithuanian Jews that perished". Of the 25 000 Jews that entered the ghetto, 4 500 survived which accounts for 7%. Of the 5 000 children below the age of 13, that entered the ghetto, only 250 - 300 remained.
Dita Sperling - Zupoich, who celebrated the anniversary of her 102nd birth in April 2024 in Tel Aviv, was unfortunately not present. Aharon Barak, former president of the Supreme Court and Prof. Tzi Garfunkel,a world authority on the "Dead Sea transform" and a renowned former Professor of Geology at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem department of Earth Sciences were also not present.Other prominent figures that survived "Kovno Ghetto" and were not present was a former commander of the U.S. army's prestigious "Green Berets" as well as a former Fire Chief of New York city.
Another survivor, Mrs. Sarah Kupelowitz also spoke and mentioned her experiences.
A moving moment was when I introduced myself to a child survivor. Abracha,who immigrated to Israel four years ago from Chicago.He was accompanied by his son,Eli,an prominent figure at the Ihr David foundation as well as his grandson who recently finished his matriculation exams.
H.E. Mr. Andrius Bruzga.spoke with pathos referring to the ubiquitous posters "Bring Them Home" uniting us into "The Faith of the Family".As a token of appreciation he also presented each survivor with a bouquet of flowers.
Mr. Shai Schnitzer, Honorary Consul of the Republic of Lithuania to the State of Israel and president of :president of S.Schnitzer Diamonds Ltd".in Ramat Gan,N.Y. and Hong Kong and Mr. Dani Dayan, chairman of Yad Vashem also graced us with their presence.
www.diplomacy.co.il cannot sufficiently express their gratitude,thanks and appreciation to the Ambassador and to Mr. Shubitz whose invaluable effort,sacrifice and tenacity actualized this memorable vernissage. Also thanks to Mr. Jonathan Hanig,a professional photographer who worked for no fee and gave us permission to publish his photos.
Photo credit Jonathan Hanig
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- Written by Embassy of The Republic of The Philippines to The State of Israel
HAIFA, 01 AUGUST 2024 – To commemorate President Manuel Quezon’s 146th birth anniversary (19 August) and 80th death anniversary (01 August), Ambassador Pedro R. Laylo, Jr. led members of the Filipino community in a wreath-laying ceremony at the Quezon Memorial in the northern Israeli city of Haifa.
The monument honors President Quezon’s compassionate act of providing refuge in the Philippines for 1300 Jews (later called Manilaners) fleeing the Holocaust in Europe. The street is also named after Manila, a sister city of Haifa.
Joining Ambassador Laylo and Mme. Carijane Laylo were the family of the late Mr. Carmel HaCohen, former Philippine Honorary Consul General in Haifa, who lobbied for the establishment of the monument and the naming of the street. With them was Ms. Janice Iawa, the Filipina caregiver who looked after Mr. HaCohen.
Also present were Mr. Danny Weissler, son of the late Manilaner Max Weissler; Mr. Shai Brovender, Philippine Honorary Consul in Haifa; Embassy personne; and Filipino community leaders and members based in the city.
After the ceremony, participants tied yellow ribbons at the monument to signify the Philippines’ solidarity with Israel’s hope to bring home the hostages still being held captive in Gaza.
The Embassy continues to undertake activities which raise awareness of Quezon’s legacy, such as a screening planned in Haifa of the film retelling their story, Quezon’s Game.
The saga of Quezon and the Manilaners brings pride, offers inspiration, and restores faith in humanity. More importantly, it manifests the innate goodness of Filipinos and their enduring malasakit (compassion) for others, according to Ambassador Laylo
Photos ; courtesy Embassy of The Republic of The Philippines to The State of Israel
Photos
The Quezon Monument in Manila Street, Haifa
Amb. Laylo, Embassy staff, Philippine Honorary Consul Shai Brovender, Filipino Community, family of the late Carmel Hacohen (ex Honorary Consul General of Philippines in Haifa), Danny Weissler (son of Holocaust sur
Amb. Laylo offering his wreath at the monument
Participants singing the national anthems of the Philippines and Israel
Amb. Laylo, Embassy staff, and the Filipino Community at the Manila Street sign
Amb. Laylo tying yellow ribbons at the Monument to honor the hostages still held captive (2)
Monument Marker
Street marker for the monument
- Details
- Written by Silvia G. Golan
The Nymphs and Goddesses Rise to Life:
Wall paintings of stunning beauty from the Roman period discovered in Ashkelon are being revealed and made publicly accessible for the first time
These paintings decorating ancient tombs of wealthy people were discovered decades ago, but few people ever saw them. Now, they are preserved near the city’s marina by Israel Antiquities Authority conservation experts, funded by the Ashkelon Municipality, as part of the overall development of the city’s many archaeological gems
Two vaulted tombs, at least 1,700 years old, displaying magnificent wall paintings rarely found in Israel, of Greek mythological characters, people, plants and animals, will soon be revealed to the public for the first time. This work is one product of the broad cooperation between the Ashkelon Municipality and the Israel Antiquities Authority to develop and integrate the city’s exceptional heritage assets into its public areas, for the well-being of both residents and visitors.
These ancient vaulted structures are located near Ashkelon’s marina, in a public area situated in-between residential towers. The municipality decided to make the site publicly accessible, and consequently this previously-neglected area was turned into an inviting public garden containing the two tombs – even a mere glimpse inside immediately opens a window into an ancient and fascinating world.
Ashkelon Mayor, Tomer Glam, says: “Ashkelon is one of the world’s oldest cities, and as we shape and design the city's future, we ensure a place of honor to its glorious and rich past. In recent years we have made a real revolution in the realm of historical site preservation. We made sites accessible to the city's residents and to the general public, and then organized events and produced educational, cultural and touristic programs with the aim of connecting the city's history to its present. This is the appropriate moment to thank Deputy Mayor Miri Altit for her comprehensive professional work in this endeavor, and to thank the Israel Antiquities Authority for this cooperation of such immense importance, helping us position Ashkelon as Israel’s City of Antiquities.”
The site was found way back in the 1930s, about 300 meters from the beach; a sand-filled vaulted tomb. The tomb structure was excavated by a British expedition and dated to the early 4th century CE, and it is comprised of a hall with four adjacent burial troughs. This passageway is decorated by a range of paintings, impressive in quality and skill, and include depictions such as that of Demeter – the Greek mythological goddess of the earth and grain. Other images are of plants such as vines and grape clusters; different types of leaves and branches; and depictions of nymphs – mythological figures related to nature; their heads adorned with lotus plant wreaths, and holding pitchers from which water pours out. There are also various birds, deer; children picking bunches of grapes and gathering them into baskets; a figure playing Pan’s flute; and a
wide range of many other images – mostly notably, Medusa the Gorgon’s head— a monstrous female face with hair made of snakes. In Greek mythology, her look turned those who gazed on her to stone.
Another vaulted and decorated tomb in the public garden was relocated here from another Ashkelon site already in the 1990s, to ensure its preservation. This tomb, uncovered in the excavation of Dr. Elena Kogan-Zehavi—Israel Antiquities Authority, dates from the 2nd century CE. In the building’s center is a hall whose walls are decorated with colorful paintings of human figures, birds and other images from the animal and plant worlds. Around the hall are vaulted loculi, in which lead coffins were discoveredף decorated with human, animals and vegetative images.
In recent months, these structures and their decorations have been preserved through a complex process executed by Vladimir Bitman, David Kirakosian, Alexei Ronkin and Yoni Tirosh HaCohen, conservation department experts at the Israel Antiquities Authority. According to Mark Abrahami, head of the Israel Antiquities Authority’s art conservation branch, “Ancient wall paintings are usually not preserved in Israel’s humid climate. As the paintings were in a relatively closed structure it protected them, to some extent, for decades. Naturally, exposure of the centuries-old paint to air and moisture caused fading and weathering. We had to conduct a long and sensitive process to stop and repair the ravages of time and weathering. Some paintings had to be removed from the walls for thorough treatment in the Israel Antiquities Authority's conservation laboratories, until they were returned to the site. The other walls of the structure were cleaned, the pigments in the colors of the paintings were accentuated, and the entire building was strengthened and stabilized to preserve it for future generations."
In recent years, the Ashkelon Municipality has invested considerable resources in the care and development of the city’s ancient sites in cooperation with the Israel Antiquities Authority. Among other works, a large public park was opened in the new Wine City neighborhood, with an ancient industrial site at its heart. This complex includes winepresses and olive presses, warehouses, a bathhouse and more. A mosaic on Yekutiel Adam Street is also conserved and preserved right next to a playground, unique in that it incorporates archaeological elements. The well-known sarcophagus courtyard, a public display of dozens of impressive and rare items found throughout in the city, has been upgraded. A display of beautiful ancient artifacts was set up on Kadesh Boulevard, and more.
When the public garden is opened for the upcoming holidays, residents of Ashkelon, Israeli visitors and tourists will be able to gaze in wonder and enjoy the beauty of these rare paintings and thus learn about the fascinating past history of this bustling modern port city.
According to Eli Escusido, Israel Antiquities Authority Director, “The city of Ashkelon is one of the first cities in Israel that are wisely acting to leverage the enormous potential in values and aesthetics embodied within its heritage assets. Ashkelon is an example of how the integration of ancient findings into the urban fabric – in collaboration with the Israel Antiquities Authority, in a manner that imparts additional worth to and provokes interest in its public spaces. I am so very
pleased that finally – thanks to this valuable cooperation with the Ashkelon Municipality and the professional work of our conservators, Ashkelon’s residents and visitors will soon be able to enjoy the striking and extraordinary view of these decorated tombs.”
According to Mirey Altit, Ashkelon Deputy Mayor and Head of Historical Site Conservation in the Ashkelon Municipality, “Together with Mayor Tomer Glam, we made and continue to make a revolution in the field of historical site preservation in our city. Alongside the conservation work in collaboration with the Antiquities Authority, we are taking the care to make the historical sites accessible to the general public, to develop their surroundings and to conduct educational and cultural activities in them. We invite you to come to the city and enjoy everything Ashkelon has to offer, including in the sphere of antiquities and archaeology."
Video with English subtitles https://youtu.be/bgHe5UJkzIU
Photography: Emil Aladjem, Israel Antiquities Authority
Dr. Elena Kogan-Zehavi, Israel Antiquities Authority, who uncovered one of the tombs about 30 years ago, standing in the tombs after their preservation
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- Written by Silvia G. Golan
The Embassy of India, Tel Aviv, in association with the Jerusalem Film Festival, held a Session on Incentives for filming in India at the Jerusalem Cinematheque on 20 July 2024 at 1630 hrs. The Session was followed by screening of the Indian film “All we imagine as light” as part of the ongoing Jerusalem Film Festival. Over 100 film enthusiasts, including Israeli film fraternity, friends of India, members of Indian community and friends from media attended the event.
The programme started with brief remarks by Deputy Ambassador of India Mr. Rajiv Bodwade.
Deputy Ambassador Mr. Rajiv Bodwade: “Up to 40% of production costs, with a cap limit of USD 3.6 million gets reimbursed if you make films in India. On top of it, various states also offer their incentives for film shooting with a cap of USD 1.2 million. The taxes levied/GST also gets refunded. I think it will possibly qualify as one of the top incentives anywhere offered to the film producers. The idea is to create in India, not just for India but for the world. Further, Israel is one of the 16 countries with which India has an Audio-Visual Co-production agreement, and hence in addition to the Indian incentives, producers can also avail incentives from Israeli Government. All in all, in India, you have the best of locations, highly capable and trained technicians, state-of-the-art equipment, technology in post-production, large market and now the best-in-class incentives. I invite all the Producers to please come forward with projects for film production in India including through co-production.”
Mr. Roni Madhav Levin CEO Jerusalem Film Festival and the Director of the Jerusalem Cinematheque: " It's an honor for us at the Jerusalem film festival to present this year two very prominent films emerging out of India, and I'll add we are especially proud that both films are directed by women".
Mr Dan Wolman an acclaimed Israeli film producer:” Producer Amir Gedalia and myself in collaboration with Indian film director Manju Borah have just completed shooting the first official Indian- Israeli co-production of the - the thriller "The Murderer with the Purple Hair" in Guwahati Assam. We are very excited and pleased with the co production deal and its very attractive incentives".
www.facebook.com/cinematheque.jerusalem
Photo Dennis Kappel
