Gag Eden, Jerusalem’s rooftop festival, proudly supported by the Jerusalem Foundation since its inception, returns for its sixth edition on 14-15 October, inviting residents and visitors from Israel and abroad to see the city from above. Following the prolonged war, this year’s festival seeks to create a space of hope, connection and renewal.
The opening evening took place on two rooftops in Abu Tor, a seam-line neighborhood, facing the Old City at sunset. It boasted an international program: a plastic art exhibition by American Michael Kagan, together with a corresponding cello concert by Swiss-Israeli cellist & singer Miriam Esther Arig; artwork created as part of a Berlin artist mentorship platform, ‘Forecast’, presented by mentors Ruth Patir and Tomer Heiman; and a DJ set by Michael Rosen of Digital Berlin, created specifically for the festival.
On the second day, visitors explored Jerusalem’s growing network of community rooftop gardens, and enjoyed performances and workshops on rooftops across the city, including the children’s show Yam and a performance by Aviv Pak and Omri Bar Giora. The festival closed with The Upper Waters: five performances, ritual and performative acts and a conversation about water as the basis of life.
Alongside the program, visitors were welcomed to tour The Fifth Façade, the Center for Beneficial Rooftops, an innovative center located on the Muslala rooftop and promoting learning and inspiration in sustainable rooftop culture. Coffee and refreshments were available at the Muslala social coffee cart, Agalala, prepared by a team largely made up of young people on the autism spectrum, as part of a model of inclusion and employment.
Gag Eden is produced by Muslala, which pioneers the development of urban rooftops, effectively changing the face of the modern city. The festival is also supported by the Jerusalem Municipality, the Israel Ministry of Culture and donors and friends.
