Embassy of Israel, Washington D.C.

Cultural Affairs Department

Winter Newsletter

18th Annual Washington Jewish Film Festival

Courtesy of the Washington Jewish Film Festival website

November 29-December 9

Area Theaters

The Embassy of Israel is excited to co-sponsor the 18^th Annual Washington Jewish Film Festival, during which twenty remarkable Israeli films will be screened, in celebration of Israel’s 60^th Anniversary. From November 29 through December 9, films such as the award winning features Jellyfish (Cannes Film Festival), Beaufort (Berlin), Sweet Mud (Sundance), and documentaries such as To Die in Jerusalem and The Cemetery Club (Nominee, European Film Awards) will be featured in five different theaters around the Washington, DC area.

Honored guests, Israeli filmmakers Shemi Zarhin (Aviva My Love), Hilla Medalia (To Die in Jerusalem),Yael Luttwak (A Slim Peace) and screenwriter Noah Stollman (Someone to Run With) will speak following the screenings of their films.

For more information about the Festival, including a complete schedule of show times and locations, please visit the official 2007 Washington Jewish Film Festival website.

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Folk Musician Chava Alberstein

Chava Alberstein

Sunday, December 2nd, 7:30 PM

Clarice Smith Center for the Performing Arts – Ina and Jack Kaye Theater

Tickets are $35/$7 students

Known for her sublime and distinctive range as a tenor, Chava is Israel's most accomplished singer and cherished folk icon. Her music straddles a "bittersweet tension between the national and the universal." With more than fifty albums to her credit, forty in Hebrew and six in Yiddish, she is often cited as almost single-handedly reviving Yiddish language and music as part of the Israeli cultural legacy.

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Screening of ‘Like a Fish Out of Water’

‘Like a Fish Out of Water’

'Like a Fish Out of Water' – a film by Leonid Prudovsky

Thursday Dec. 6 @ 7:00 pm

University of Maryland, College Park

Marcelo was a successful soap opera actor back in Argentina who is now struggling in his” line” of work in Israel. He is the single parent of an astute and precocious 11 year old daughter Lucy. Lucy’s current mission is to find him a woman-friend that she likes too .Marcelo is more worried about improving on his Hebrew and his accent for an upcoming audition and approaches his Hebrew teacher Anat, for help. But she hates soap operas, is not terribly fond of her pupil, Marcelo and has her hands full with her mother Bruria. In Bruria’s eyes, Anat has clearly passed the proper wedding age. She is desperate to find her pretty daughter the perfect match at last.

Culture shock was never so refreshing!

Leonid Prudovsky’s award-winning film brings the balancing of serious undertones like love, integration, parenthood and work into the making of a delightful, soulful contemporary comedy with a dynamite cast.

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The Jerusalem Quartet at the Library of Congress

The Jerusalem Quartet

RESCHEDULED PERFORMANCE

December 8^th, 8 PM

Whithal Pavilion at the Library of Congress

One of the most dynamic and exciting young quartets currently performing, the Jerusalem Quartet has already attracted a vast amount of international acclaim. Celebrating their 10th anniversary in the 2004/05 season, the quartet was founded within the framework of the Young Musician’s Group of the Jerusalem Music Centre and the America-Israel Cultural Foundation in co-operation with the Conservatory of the Jerusalem Rubin Academy of Music and Dance, where they studied under Avi Abramovich.

Recipients of the first Borletti-Buitoni Trust Award in 2003, the Jerusalem Quartet performed concerts in London, Vienna Konzerthaus and Amsterdam Concertgebouw with Mitsuko Uchida and other award winners in September 2004. They were also part of the first ever BBC New Generation Artists scheme between 1999 and 2001 and received first prize in 1997 (as well as the prize for the best interpretation of 20th century music) at the ‘Franz Schubert and the Music of the 20th Century Competition’ in Graz, Austria when they performed Kurtag’s Twelve Microludes and Bartok Quartet No. 6. They were also awarded first prize at the Jerusalem Academy Chamber Music Competition in 1996.

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Exhibit: Photographer Paul Goldman

Ben Gurion headstand on the beach

January 13- February 24

N. and S. Brown Art Gallery, Weinberg JCC

Exclusive Maryland Exhibit

In Honor of Israel's 60th

The Forgotten Photographs: Paul Goldman, Press Photographer 1943-1961

From the collection of Spencer M. Patrich.

Over 100 photographs by the late Paul Goldman will be featured in the momentous exhibit including the famous and iconic one of David Ben Gurion's headstand on the beach.

January 20^th- Free admission

N. and S. Brown Art Gallery, Weinberg JCC

The Special Angle Program in conjunction with the exhibit will feature distinguished historian Michael Makovsky, author of the best selling and news breaking book CHURCHILL’S PROMISED LAND: ZIONISM AND STATECRAFT.

Mr. Makovsky will speak about the yet unknown role that Zionism and the concept of Israel played in the political thinking of Winston Churchill, seasoned with behind the scenes vignettes about the man himself. The author will also bring “into focus” the remarkable press photos by Paul Goldman and place them in their historical and sensitive context.

An open discussion will follow.

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Author Evan Fallenberg

Evan Fallenberg

January 15^th

12- 1 PM– Library of Congress, Madison Building

6 PM– Georgetown University

Evan Fallenberg is a native of Cleveland, Ohio, a graduate of Georgetown University and the MFA program in creative writing at Vermont College. He has lived in Israel since 1985, where he writes, translates and teaches. Currently, he is an instructor in the Shaindy Rudoff Graduate Program in Creative Writing at Bar-Ilan University.

Evan is the author of Light Fell, a novel (Soho Press, January 2008) and the translator of works by, among others, Meir Shalev, Alon Hilu, Ron Leshem, and Batya Gur. In 2002 he was a guest artist at the MacDowell Colony. He is the father of two sons.

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Israeli Jazz Week at Blues Alley

For four evenings a fantastic line up of Israeli jazz musicians will take the stage at Blues Alley

Roni Ben Hur

Roni Ben Hur

January 20^th, 8 PM, 10 PM

Blues Alley

Georgetown - Washington D.C.

Year by year, Guitarist Roni Ben-Hur has been building an increasingly stellar reputation for himself. A passionate leader, player, composer-arranger, published author and respected educator, Roni now stands as one of the elite players in modern jazz.

As a teenager, Roni Ben-Hur fell in love with jazz while still in his native land of Israel. Born to a family who emigrated from Tunisia, he grew up with the exotic, seductive rhythms of North Africa and the soulfulness of Sephardic Jewish melodies. Interestingly, this unusual background made for a very natural transition to jazz. Roni recalls, "though no one in my family was a professional musician, music was a central part of our life. Every celebration and holiday included singing and dancing, mostly with the accompaniment of hand drums. Music elevated us in times of happiness as well as hardship. This experience taught me the strength and power of music."

Eli Degibri

Eli Degibri

January 21^st, 8 PM, 10 PM

Blues Alley

Georgetown - Washington D.C.

Born in Israel in 1978 Eli’s musical career began at the age of 7 when he started playing the mandolin. His first loves were the woodwinds but he was too small to take on such an instrument.

In 1999, Eli graduated the Monk Institute with Honors and was invited by Herbie Hencock to tour with The Herbie Hancock Sextet for two and a half years. Following his tour in the USA, Europe, Japan and South America Eli formed his own quintet and began performing extensively worldwide working with great sidemen Aaron Goldberg, Jeff Ballard, Ben Street, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Mark Turner, Jason Lindner, Larry Grenadier, Gregory Hutchinson and Ethan Iverson.

Eli is a recipient of many international awards including ones from the America-Israel cultural foundation, the Israel Cultural Excellence Foundation (IcExcellence). Most recently he was presented with Israel’s Prime Minister’s award for jazz composition 2006.

Alon Yavnai

Alon Yavnai

January 22^nd, 8 PM, 10 PM

Blues Alley

Georgetown - Washington D.C.

Pianist and educator Alon Yavnai, born and raised in Israel, a graduate from Thelma Yalin High School for the Arts and the Gvataiym conservatory is one of the most eclectic artists today. Some of his performance and recording credits include Paquito D'Rivera, Yo- Yo Ma, Freddie Hubbard, Joe Lovano, Nancy Wilson, Rosa passos, Leni Andrade, Romero Lubambo, Louis Hayes, Bob Moses, Leon "Ndugu" Chansler, Rufus Reid, Arturo "Zambo" Cavero and Oscar Stagnaro.

For the past six years Alon has toured worldwide with Clarinetist and saxophonist Paquito D'Rivera, performing at various venues such as Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center as well as the Blue note and Birdland in New York, Colon theatre in Argentina and Alfredo Kraus theatre in the Canary Islands.

Currently Alon is finishing a new album, which will be released on Obliqsound beginning of 2008, and performing piano recitals. In addition Alon writes arrangements for different artists and projects, including big band arrangements for the Hamburg based NDR Bigband and collaborations with various artists. At the moment Alon lives in New York with his wife Julie and their son Yonatan.

Anat Cohen

Anat Cohen and Avishai Cohen

January 23^rd, 8 PM, 10 PM

Blues Alley

Georgetown - Washington D.C.

Saxophonist & clarinetist Anat Cohen is one of the most in-demand musicians in New York City and is rapidly becoming a major force on the global world music and jazz scenes. Place & Time, Anat’s debut CD as a leader was released in 2005 to great acclaim. It was named “Best Debut Album of 2005” by All About Jazz New York. The New York Times called it, “an auspicious debut…which underscores her burnished lyricism with rhythmic nuance” and Jazz Times magazine noted: “On tenor or soprano saxophone or clarinet, Cohen exhibits expressive tone, precise control and finesse, especially in the tender spots but also when she’s stomping and wailing.”

Ms. Cohen is an integral part of a group called Choro Ensemble (www.choroensemble.com), the only New York-based ensemble dedicated to the authentic instrumental choro tradition of Brazil. The group was a featured guest artist at the Apollo Theater with the Wynton Marsalis and the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra and with Skitch Henderson and the New York Pops Orchestra at Carnegie Hall.

For the past six years, Anat has been a member of the Diva Jazz Orchestra (www.divajazz.com) and Five Play Jazz Quintet. Anat is featured on their latest CD, TNT: A Tommy Newsom Tribute and on Five Play’s latest CD Five Play…Plus which was named on of the top CDs of 2005 by Coda Magazine. While with Diva, Anat has had the opportunity to perform with guest artists such as Nancy Wilson, Dave Brubeck, Ann Hampton Callaway, Slide Hampton and Diane Schuur.

Avishai Cohen

Avishai Cohen is a leading figure on the international jazz scene and one of the most sought-after players of his generation — “an assertive and accomplished trumpeter with a taste for modernism,” according to Nate Chinen of The New York Times. Though deeply rooted in the bebop and post-bop tradition, Avishai is taking jazz in new directions, making waves as an improviser, composer and bandleader. Originally from Tel Aviv, he began performing at age 10. He toured the world with the Young Israeli Philharmonic Orchestra and went on to become the trumpet player of choice for many leading jazz, rock, pop, studio and television projects. He received a full scholarship to attend the Berklee College of Music in Boston, and in 1997 he placed third in the prestigious Thelonious Monk Jazz Trumpet Competition.

Avishai came of age as part of the fertile scene at Smalls, the storied New York jazz club, where he developed his artistic vision alongside such friends and colleagues as pianist Jason Lindner, bassist Omer Avital and vocalist Claudia Acuña.

Avishai made his debut as a leader in 2003 with The Trumpet Player, a burning straight-ahead session with bassist John Sullivan (Roy Haynes), drummer Jeff Ballard (Chick Corea, Pat Metheny) and special guest Joel Frahm on tenor.

Avishai has been the chosen artist of Israel Cultural Excellence Foundation (IcExcellence) since 2004.

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Coolooloosh

January 22 -6 PM

Kennedy Center Millennium Stage

FREE

In 2003, five extremely talented musicians from Jerusalem, Israel, and around the world found each other and came together to form one of the most unique and dynamic forces in the music world as we know it today. Suitability named “Coolooloosh”, a Jerusalemite word for celebration and joy; this is precisely what the band exhumes with each and every exciting performance. Wooing fans around the world with their intelligent blend of genres, combining Hip Hop, Rap, Jazz, and Funk, Coolooloosh is one of Israel’s most popular groups, and is one of the very few well known emerging acts that can pull it off. Consistently pushing the envelope, the band is destined to break internationally.

A diverse group of individuals from varied musical backgrounds the band consists of Yuval Gerstein (Guitar and Vocal), Rebel Sun (MC), Ori Winokur (Bass and vocal), Arik Levy (Saxophones),Sefi Zisling (Trumpet) and Yogev Shitrit on Drums. Combining both English and Hebrew text into their songs and unique blend of genres only further enhances their distinctive style.

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Cellist Amit Peled and Pianist Alon Goldstein

Perform Beethoven Sonata Cycle for Cello and Piano

January 29^th - Friedberg Hall, Peabody Institute
Baltimore, MD

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THE MUSICIANS:

Amit Peled

Recently hailed by the American Record Guide as “having the flair of the young Rostropovich” Israeli cellist Amit Peled is forging an international career of the highest caliber both as a soloist, chamber musician and an enthusiastic teacher.
Mr. Peled has been a featured guest artist in some of the world's major concert halls such as: Wigmore Hall, London, Alice Tully Hall and Carnegie Hall, NY City, Salle Gaveau, Paris, National Auditorium in Barcelona, Konzerthaus, Berlin and Tel Aviv's Man Auditorium.

Being one of the youngest cello professors in the United States, Peled joined the distinguished faculty of the Peabody Conservatory of Music of the Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore in September 2003.

Amit's many recordings can be heard frequently on the Israeli National Classical Music Radio & TV, NPR, WGBH Boston, WFMT Chicago, WQXR NY, Saarlandischer Rundfunk, Deutschland Radio Berlin, Hessischer Rundfunk, Radio France and Swedish National Radio & TV.

Alon Goldstein

Alon Goldstein is one of the most respected young pianists on the international scene. Admired for technical prowess and musical intelligence, he is poised to lead his talented generation. Goldstein earned his masters degree from the Peabody Conservatory, where he worked intensively with Leon Fleisher. He has earned glowing recommendations from Fleisher, Claudio Abbado, and Zubin Mehta, among others.

Highlights of the 2006-07 season include Mr. Goldstein's Columbus Symphony debut, as well as performances of the complete concerti of Beethoven, in addition to return engagements with the Orchestre National d'Ile de France and the Shreveport Symphony, recitals in Chattanooga and West Palm Beach, and a performance with the Tokyo String Quartet at the 92nd Street Y.

"Goldstein is truly a jewel." - Reutlinger Generalanzeiger

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Cedar Lake Dance Company

January 31^st at 8 PM– Lenfest Center at Washington and Lee University, Lexington, VA

Direct from New York! Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet presenting Ohad Naharin’s DECADANCE. Founded just three years ago, Cedar Lake is already making a splash on the dance scene. Under Artistic Director Benoit-Swan Pouffer, this American ballet company’s European-style repertory puts a contemporary spin on the dancers’ rigorous classical technique.

Ohad Naharin's clever and humorous full-company piece distorts the reality between audience and performer. DECADANCE, for Cedar Lake, freshly reconstructs excerpts from ten of his works created between 1985-2006.

Young, Hip and Cutting-Edge, New York City’s CEDAR LAKE is a contemporary Ballet Company on the rise! Performing the works of established and emerging choreographers, this committed 16-member ensemble wows audiences with go-for-broke daring and gasp-inducing athleticism.

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Musicians Gil and Orli Shaham

Friday, February 8^th - 8:00 PM

The Music Center at Strathmore

Grammy-winning violinist Gil Shaham, internationally recognized as one of the most engaging and virtuosic classical artists, is joined by his equally celebrated sister and pianist, Orli Shaham, in an evening that showcases their boundless artistry.

Mozart: Sonata in D Major, K. 306

Fauré: Two Movements from Pelléas et Melisande
Gil and Orli Shaham                    Szymanoski: Mythes, Op. 30
                                                Bartók: Rhapsody No. 2
                                                Prokofiev: Sonata No. 2 in D Major, Op. 94a

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SilverGarburg Duo

February 23^rd

Great Falls: Place and hour TBA

February 24th – 5 PM

Philips Collection

February 28^th- 8 PM

Radford University, Bondurant Performance Hall

Praised for their "lyric sensitivity, extraordinary inner perception and overwhelming technical mastering" (Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung), the Silver-Garburg Piano Duo enjoys a flourishing international career, performing in more than forty countries on five continents. Sivan Silver and Gil Garburg founded their duo in 1997 and within a few years became one of the most remarkable piano-duos on the international stage, gaining enthusiastic acclaim from music audiences and critics alike.

Their numerous concerts have taken them to prestigious venues including Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Berlin Philharmonie, Vienna Musikverein, Rome's New Auditorium, Finlandia Hall, Berlin Konzerthaus, Beijing National Radio, Teatro Colon and Palacio Nacional de Bellas Artes, to name a few.

Sivan Silver and Gil Garburg research and perform many unknown works by major composers of the 19th and 20th centuries. They have an extensive repertoire from Baroque to Contemporary, including many works written for and dedicated to them. Their CDs have been released by JMC and NDR records.

Sivan Silver, born in Israel in 1976, and Gil Garburg, born in Israel in 1975, studied with Prof. Arie Vardi at the Rubin Music Academy of Tel-Aviv University and later at the "Hochschule fur Musik und Theater" in Hanover, Germany. They won first prize in more than a dozen national and international competitions, both as soloists and as a duo.

Ms. Silver and Mr. Garburg present master- classes at the Tchaikovsky Conservatory in Moscow, Sibelius Music Academy in Helsinki, Beijing Central Conservatory and the Tel- Hai International Piano Master- classes in Israel. In July 2004 they were jurors at the "IBLA Grand Prize" International Competition. Since October 2001 they have taught at the Hanover Musikhochschule in Germany.

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Cuisine – Shakshouka (Eggs in Tomato Sauce)

A Sephardi favorite. No Middle Eastern restaurant menu is complete without it, though Hungarians also delight in this dish with the addition of lots of paprika. Leshakshek means "to shake" in Hebrew. Every cook from North Africa has his or her own personal version of this egg and tomato dish. Whatever vegetable is used, it must be fresh, not canned.

Photo courtesy ofhttp://blog.vegkitchen.com/

1 lg. onion (finely chopped)
4 eggs
cooking oil
6 medium tomatoes
salt and pepper to taste

In a large frying pan, sauté onion until lightly browned. Grate tomatoes on largest holes of a grater. Mix grated tomatoes and onion, cover and cook over low heat for 25 minutes. Remove cover and break eggs over the surface. Stir gently to break yolks, cover and cook for about 3 or 4 minutes until eggs are set. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Variations: One minced garlic clove may be added to the onion, or 3 to 4 slices of red pimento may be sautéed with the onion.