Last Updated on November 29, 2018
The Haifa Festival of Festivals 2018 – Holiday of Holidays – חג החגים
More music, more shows, more flavors, more scents, more tours, more exhibits at the Haifa Festival of Festivals 2018
This year, the Haifa Festival of Festivals is celebrating its 25th year. Haifa is a city of many religions, it’s multicultural with a variety of cuisines and natural beauty. The Festival of Festival extends over two weekends in December with rich and diverse cultural and educational activities for the whole family. The festival’s events are based on the belief that face-to-face encounters with other cultures, each with their own heritage are important for breaking barriers and building trust between different nationalities, ethnic and religious groups in Haifa and Israel.
Every year, visitors from all over the country come to the festival to participate in a colorful celebration of music, poetry, theater, literature, art and more. An initiative of Beit Hagefen – the Arab-Jewish Cultural Center and the Municipality of Haifa, it began in 1993. This year it will expand beyond the Wadi Nisnas neighborhood and events will also take place in the German Colony with many tours in the area. The aim of the festival is to promote and foster tolerance and mutual respect through culture and art.
Scenes from the Haifa Festival of Festivals ( Image: Anglo-List)
Highlights of The Haifa Festival of Festivals 2018
6.12 Festive Opening Event at Haifa Auditorium
19:00: 80 Worlds in One Day – Performances singing, dance and acting – the Marseilles group ‘Mot Pour Mot’ – with Roni Someck, Yankele Pilzer and Rabia Khoury. The show is in Hebrew, Arabic and French.
20:00: Omri – A festive concert with the Fürket El Nour Orchestra, with singers Violet Salame, Raymond Abekis and Natalie Peretz.
Cocktails after the concert; 60 NIS early bird tickets, 80 NIS at the door, Haifa Auditorium, 138 Hanassi Ave.
Marking the 25th anniversary of the festival, the Beit Hagefen Center will inaugurate a new area, “The Third Wing: An area for art and education”. The area is part of the new wing of the Beit Hagefen Gallery that will offer an audience experiences that combine art and activities and focus on acquiring life skills in a multi-cultural society. The festive opening event on 7.12 at 14:00. (Concurrently the exhibition “Tzel Harim”at Beit Hagefen Gallery will open).
At 21:30 – 1,000 Leila v’Leila (1000 nights) – a production of the Department of Cultural Studies, University of Haifa about Arab culture and the West and everything in between – about literary work and their translations.
Open to the public. A House in the Gallery – Ha’Atzmaut 97, downtown (also on Thursday, December 20)
7 December – 3 Lessons
First Lesson: 7.12 – Have fun learning Arabic with Avshalom Farjun. The fascinating lectures exploring the roots of Hebrew and Arabic.
Second Lesson 14.12 – Simple conversations in Arabic
Third Lesson: 21.12 – Hebrew and Arabic in the Bible
21:30: 80 Worlds in One Day – Performances singing, dance and acting – the Marseilles group ‘Mot Pour Mot’ – with Roni Someck, Yankele Pilzer and Rabia Khoury. The show is in Hebrew, Arabic and French.
7.12 20:00 – Media Noche – The Haifa Salsa community at a Cuban Salsa party. Lessons and dancing accompanied by instructors and dancers.
Open to the public – Beit HaGefen Theater, 33 Hatziyonut Blvd.
9 December
19:30 – “B’ein Gvarim Karoo L’tarnagol Abu Ali” – launching of the book by Avshalom Farjun and Buthana Shehade – a magnificent ethnic musical celebration featuring the best artists in Israel.
Open to the public – Beit HaGefen Theater – HaTsiyonut Boulevard 33 Haifa
12 December
At 12:30 Hebrew in the Bible in light of Arabic (21.12) – All meetings are accompanied by a meeting in Arabic The opening of each session is about two hours, open to the public, Beit Hagefen Theater – Hatzionut Boulevard 33
20:00 – Media Noche – The Haifa Salsa community at a Cuban Salsa party. Lessons and dancing accompanied by instructors and dancers.
Open to the public – Beit HaGefen Theater, 33 Hatziyonut Blvd.
At 21:30 – 80 Worlds in One Day – Performances singing, dance and acting – the Marseilles group ‘Mot Pour Mot’ – with Roni Someck, Yankele Pilzer and Rabia Khoury. The show is in Hebrew, Arabic and French.
Open to the public – Beit Hagefen Theater – Hatziyonut Boulevard 33 Haifa
14 December
21:30 Marrakesh Express – a celebration of music combining Eastern and Western classics.
40 NIS early bird tickets. 60 NIS at the door. Beit HaGefen Theater, Hatziyonut Blvd 33, Haifa
16 December
20:00 The Oriental Rhymes – a traditional ethnic dance and music show from China
Open to the public – Beit Hagefen Theater, Hatzionut Ave 33
20 December
20:30 Madonna: Singing with Yechiel Hermesh – a satire
40 NIS early bird tickets. 60 NIS at the door. Beit HaGefen Theater, Hatziyonut Blvd.
21 December
21:30 – Mira Awad talks about complexity, resignation, hope and especially about love.
40 NIS early bird tickets. 60 NIS wat the door. Beit HaGefen Theater, Hatziyonut Blvd.
29 December
18:00 – Missa Theresa celebrates Haydn
With the participation of the Orpheod ensemble and the Union Choir conducted by Ronen Borshevsky
Soloists: Soprano – Nur Darwish, Alto – Dima Bakri, Tenor – Liran Kupan, Bass – Yoav Weiss
In the program – Dvorak – Serenade for String Instruments / Haydn – Missa Theresa
Early bird tickets 60 NIS or 80 NIS at the door. The Catholic Church, Ein Dor 23
