While researching the history of Israeli social etiquette at the National Library, Noa Bavly accidently stumbled across a particular book that had once belonged to her great-grandmother, Hanna Bavly – Israel’s own “Miss Manners”…
Remembering Ephraim Kishon, Israel’s Champion of Satire
Israel is marking a century since the birth of its greatest satirist. No doubt, he would have a lot to say about the current state of Israeli society…
From “Bourekas Films” to the Israel Prize: Menahem Golan’s Israeli Hollywood Story
It’s been a decade since the passing of legendary film producer Menahem Golan. His remarkable career began with films poking fun at Israel’s unique social fabric, but he would go on to work with the likes of Chuck Norris, Sylvester Stallone and Meryl Streep.
When the Nazis Stole Lea Goldberg’s Doctoral Thesis
What did the famous Israeli poet Lea Goldberg have to do with medieval translations of the Torah? Why did her doctoral thesis focus on this subject? And how did it fall into Nazi hands before eventually ending up at the National Library of Israel?
Feldenkrais: The Man Who Stood Ben-Gurion on His Head
He was an engineer and physicist who struggled with chronic physical pain, when he developed a unique theory of movement which attracted masses of practitioners and trainers around the world. One of these was Israel’s first Prime Minister, David Ben-Gurion, who succeeded in doing a headstand for the first time in his life, at the age of 70. This is the story of Moshe Feldenkrais.
Hollywood in the Holy Land: The Story of the First (and Last) “Matzah Western”
The Israeli film industry has known its share of successes despite a whole range of challenges. But the dream of setting up an international film studio producing Hollywood-level movies in the Holy Land never really got off the ground. This is the story of the plan to transform the resort city of Eilat into Israel’s filmmaking capital and its connection to Gregory Peck and the first “Matzah Western.”
A Journey to Israeli Socialism
The story of German Mexican anarchist Augustín Souchy’s experiences in Israel in the early 1950s: an outsider’s journey through kibbutzim, moshavim and the working-class city of Holon
The Emotional Resonance of Music During War
Throughout Israeli history, music has been utilized to calm the chaos of war and make sense of tragedy. When words can’t quite get it right, music often can. As we deep-dive into four of Israel’s most famous wartime tunes, we can start to understand why music is just so important to our dear country, especially during dark days such as these.
Embracing the Light of Hanukkah
Jewish pride is exemplified annually in the tradition of lighting the hanukkiah candles, but the Hanukkah story itself is actually full of themes of concealment and hiddenness. So why is Hanukkah celebrated with this self-confident display of our Judaism and why is this practice so very important, especially in dark times like these, when Hanukkah will be celebrated amidst a backdrop of Jewish suffering and war.
The Man Who’s Been Documenting the People of Ofakim Since October 7
Nadav Mishali founded the cinematheque in the southern Israeli city of Ofakim. His personal story is bound up with that of the city itself and its brave and exceptional residents. Mishali has now taken on an even bigger mission – to document the stories of hardship and heroism that took place in Ofakim on Saturday, October 7, 2023
