Hosted at Mishkenot Sha’ananim and supported by the Jerusalem Foundation, the Festival created opportunities for dialogue and cultural exchange through a rich program of discussions, readings and literary encounters.

This year, the Festival welcomed international writers Nell Zink, Joseph Finder, Dara Horn, Steve J. Zipperstein, Benjamin Resnick and Marcelo Birmajer, who joined leading Israeli authors for conversations exploring identity, memory, belonging and the role of literature in a rapidly changing world. Italian writer Erri De Luca participated in a live Zoom conversation, sharing insights into his work and the contemporary literary landscape in Italy.

Many of this year’s discussions reflected on the impact of October 7 on Jewish life and identity around the world and the role of storytelling in times of uncertainty. Together, the conversations highlighted literature’s power to preserve memory, foster understanding and create meaningful dialogue across cultures and perspectives.

Now in its 18th year, the Festival remains a cornerstone of Jerusalem’s cultural life, bringing diverse voices together through the enduring power of storytelling.

Photo credit: Jerusalem International Writers Festival

הפוסט Jerusalem International Writers Festival Celebrates the Power of Storytelling הופיע לראשונה ב-.

Jerusalemite director Mihal Brezis will be in Toronto for a special screening of Dead Language at the Toronto Jewish Film Festival on Thursday, June 11 at 8:15 p.m. Following the screening, Brezis will take part in a Q&A, offering audiences a rare opportunity to hear directly from the filmmaker about her creative process, artistic collaboration, and the ideas behind the film.

Dead Language is a tender meditation on longing, connection, and chance, exploring the fragile and unexpected ways lives intersect. First premiering at the Tribeca Festival and nominated for 12 Ophir Awards, the film begins with a chance encounter at an airport: while waiting for her husband, Aya impulsively pretends to be the chauffeur assigned to pick up a visitor arriving from Denmark. Their brief encounter stirs an unexpected longing that destabilizes Aya’s carefully ordered life.

Co-written with Tom Shoval (A Letter to David) and Amital Stern, the film unfolds as a nuanced meditation on intimacy, desire, and coincidence—tracing how a single misstep can quietly unravel the boundaries of a life that once felt secure. Anchored by luminous performances from Sarah Adler (The Cakemaker) and Ulrich Thomsen (The Celebration), the film has been praised for its emotional restraint and its sensitivity to the unspoken currents between people.

Brezis, together with her creative partner Oded Binnun, has built an acclaimed body of work recognized internationally for its emotional precision and cinematic subtlety. Their Oscar-nominated short AYA, which inspired Dead Language, was widely celebrated and marked a breakthrough in bringing short-form storytelling into wider theatrical release, earning global recognition and multiple awards.

In Hebrew, Czech and English, with English subtitles.

Tickets are available with student and senior rates of $15 per ticket. Visit https://tjff.com/films/dead-language/.

It promises to be a meaningful evening of film and conversation – hope to see you there!

הפוסט Calling All Toronto Cinephiles! הופיע לראשונה ב-.

The gathering in Jerusalem will take place from October 20-22, 2026, and we look forward to welcoming you all to Jerusalem.

We have been through difficult days over this past almost 3 years since October 7^th, in Israel and around the world.  We are grateful for some respite from all the challenges and turmoil and hope that these 3 days in Jerusalem, learning about and experiencing the hope and inspiration of the programs, people and activities that the Jerusalem Foundation supports, will bring you all some comfort and joy.

The October Program will focus on Past, Present and Future of the Jerusalem Foundation and how we have shaped the city through community, culture, leadership and embracing the city’s diversity.

You will meet people in the field, the young leaders, the experienced managers, all of our diverse partners and we will also celebrate the culture and arts of a creative city.  We will be welcomed by the Mayor of Jerusalem, Moshe Lion and the President of the State of Israel, Isaac Herzog.  There will be a geo-political briefing with Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari. You can find more information about the schedule here.

There will be special yoga and running options in the early morning – optional of course! And late-night networking with locals over drinks and music and some special options of late-night Jerusalem culture….

We look forward to seeing you in October!

Please take the time to Register for the Event.  Even if you previously registered for May, please fill in the new form.  Thanks in advance!

Room rates through the Jerusalem Foundation:

הפוסט Jerusalem Foundation 60th Event הופיע לראשונה ב-.

Initiated and led by the Jerusalem Foundation in cooperation with the Jerusalem Municipality and with the support of the Jack, Joseph & Morton Mandel Foundation, Bechorot is a unique arts festival bringing together students and recent graduates from Jerusalem’s leading arts institutions. Created to encourage collaboration between the city’s arts schools, the festival provides emerging artists with a professional platform to present their debut works, build creative connections, and take their first steps into Israel’s cultural landscape.

Jerusalem is home to 11 leading arts schools, where around 4,000 students’ study across all fields of the arts. This extraordinary concentration of talent and creativity, unmatched by any other city in Israel, makes Jerusalem one of the country’s most dynamic creative centers, continuously shaping new voices, ideas, and cultural perspectives.

For many of the participating artists, Bechorot is more than a festival. It is a first opportunity to share their work publicly, connect with other creators, and become part of Jerusalem’s evolving creative community, offering a glimpse into the future of the city’s cultural scene.

For 60 years, the Jerusalem Foundation has supported arts and culture across the city, helping generations of artists, institutions, and creative initiatives grow and thrive in Jerusalem

הפוסט Bechorot Student Festival: The Future of Jerusalem’s Creative Scene הופיע לראשונה ב-.

Inspired by the need for an alternative to the Jerusalem Day Flag Parade, an event which has been accompanied by political undertones in past years, the March of Jerusalemites offered a hopeful vision of Jerusalem — one rooted in community, creativity and people who continue to imagine its future together.

The gathering was led by Matan Israeli of Muslala alongside Shai Doron Leadership Fellows Neta Meisels of HaMiffal and Mishy Harman, creator of the Israel Story and Jerusalem Story podcasts, together with dozens of local organizations, artists and community groups from across Jerusalem and with the support of the Jerusalem Foundation.

Throughout the afternoon, community events, tours and creative workshops took place in spaces like Muslala, HaMiffal, Studio of Her Own and other cultural and community centers. More than 40 organizations and initiatives took part, inviting residents from across the city to experience Jerusalem through creativity, music, culture and shared encounters.

Participants created their own “Jerusalem of Gold” flag, designed especially for the occasion as a symbol of hope and celebration for Jerusalem and its many communities. Inspired by the historic Bünting cloverleaf map, which placed Jerusalem at the center of the world in 1585, the flag accompanied participants throughout the day and later during the march itself.

In the early evening participants gathered near Jaffa Gate carrying the flags they created together. Accompanied by the joyful sounds of internationally acclaimed, Jerusalem-based jazz band Marsh Dondurma, the march continued into Teddy Park, where music, performances and activities brought residents together in a colorful community celebration.

The day concluded with an interfaith gathering led by Jewish, Christian and Muslim spiritual leaders alongside musicians from different faiths and traditions. Led by the ‘Zion Community’, the gathering offered a celebration of Jerusalem’s diversity, creativity and shared humanity.

הפוסט Celebrating the Diversity Spirit of Jerusalem הופיע לראשונה ב-.

Jerusalem is more than a city—it’s a living, breathing tapestry of culture, history, and community. Jerusalem is an idea and a message of hope. It serves to inspire millions of people around the world. Today, on Jerusalem Day, we celebrate our beloved city that is home to over a million residents and represents homecoming to millions more around the globe.

Jerusalem is a diverse and complex city, facing challenges, but also opportunities on a daily basis. The city is a microcosm of all elements of Israeli society that must find ways to live together and to share Israel’s capital city. The Jerusalem Foundation works to bring people together and to create opportunities for success for all of Jerusalem’s people, from all population groups and all backgrounds and faiths. That is our meaningful challenge and our hope: if it works in Jerusalem, it can work everywhere, and we know that it can. We see it every day, in every part of the city… people working together, shopping together, children playing together, and a city that functions collectively on the earthly and spiritual levels. From the light rail system across east and west Jerusalem, to the Old City and its many houses of worship, Jewish, Christian and Muslim, the green parks throughout Jerusalem where everyone is welcome, and everywhere in between.

For the Jerusalem Foundation, every day is Jerusalem Day! And we will continue to ensure that Jerusalem remains vibrant, inclusive and thriving for generations to come.

Wishing everyone Chag Samaech and Happy Jerusalem Day,

Arik Grebelsky

President

הפוסט Message for Jerusalem Day הופיע לראשונה ב-.

For the Jerusalem Foundation, every day is Jerusalem Day! but officially this year, May 14th eve will mark the beginning of Jerusalem Day. To celebrate this special occasion, we put together some fun facts about the city, which help explain why it has such a special place in our hearts and the great potential it carries, despite its complexities and challenges.

Did you know that?

• Jerusalem is Israel’s youngest city: Jerusalem has the highest birthrate in the country, and with about one-third of its population (around 32%) made up of children, it reflects a vibrant, growing city with strong potential for the future

• With some 1 million residents, Jerusalem is by far Israel’s largest city – the runner up is Tel Aviv, with close to 500,000 residents

• Jerusalem can be determined as “Israel’s Capital of Nonprofit Organizations,” reflecting the number, diversity, and richness of organizations, as well as their contribution to the city’s economy (about one-third of all those employed in the city work in social society organizations!).

• In recent years, Jerusalem has led Israel’s large cities in recycling by a wide margin, maintaining a structurally higher recycling rate than the national average. Compared with Israel’s 18 largest cities (with 100,000 residents or more), Jerusalem ranks first in the rate of recycling.

• Jerusalem is home to nine higher education universities and colleges, including the Hebrew University, Israel’s first university, and nine arts-focused higher education institutions, including the Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design, Israel’s first art school. Around 41,600 students are enrolled in higher education institutions in Jerusalem

• Jerusalem’s stage arts scene is exceptionally developed, with close to 15 theaters and theater groups spanning repertoire, nationally acclaimed theaters and fringe groups, as well as the ‘Al-Beit Theater’ – an Arabic speaking, east Jerusalem theater which produces original work

• Want to ride your bicycle? Despite its hilly terrain, the city has 88,006 meters of bike paths, paving the way for a more active and connected future

• By law, most buildings in Jerusalem must be covered in Jerusalem stone, giving the entire city its iconic golden look—especially at sunset

*The information presented is based on the most recent available data, as published by the Jerusalem Institute for Policy Research and the Jerusalem Municipality.

הפוסט Did you know? About Jerusalem… הופיע לראשונה ב-.

We invite you to an extraordinary evening that brings the spirit, sound, and soul of Jerusalem directly to Toronto. At the heart of this special event is acclaimed Cantor Chaim Stern, whose voice has moved audiences around the world and whose artistic and personal roots are deeply intertwined with Jerusalem’s rich cultural and spiritual fabric. This is not simply a concert—it is a journey.

A living musical tradition
Jerusalem has always been a city of layers: ancient and modern, sacred and artistic, deeply traditional yet constantly evolving. Its musical heritage reflects that same complexity. Cantorial music carries centuries of emotion, prayer, and storytelling, blending historical influences with contemporary expression. Cantor Stern embodies this intersection, weaving classical cantorial compositions with broader musical traditions in a way that feels both timeless and immediate.

“I love cantorial music, and when it’s sung by a lyric tenor—with a beautiful voice, and especially with an Israeli accent—it gives it special meaning for me,” says Elliott Eisen, a Jerusalem Foundation of Canada Board Member, a long-time Beth Tzedec Member and Event Co-Chair. This concert also celebrates Cantor Stern’s first year as The Hennick Family Senior Cantor at Beth Tzedec.

“I think Chaim Stern has the talent and ability—and he also happens to be a very nice young person—to strengthen the synagogue and the community and draw people. The concert will feature a range of genres and professionals, including two highly regarded cantors from Montreal and Chicago. It’s a natural fit for the Jerusalem Foundation to be involved as a lead organizational sponsor, especially since the title has always been ‘From Jerusalem to Toronto.’ As a seventh-generation Jerusalemite now in Toronto, Chaim embodies that connection.”

A rare musical experience
Audiences will experience an elegant blend of traditional cantorial masterpieces, beloved Broadway showstoppers, and international classics—performed with 28 musicians from the Toronto Symphony Orchestra. The evening promises a level of musical excellence rarely experienced in a single program.

As Cantor Stern reflects: “My journey started in Jerusalem, between studying in Yeshiva and spending Shabbat at the Great Synagogue. I’d go with my friends to hear Cantor Chaim Adler and the choir conducted by Elli Jaffe—who later became my mentor. That’s where I was first exposed to the polished European cantorial style and the power of a professional choir. Mixing that formal harmonic precision with the raw, soulful singing I did leading prayers in Yeshiva is what defines my voice today.”

“I believe that showing openness to other genres is the best way to connect a modern audience to Jewish music. When people hear a cantor sing Broadway, opera, or even Elvis, it opens their hearts. That connection makes traditional prayers feel more personal. I am truly looking forward to the moment it all comes together on stage.”

Voices across North America
Adding to the evening are two exceptional guest artists: Cantor Rachel Brook of Anshe Emet Synagogue in Chicago and Cantor Gideon Zelermyer of Montreal’s Congregation Shaar Hashomayim. Together, these voices represent a cross-section of North American Jewish musical leadership, each bringing their own artistry to a shared tradition rooted in Jerusalem.

For Cantor Stern, that connection is deeply personal: “My family arrived from Eastern Europe in the 1850s and 60s and helped build the city’s first neighborhoods. Many of my ancestors served as community rabbis and philanthropists. My late grandfather… was an amazing Baal Tefillah. Walking with him to shul on Shabbat mornings while he shared stories about the legendary cantors was my true school for this art.”

Why this night matters
This evening is more than a performance—it is a meaningful connection between Jerusalem and Toronto, brought to life through music, history, and shared identity.

If you’d like a preview of the artistry, you can listen to Cantor Stern here

At a time when connection feels more important than ever, this is a rare opportunity to gather, listen, and be transported.

Reserve your tickets here and be part of this unforgettable evening.

הפוסט From Jerusalem to Toronto: A Symphonic Journey הופיע לראשונה ב-.

Over its four years, 16 art projects inspired by the Musrara neighborhood came to life, celebrated in a concluding exhibition in the Musrara School Gallery.  In its culminating year, the four projects were developed by artists in close collaboration with Musrara residents, drawing on local histories, identities and lived experiences. These works were presented between January and March 2026 in the concluding exhibition, “Four Entered Musrara,” which, along with the broader Greenhouse initiative, received coverage in national media, highlighting its growing cultural significance.

Each project offered a distinct lens into the neighborhood:

• Tziki Eisenberg, Treasure Island – a photographic installation transforming residents’ personal objects into shared visual memory.
• Shay Zilberman, Speech-Grille – intricate paper-cut and print works inspired by the neighborhood’s iron grilles and layered histories.
• Orit Adar Bechar, The Lost – a video installation blending Samuel Beckett’s text with Black Panther writings to explore power, identity and existence.
• Rustam Bayramov, A Passing Shadow – portraits created using a historic photographic technique, capturing the living human fabric of Musrara.

For artist Orit Adar Bechar, the experience was especially meaningful: despite decades of artistic work, this was her first-ever residency, which she described as deeply supportive, collaborative, and creatively transformative.

Beyond the artworks themselves, the Greenhouse’s four-year impact is profound. It has fostered new collaborations with diverse local communities and institutions, brought untold personal stories to light, and connected residents directly to artistic creation. At the same time, it has strengthened participating artists’ social engagement and provided vital professional support during challenging years marked by instability.

By bridging art, society and place, the Mandel Artists’ Greenhouse continues to demonstrate how creative practice can resonate far beyond the gallery, embedding itself in the life of a neighborhood and its people.

הפוסט Art, Community and Lasting Impact: Inside the Mandel Artists’ Greenhouse הופיע לראשונה ב-.

The program targets candidates ages 20-30, from the Ethiopian Israeli community, in Jerusalem and allowing continued full-time employment throughout the course.

In late March, participants in a new training course for automation and information systems gathered for their first in-person session, marking an important milestone in the program. The course, which began just two weeks earlier online due to the ongoing war, transitioned to physical meetings at the Prisma Center in Kiryat Yovel. A total of 29 young participants were accepted into the program, including 19 of Ethiopian descent, reflecting a targeted effort to expand opportunities and representation in Jerusalem’s tech sector.

Developed especially by professional teams at Ono Academic College and Made in JLM, the course offers a comprehensive and supportive learning experience. Beyond technical training in automation and information systems, participants receive hands-on practice, guidance in building project portfolios and preparation for job interviews. The program also places a strong emphasis on social support and group cohesion—elements proven to be critical in helping participants successfully complete their training.

Looking ahead, the program includes visits to leading Jerusalem-based high-tech companies, providing participants with valuable exposure to the industry. In addition, dedicated support will be offered to help graduates secure employment upon completion of the course.

The first in-person session was also an opportunity to celebrate the launch of the program and the Passover holiday, with a festive toast and shared wishes for peace and success. As the participants embark on this journey, the program represents a meaningful investment in both individual futures and the broader inclusion of diverse communities in Jerusalem’s growing high-tech ecosystem.

הפוסט Made in Jerusalem – Tech Training for Ethiopian Israelis הופיע לראשונה ב-.