The morning began at Mishkenot Sha’ananim with Mayor Moshe Lion addressing the participants and then a moving conversation with Sarit Zussman, mother of the late Ben Zussman, who shared her stories about her son and her commitment to finding a way
forward following his death. Participants then divided into 3 groups for in-depth discussions with the Shai Doron Leadership Fellows, who shared their personal stories and how the program has had an impact on them personally and professionally.

Over lunch in Yael’s Garden at Mishkenot, the participants received a briefing on the upcoming Israeli elections and the current  landscape of political parties, thresholds and possible coalition outcomes. We then boarded buses and drove across town to visit the new Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Community Sports Center in Beit Hanina. There, they met members of the East Jerusalem Women’s Leadership Forum for a conversation about local challenges and opportunities, followed by an interactive Arabic lesson.

The day concluded with a colorful art fair at HaMiffal, one of Jerusalem’s most distinctive creative spaces. Guests met local artists, discovered their work and experienced firsthand how HaMiffal nurtures emerging talent and helps young creatives build their future in Jerusalem.

From personal stories of resilience to inspiring local leadership and artistic creativity, Day Two celebrated the people building a stronger, more connected Jerusalem.

To see more of the day’s highlights click here

Photo and Video Credit: Noam Chojnowski

הפוסט 60 Years of Shaping Jerusalem: Day Two of Our 60 th Anniversary Conference הופיע לראשונה ב-.

The first day took participants on a journey through some of the city’s most beloved landmarks and institutions, beginning at Mishkenot Sha’ananim and continuing to the Jerusalem Botanical Gardens, where guests traveled the Gardens by train and viewed the new Margulies Entrance Pavillion. At Ein Yael, participants visited the Roman villa and archaeological site and learned about the vital nature therapy program in the Yaelim Center and its vital work supporting people coping with trauma and PTSD, highlighting the importance of resilience, healing and recovery in Jerusalem today. Later, at the Train Theater in the Davidson Theatre Complex, a conversation with the Directors of the Museum on the Seam, The Tisch Zoological Gardens and the Bloomfield Science Museum celebrated the city’s vibrant creative spirit and discussed challenges facing Jerusalem and Israel’s cooperation internationally.

The day concluded with a festive evening at the Jerusalem Theater, featuring a special performance by the Silent Conductor and a keynote address by former IDF Spokesperson
Daniel Hagari.

As we celebrate 60 years of the Jerusalem Foundation, these encounters remind us that Jerusalem’s story is one of people, places and partnerships that continue to shape the city.

To see more photos click here

Photo and Video Credit: Noam Chojnowski

הפוסט 60 Years of Shaping Jerusalem: Day One of 60th Anniversary Conference הופיע לראשונה ב-.

The beautifully renovated and expanded building features spacious activity and meeting rooms, improved accessibility and inviting outdoor areas. More than just a new building, it is a place where friendships will grow, memories will be made and young people will find opportunities to learn, lead and become active members of their community.

The celebration brought together Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Lion, Jerusalem Foundation President Arik Grebelsky, Roger van Oordt of Christians for Israel and Timo Niemeijer of the Building with Israel Business Club of Christians for Israel in the Netherlands. They were joined by a delegation of 40 club members, who brought footballs for the young participants. Representatives of Mifal HaPais (Israel’s national lottery), Ezra Youth Movement leaders, parents, alumni and young movement members also took part in the celebration.

The new clubhouse was built thanks to a generous donation from Building with Israel, working together with Christians for Israel Holland. We are grateful for their continued friendship and commitment to Jerusalem, helping strengthen the Ezra Youth Movement’s impact in Kiryat Menachem and empowering generations of young people to grow, lead and contribute to their community.

Photo credit: Arnon Bussani

הפוסט A New Home for Young People in Kiryat Menachem הופיע לראשונה ב-.

For 60 years, the Jerusalem Foundation has been shaping Jerusalem, investing in its people, strengthening communities and enriching the city’s cultural life. This October, we are bringing together over 90 friends and partners from seven countries to celebrate six decades of impact and look ahead to the future.

Taking place October 20–22, our special anniversary conference will offer three days of encounters, conversations and experiences across Jerusalem. From the Jerusalem Botanical Gardens and Gazelle Valley to Ein Yael, participants will revisit some of the places that tell the Foundation’s story. The program will also bring them face to face with the people shaping Jerusalem today, through conversations with local leaders, visits to community initiatives in East Jerusalem and cultural experiences at HaMiffal and the Jerusalem Theater.

The celebration will also look toward the next 60 years, with an interactive showcase of Jerusalem Foundation projects at the Cinematheque and a collaborative session dedicated to imagining the city’s future. The three days will culminate in a festive evening at the Tower of David Museum, featuring the Jerusalem East West Orchestra.

As we mark this milestone, we invite you to explore 60 projects that tell the story of our impact across Jerusalem, from the places that have become city landmarks to the initiatives transforming lives and communities today.

We look forward to celebrating this milestone together and continuing to shape Jerusalem’s future.

הפוסט Celebrating 60 Years of the Jerusalem Foundation הופיע לראשונה ב-.

To launch the new year, the Mayor of Jerusalem joined 14 school principals and all 37 teachers participating in the program for a special gathering at City Hall. The event marked the beginning of another year of learning, collaboration and professional development across participating schools.

Bringing together educators, partners and educational leaders in the city, the gathering reflected a shared commitment to the future of Jerusalem’s young people. Through innovative teaching, digital tools and project-based learning, the program continues to expand opportunities for pupils across East Jerusalem.

Photo Credit: Zaki Quitteneh

הפוסט Advancing English in East Jerusalem New School Year הופיע לראשונה ב-.

Jerusalem is also the youngest of Israel’s major cities, with around 32 percent of its population under the age of 15.

According to the Jerusalem Institute for Policy Research, Jerusalem’s pupil population has grown by more than 60 percent over the past two decades, from 185,200 in 2006/07 to approximately 300,000 in 2024/25.

The city’s educational landscape includes 121,700 pupils in ultra-Orthodox education, 107,500 in Arab education and 68,100 in state and state-religious education. While each school caters to different students, the Jerusalem Foundation supports a range of extra-curricular programs fostering encounters and dialogue among school students of all ages.

Across Jerusalem, these pupils reflect a city that is young, growing and remarkably diverse—and a generation that will shape its future.

Source: Jerusalem Institute for Policy Research, 2024/25 data.

הפוסט Back to School in Jerusalem הופיע לראשונה ב-.

For three summer evenings, music filled the air on the roof of Mishkenot Sha’ananim, as artists and audiences gathered under the open sky for The Jerusalem Music Centre Rooftop Festival. Each of the three scheduled concerts was fully booked, and due to high demand, an additional performance was added on the final evening.

At the heart of the festival is a meaningful connection between the Bavarian State Chancellery, Germany and the CSU-Parliamentary group in the Bavarian State Parliament and Jerusalem. Through its generous support to the Jerusalem Foundation, the festival creates a meeting place for different musical traditions, cultures and voices in the city.

The festival opened with Jerusalem’s Marsh Dondurma, celebrating the release of its new album, Maybe Someday. The sixteen musicians brought the rooftop to life with an energetic mix of Mediterranean sounds, New Orleans brass, Yemenite rhythms, klezmer melodies and funk.

The following evening, Yagel Haroush and his ensemble presented Songs in the Light of Night. Moving between Jewish liturgical song and Hebrew poetry, tradition and renewal, memory and hope, the performance accompanied the city as evening slowly turned to night.

The festival concluded with a musical encounter between Israel and Bavaria. The Jerusalem Street Orchestra welcomed German violin soloists from Munich Philharmonic Orchestra Georg Pfirsch and Klément Kourtin, alongside Gilad Hildesheim and Mark Karlinsky. The musicians came together for Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons and Concerto for Four Violins.

Across languages, traditions and borders, music has the power to bring people together. The Festival gave this connection a voice, creating shared moments of beauty, creativity and hope in this iconic location in Jerusalem.

The Jerusalem Foundation is deeply grateful to the Bavarian State Chancellery and the CSU-Parliamentary group in the Bavarian State Parliament for its generous partnership and continued support of Jerusalem’s cultural life.

הפוסט The Jerusalem Music Centre Rooftop Festival הופיע לראשונה ב-.

Held each year during August and September, in the lead-up to the Jewish High Holidays, SidraTarbut offers 40 days and nights of cultural events across Jerusalem.

Now in its sixth year, SidraTarbut (CultureSeries) was launched in 2021 as Jerusalem emerged from the Covid-19 pandemic. Since then, particularly in the years following October 7, the city has faced new challenges, making SidraTarbut’s role in supporting Jerusalem’s cultural life and bringing people together more important than ever. Created by the Jerusalem Foundation with the support of the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Foundation, SidraTarbut strengthens the city’s cultural institutions, supports its communities and audiences and provides a platform for Jerusalem’s artists.

What makes SidraTarbut unique is the way it brings together different sides of Jerusalem’s cultural scene. Established institutions and major productions sit alongside neighborhood events, fringe and underground culture and experimental work in less conventional spaces. Each year brings new collaborations, artists and ideas alongside established events that have become part of the SidraTarbut tradition.

This year is no exception, with programs ranging from a fresh take on the work of legendary Jerusalem artist Yossi Banai to dance, technology, contemporary art, theater and music unfolding throughout the city.

Six years after it began in response to a moment of crisis, SidraTarbut continues to show how culture can strengthen a city: supporting the people who create here, bringing audiences together and making space for Jerusalem’s many voices to be seen and heard.

Jerusalem Theatre Credit: Yakov Buta

Beit Hakerem. Photo credit:  Meital Izbicki

Khan Theatre. Photo credit: Yakov Buta

הפוסט 40 Days of Culture in Jerusalem הופיע לראשונה ב-.

Museums and galleries offer some of the best ways to discover Jerusalem, and summer is the perfect time to step inside. From an ancient citadel and interactive science museum to contemporary art and hidden cultural gems, each opens a different window into the city.

Bloomfield Science Museum

The Bloomfield Science Museum is a place where curiosity leads the way. Created through a partnership between the Jerusalem Foundation and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, its interactive exhibitions invite visitors of all ages to explore, experiment and learn.

Museum on the Seam

In a historic building that once stood on Jerusalem’s dividing line, art becomes a starting point for conversation. The Museum on the Seam brings together contemporary works of art that explore identity, society and the world we share, inviting visitors to pause, reflect and see things from a different perspective.

Tower of David Jerusalem Museum

Step through the gates of the ancient citadel and into thousands of years of Jerusalem history. At the Tower of David, archaeology, storytelling and technology come together in the very place where so much of the city’s story unfolded. The Jerusalem Foundation founded the Museum together with legendary Mayor of Jerusalem Teddy Kollek, the Israel Museum and philanthropic support of the Clore Foundation.

Natural History Museum

Surrounded by a beautiful garden in the heart of the city, the Natural History Museum feels like a small escape within Jerusalem. Inside its historic home, exhibitions exploring wildlife, geology and the environment reveal the natural world that exists alongside the city we know.

Studio of Her Own

Walk into the former home of painter Pinchas Litvinovsky and you’ll find a new generation of creativity within its walls. Studio of Her Own, the first center of its kind in Israel, is dedicated to women in contemporary art, especially from marginalized communities, with exhibitions, workshops, a gallery, café and shop. With the support of the Jerusalem Foundation, it is also creating a research archive dedicated to women artists in Israel.

Museum on the Seam. Photo credit: Jerusalem Foundation

Tower of David Jerusalem Museum. Photo Credit: Tower of David Museum

Tower of David Jerusalem Museum. Photo credit: Michal Fattal

Bloomfield Science Museum. Photo credit: Bloomfield Science Museum

הפוסט Summer in Jerusalem: Discover the City’s Museums and Galleries הופיע לראשונה ב-.

Each evening featured a headline performance by one of the legends of Israeli rock, preceded by an opening act from an emerging female musician. By sharing the stage, established performers and rising stars created moments of inspiration.  This was an incredible opportunity for new artists to perform before live audiences and connect with Jerusalem’s vibrant cultural community.

The festival is a great example of the long-standing commitment of the Jerusalem Foundation to strengthening Jerusalem’s independent cultural scene and expanding opportunities for artists to create, perform and grow. The Foundation ensures that Jerusalem remains a city where creativity flourishes, emerging voices are nurtured and culture continues to bring people together.

Photo credit: Nocturno

הפוסט Women in Rock Festival הופיע לראשונה ב-.