1.

"Come speak with Darya's class," Hadas, the teacher, told me. "Share some life advice as they finish elementary school." The "Bereshit" school in Rehovot insists on calling itself an "educational home." And what a year they've had; such young students whose learning and play were interspersed with existential issues.

This week, Darya told me her generation has experienced more pandemics, wars, and alarms in their young lives than other generations. She stated it as fact, not complaint. In our conversations, I've noticed a historical awareness growing within her ("In thirty years, I'll tell my children that fields once stood where we walked"). I looked at her, wondering how to respond to a child with adult insights. You know, I said, it's precisely this thought that encourages me and assures me your generation will be better than ours – more resilient, unique, and profound. You will build the next floor of our lives here in the treasured land of our forefathers.

2.

I entered the classroom. The boys arrived breathless from their games while the girls sat with inner calm. I asked them to try to retain some of my words for the coming years. Words are seeds that need time to blossom and bear fruit. Perhaps you'll remember me decades from now, just as I recall something from finishing elementary school, right before leaving my childhood neighborhood, which until then seemed a distant star, to study at the Junior High Kiryat Ya'akov Herzog, an institution I can only liken to Harry Potter's Hogwarts...

You stand before the great sea of your lives, I told the children. It will not part on its own; it awaits your entry. The sea is deep, its depths filled with treasures, challenges, and dreams. Dangers also lurk there. We adults stand on the opposite shore, seeking to guide and warn you from our experience. You will face obstacles and difficulties. You may resent and rage against your fate. But you can view hardships as challenges meant to improve and build you. The difficulty will be the same, but your interpretation will determine how you overcome it and grow from it.

I still remember a classmate who played marbles and cards with me. I was privileged to soar while he remained on life's margins. One day I heard an explosive was planted on his scooter and he was killed. Gang warfare. The news shook me. I thought of our innocent starting line and the deceptive blink of an eye in which our fates could have been reversed under different circumstances. Not everything depends on adults or society, dear children; an important part of your destiny depends on you.

3.

It's vital to stay in constant motion, not rest on your laurels but to walk, not be lazy, to gather knowledge, ideas, friends, experiences, taking something from each station for the journey ahead. This is the first commandment given to Abraham, our forefather: "Go forth..." If we keep going, we ultimately reach the good land. The second commandment is Abrahamic: "Do not make for yourself an idol..." – don't turn yourself into a statue, don't become enamored with yourself, and think you know everything with nothing to learn from others. Remember Narcissus? Yes, some answered (Darya is now also discovering Greek mythology). He fell in love with himself when he saw his reflection in the river, closing himself off and missing out on life. So be sure to stay in motion and look around you. Be curious.

An important condition for success in life is the desire for knowledge. In physics, there is a law of conservation of energy. In education, there is a law of conservation of knowledge. No information you've learned will fail to serve you someday. You sit in a classroom, so even if you're bored, make an effort and listen, use the time to add more knowledge to your repository. Read books; it's the best gift you can give yourself. Whoever turns off the phone on Shabbat will be forced to read, even if they don't want to, like in the old days. Study the weekly Torah portion on Shabbat; this way the Bible will be part of who you are.

I told them the Quran calls us "Ahl al-Kitab," People of the Book, because of the Bible. But we are the People of the Books. We received the Torah, then came the Prophets and Writings, and in the second century, Rabbi Judah the Prince wrote the Mishnah. In subsequent centuries the Talmuds were written in Israel and Babylon, then Biblical commentaries in the Middle Ages, the Zohar, legal rulings, philosophy, and countless other books, until we erected a colossal skyscraper unmatched by any other nation for its descendants. Each generation added its own floor to the multidimensional edifice, and you, dear children, have the right to visit any floor you wish. Don't miss the opportunity; after all, you already speak the language.

4.

Study history. This way you will remember throughout your long journey where we came from and where we wish to go. I told them when we adopted the word in Hebrew, some spelled it "historyah," meaning God (Yah) concealing (Hester) himself behind national and global events and directing them. Soon we will reach the 9th of Av and commemorate the first destruction (586 BCE) and the second (70 CE). The Jews in the first exile despaired; they thought it was the end of Israel and there would be no continuity in the next generation. "Our bones are dried up, our hope is lost, we are cut off." But the prophet Ezekiel insists "our hope is not yet lost." He tells them of a tremendous historical vision God showed him: A valley full of dry bones turning into a multitude representing our people. And he promises that God will open our graves and return us home to the Land of Israel.

In the 1880s, a Hebrew poet in Romania wrote to his generation that as long as a Jewish soul stirs in our hearts, and as long as our eyes gaze eastward toward Zion, our hope to return to our ancestral homeland is not lost. I don't remember if they knew the poet's name, so I repeated it: Naftali Herz Imber. You understand, I told them, our national anthem corresponds with Ezekiel's prophecy. Indeed, our hope was not lost, and at the end of a long, painful process we came home to Zion. And from national history, we learn for our private lives: Even if you find yourselves in difficult situations later on, do not lose hope. Your redemption awaits just around the corner.

5.

"Dad," Darya whispered to me afterward, "two kids told me you could have spoken faster, and you repeated things." Honest children. "Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast Thou founded strength, because of Thine adversaries; that Thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger (Pslams 8:3)" You're right, my daughter, because I understand the gravity of the task assigned to me and the importance of this conversation. I acted according to the eternal command "teach them to your children" (Deuteronomy 11:19 ) –  sons and daughters – hoping something of my words will be seared into the memory of one child, provisions for the road ahead, just as I remember to this day the kind eyes of my parents and teachers accompanying me, just before we entered the great sea of our lives.

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Sami Michael, one of Israel's most acclaimed and celebrated authors, has passed away today at the age of 97. Michael, who wrote novels, plays, and young adult literature, received dozens of literary awards in Israel and around the world over the years. His books were translated into numerous languages, with some adapted into films and television series.

Born Kamel Semaha in Baghdad, Michael completed his studies in Iraq. During the Farhud, the violent anti-Jewish riots in Iraq, he joined the Communist Party. After immigrating to Israel, he became a member of the Israeli Communist Party, although he later left the party while continuing his social activism, even serving as the president of the Association for Civil Rights in Israel.

Since the publication of his debut novel "Equal and More Equal" in 1974, Michael was considered one of Israel's most prominent and influential authors. Among his acclaimed works are "Refuge," "Victoria," "Trumpet in the Wadi," and the young adult novel "Palm Tree in the Storm".

In a 2012 interview with Omer Lachmanovich for Israel Hayom, Michael stated, "I don't carry the flag of any idea. I don't commercialize what I love – not Baghdad or Haifa, not my Iraqi past or my Haifa present. Those who define me as a Haifa writer are physically correct. But just as the Dan springs don't flow because they're in the Galilee, but because they're springs – so am I. My work is universal. I don't write for Israelis or Haifans. I write for the human within me. I write for myself."

In the same interview, Michael harshly criticized the Israeli Left, saying, "The left in Israel is disconnected. It's a very strange Left, not connected to its people, not knowing the language of its people. Its figures are connected to the Palestinian intellectual Left, which is also disconnected from its people. And so, they all meet in hotels for luxury meals, instead of talking to their peoples [...] The problem with the Israeli Left is that it was born in Poland, Russia, Romania, and didn't grow here, unlike the normal Left in every other country that grows from its place. The leftists live in protected, beautiful homes and enjoy a good income. It's a nice, pleasant bubble because these are intellectuals, but it's still a bubble."

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Israeli literary, musical and overall cultural icon Yehonatan Geffen died on Wednesday aged 76.

"It is hard to imagine the existence of Israeli art, our anthems, the worlds of literature and theater without his unique and unforgettable contribution," President Isaac Herzog said of Geffen after his death.

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Geffen was born in Moshav Nahalal in 1947, just prior to Israel's reestablishment. He served in elite units in the Israel Defense Forces and fought in Nablus and the Golan Heights during the Six-Day War in 1967. After moving to Tel Aviv, Geffen published a volume of poems under the tutelage of Natan Alterman.

Geffen's 1978 record album "The Sixteenth Sheep" is one of the best-selling in Israel's history. His mother, Aviva Dayan, was the sister of war hero and former Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Dayan. Geffen was active politically and his left-wing views were often fiercely criticized. In 2018, he lionized Palestinian Ahed Tamimi, who is known for assaulting IDF soldiers, comparing her to Anne Frank. In response, then-Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman called to ban his music from Army Radio.

Geffen is survived by his first wife, Nurit, and their two children, Shira and famous singer Aviv; and his second wife, Ava Hadad, and their daughter Natasha.

Reprinted with permission from JNS.org.

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So what if the Israeli-Moroccan normalization agreement is not officially part of the Abraham Accords? In practice, the deal is no different. Ties between Rabat and Jerusalem were renewed within the same window of opportunity that opened up in September 2020.

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A particularly fascinating outcome of the agreement is the Muslim Moroccans' interest to learn Hebrew.

"We receive a lot of inquiries about Hebrew courses from individuals who want to learn the language, simply because Moroccans love languages and are known polyglots," said Einat Levi, a political and economic consultant at Israel's diplomatic mission in Rabat. "Business owners and service providers also express interest in learning Hebrew, because they understand that there is an economic opportunity for them" in Israel.

One can also see more signs in Hebrew across the markets and old cities of Morocco put up by local residents and shop vendors who are excited about the return of Israeli tourists.

In the Jewish quarter of the port city of Essaouira, which used to boast a thriving Jewish community, the local pharmacy now also displays a sign in Hebrew.

"The sign in Hebrew is a symbol of cultural renewal, invitation, and testimony to the close connection between culture and tourism, and more than that – it has an assertion of belonging," Levi said.

Tourism forecasts predict that hundreds of thousands of Israelis will visit Morocco each year, and expect Moroccan tourists to do the same in Israel. As such, Rabat is planning to launch Hebrew-learning courses for local tour guides as well as a new master's degree program at the International Institute of Tourism of Tangiers that would combine studies of Hebrew and Jewish heritage sites in Morocco.

Another interesting development is that Moroccan King Mohamed VI's coronation day in July was marked in Israel for the first time this year, in Yokneam, Acre, Netanya, Dimona, and elsewhere.

And although in the past, Israelis had no problem traveling to Morocco, and were even welcomed, when it came to official events – such as festivals and conferences – organizers were discouraged from inviting Israelis due to fear of criticism from the public and anti-Israel groups.

"Now the situation is different," Levi said. "There is a strong and clear official connection, and it makes it easier to conduct open and public Israeli activity in Morocco. This allows many Israelis of Moroccan descent to feel more complete."

Eyal Biram, CEO of Israel-is – an organization that connects young Israelis with millennials from around the world in order to converse with them about Israel, and to fight antisemitism – noted that "when we signed the Abraham Accords, Morocco was a little bit different than the project we conducted in the United Arab Emirates.

"The goal of the project, which we partnered in, is to bring young people from the Arab world to Israel, and it would not have been possible to do it without the Jewish angle. Morocco is an expression of the new-old Israeli story. From the aspiration of [becoming a] melting pot, we moved to the desire of many young Israelis to embrace their identities and cultures and formulate a new-old story for themselves."

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COMMENTARY – What would you say if a senior literary editor was appointed to a position on the Judicial Selection Committee? Imagine a situation where an esteemed researcher, a professor of Hebrew literature, was invited by the IDF chief to discuss the next round of appointments to the General Staff. Are these scenarios farfetched? Anyone with a healthy sense of logic would certainly agree they are. But that is exactly what's been happening in Israel's cultural and literary scenes for years.

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Last week, the Israel National Library announced the appointment of former State Attorney Shai Nitzan as the library's rector. This is a new role that was established following the Board of Directors' decision to institute a managerial reform at the National Library.

According to the INL press release, as rector, Nitzan will manage the library's content and as such will be responsible, among other things, for its collections and physical and digital archives, and his responsibilities will include issues such as "culture, education, exhibitions, international ties and activities, public relations, and fundraising."

Is Nitzan – who from the 1980s up to his retirement in 2019, served in a number of roles within the State Attorney's Office, and has never dealt with research, curation or the management of cultural assets, and certainly not with fundraising, neither in the public or private sector, or with public relations – a suitable candidate for this new role? According to the special committee appointed by the National Library to vet candidates, the answer is yes.

In public service, vetting committees are a compromise between a tender and personal appointments. In his ruling on a petition by the Israel Women's Network in 2008, High Court Justice Edmond Levy wrote, "It is easy for a professional committee to focus on professional decisions, that is its strength, and that is its contribution to correct managerial administration."

If this is indeed the case – and assuming that the process undertaken by the committee to find a rector for the INL was completely above board – then the committee should immediately publish its professional decision in full and specify why it chose a candidate who appears to have no connection to the role, or previous experience in handling any of the fields the role demands.

 Nitzan's appointment is not the first such appointment in these parts. Critical roles in the cultural arena, particularly in the literary world, have often been filled by people devoid the relevant experience. Only last year, former deputy commander of the Israeli Air Force Giora Romm – a legendary pilot – was appointed chairman of the committee granting the Sapir Prize for Literature.

Romm, who following his retirement from the military served in a number of public roles ranging from director-general of the Jewish Agency to head of the National Road Safety Authority, is an experienced, respected and decorated figure. However, his record in public service has no connection to the world of Israeli literature, and he certainly has no professional mandate to be the decisive voice in the country's most prestigious literary prize.

Prior to Romm, the Sapir Prize Committee was headed by former Justice Ministry Director-General Emi Palmor (a graduate of the Hebrew University's Faculty of Law). Prior to that, the position was held by retired District Court Judge Orna Ben-Naftali (a professor of international law). Before Ben-Naftali it was held by Edna Kaplan-Hagler. (Full disclosure: I was a member of the prize jury during her term in 2015). Next came another law professor – Menachem Mautner.

The problem is clear for all to see: Israel's culture administrators, with the assistance of veteran of the judiciary and defense establishment, have taken the literary establishment hostage. The justification is always "prominence," "public image," and "managerial experience," but in practice, what we have here is jobs on a wholesale scale, at the expense of the literati – managers, researchers, writers – who are being methodically excluded from key positions.

Public discourse about the decline of the humanities has become something of a dead letter. The humanities have not been a "science" for a long time and the weight of knowledge and experience required for those involved in the humanities has been pushed aside for something far more important – ties at the top and the image of the judicial and defense elite as the ultimate patron, spreading its patronage over the field of culture.

Such appointment in literary institutions and prize committees are akin to the defamation of the integrity of the literati. The literary clique is "corrupt," and "takes care of its own" and therefore we shall appoint an overseer – incorruptible jurists or alternatively, a military veteran who will put the house in order.

The result of this patronage is reflected in unprofessional decisions by people who are not suitable for their roles. Moreover, it cheapens the essence of the committees and institutions and brings with it further unsuitable appointments for more junior positions.

A look overseas reveals a more cultural climate where good governance is reflected in worthy professional appointments. The current chair of the British Booker Prize jury is Maya Jasanoff, an art historian. Her predecessor was Margaret Busby, an editor and literary critic. The current head of the Pulitzer Prize Committee is Elizabeth Alexander, a poet, author and playwright. Her deputy is Nancy Barnes, a journalist who herself is a Pulitzer Prize laureate. The winner of the French Le Prix Goncourt is decided by an academic committee comprised of 10 leading authors. Its current members include well-known names, such as Pierre Assouline, Philippe Claudel and Pascal Bruckner.

Nowhere will you find a former state attorney at the helm of any of the leading national libraries in the world: The Librarian of Congress (perhaps the closest role to rector) is captained by Elizabeth Morrison, a historian who worked for many years at the institution. The head of France's Bibliotheque Nationale is Laurence Engel, a leading cultural administrator, and Germany's National Library is headed by Frank Scholze, an experienced librarian and editor of a journal in the field.

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Israel's literary establishment must overcome the Stockholm syndrome with which it has been struck and demand the restoration of their intellectual and managerial independence. The legal and judicial persona, as excellent as they may be in their respective fields, have not the slightest advantage in a managerial position in the field of culture. In fact, the very that they do compete for positions in the cultural field is an act of patronage.

Shai Nitzan and Giora Romm are just current examples that point to a worrying process that has grown stronger over the past decade. Both gained a reputation for being concerned first and foremost with proper governance, but they should have thought twice before jumping on this lucrative jobs bandwagon.

In last year's 11-judge High Court ruling on then-Prime Minister Netanyahu's tenure, Justice Daphne Barak-Erez wrote: "Those in public office have a legal and moral obligation to examine whether they are worthy and suitable for their role." Can Nitzan and Romm honestly testify they have fulfilled that duty?

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Saudi Arabia is seeking Greek expertise in archaeological excavation for its nascent cultural sector as it tries to diversify economy beyond oil and enhance quality of life in the Gulf Arab state.

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The Saudi culture ministry, established three years ago under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's modernization plan, aims to contribute 3% or more to the kingdom's gross domestic product by 2030 and create 100,000 jobs for young Saudis.

Saudi Arabia is due to sign a cultural partnership agreement with Greece later this year that would include joint cultural weeks and focus on archaeological development of the historic Qaryat Al Faw region, in the southern part of the kingdom.

Rakan al Touq, General Supervisor of Cultural Affairs and International Relations, told Reuters on Thursday as the Saudi culture minister paid a two-day visit to Greece:

"We had very good discussions around building a program of cultural exchange that will focus on exchange of cultural goods, services and personnel between the two countries."

"Our international program, which is part of our strategic aspiration for cultural growth, was delayed because of the pandemic, but we are excited to start to engage in person with partners around the world."

Under Prince Mohammed's reform drive, the conservative kingdom has opened up, allowing live concerts and sporting events, as well as cinemas in a bid to attract foreign talent and business.

Improving quality of life is also important in the country of some 20 million citizens who have no vote, and where state oil revenues remain the main driver of the economy.

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The COVID picture in Israel continued to improve on Friday, with 1,225 new cases identified in the last 24 hours, 1.9% of the total 63,420 tests processed in that time period.

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The reproduction rate was also down, standing at 0.66 – meaning that a single confirmed carrier infects 0.66 other people – compared to 0.68 on Thursday.

As of Friday, there were 863 patients hospitalized for COVID. Among these, 558 were listed in serious condition, including 244 in critical condition and 206 on ventilators.

The number of Israelis to have received the first dose of the COVID vaccine stood at 5.1 million, or 55.39% of the population. A total of 4,480,810 Israelis (48.18% of the population) have received both doses.

Since the COVID pandemic hit Israel in early 2020, a total of 826,217 Israelis have contracted the virus. The death toll as of Friday was 6,071, after six more patients succumbed to the disease on Thursday and one early Friday.

The encouraging data comes after the Corona cabinet on Thursday approved bigger crowds for sporting and cultural events. Games, cultural events, and conferences can be held with audiences of up to 3,000 people in closed venues and up to 5,000 in the open air.

However, event venues, dining halls, and restaurants are still limited to 500 people in the open air or 300 in enclosed spaces.

Tourist attractions that comply with Health Ministry regulations will be allowed to host up to 2,500 people at one time.

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Israel's premier museum for Islamic art has scrapped the planned auction of scores of rare and precious items after public outcry over the attempted sale, which had been expected to fetch millions of dollars from wealthy private collectors.

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In a settlement struck Wednesday, the Sotheby's auction house agreed to return 268 items from London back to the L.A. Mayer Museum for Islamic Art in Jerusalem.

The agreement ends a saga that drew broad condemnation and threatened to gut one of Israel's prized public art collections. Art experts criticized the attempted sale to private collectors, saying it had been hidden from the public and violated the museum's founding mission to edify the Israeli public about the Islamic world through art.

As part of the arrangement, the Al Thani Collection Foundation, an art foundation funded by a descendent of the ruling family of the energy-rich Gulf Arab state of Qatar, "will generously provide an annual sponsorship to the LA Mayer Museum for Islamic Art" for 10 years, while one of the Islamic Art Museum's pieces will be given on long-term loan to the Al Thani Collection's gallery at the Hotel de la Marine in Paris.

Haaretz said that Sotheby's would receive a 2 million pound cancellation fee. Neither Sotheby's nor the museum would provide details on the fee or the annual funding for the museum, though the auction house said "given the circumstances, Sotheby's reduced its withdrawal fees."

The item to be loaned is an intricately decorated, 11th-century silver jug, part of a hoard of silver objects discovered in the early 20th century near Nivahand, in northeastern Iran. The item was purchased early last century by art collector Ralph Harari, who later sold it to the museum's founder, Vera Salomons.

An Arabic inscription beneath a frieze of running animals on the jug reads: "Perfect blessing, lasting wealth, abundant happiness and overall security to its owner." It was not one of the items originally up for auction at Sotheby's in October sale.

Israel and Qatar do not have formal diplomatic relations, but contacts exist to facilitate Qatar's transfer of hundreds of millions of dollars in aid to the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip. Sotheby's said it had facilitated the cooperation between the Islamic Art Museum and the Al Thani Collection.

The Islamic Art Museum and the Hermann de Stern Foundation, which had initiated the Sotheby's auction, welcomed the agreement, saying it "will ensure the continued operation of the museum over time."

"This is a truly momentous final outcome and we are thrilled to be partnering with The Al Thani Collection Foundation in this way to further our shared aims of increasing cultural exchange, while allowing the museum to continue to enhance art and culture for the benefit of the Israeli public and art lovers," the museum and the foundation said in a joint statement.

The Al Thani Collection said it was "very pleased to play a part in the survival of a unique institution that makes a meaningful difference to the communities around it."

The items from the museum's collection, including several centerpiece objects and prized antique watches, were slated for auction at Sotheby's in October. The Hermann de Stern Foundation, a Liechtenstein-based trust that funds the bulk of the museum's budget, said the sale was aimed at covering the cost of maintaining the institution. It insisted that it had the legal right to sell the items.

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The Hashava Foundation, an Israeli art theft prevention organization, petitioned the Supreme Court in November to halt the auction. It said the sale was "in gross violation" of Israel's laws governing museums and antiquities, and that it would cause "irreversible damage and major loss to the general public."

Meir Heller, Hashava's founder, said the organization was proud that the petition "achieved its aim and brought about the return of this rare and precious collection to Israel and its exhibition for the public."

The museum was established in the 1960s by Vera Frances Bryce Salomons, the scion of a British-Jewish aristocratic family who died in 1969, and named for Leo Arie Mayer, a prominent scholar of the Middle East. It is home to thousands of Islamic artifacts dating from the 7th to the 19th centuries. It also has a collection of antique watches handed down by the Salomons family, including dozens by the famed Parisian horologist Abraham-Louis Breguet. His timepieces adorned European royalty in the 17th and 18th centuries, including Marie Antoinette.

Among the items that were to be auctioned were a 15th-century Ottoman helm inlaid in silver calligraphy, a 12th-century bowl depicting a Persian prince and a collection of antique watches, including three designed by Breguet.

The removal of the artwork drew public outcry by President Reuven Rivlin, Culture Minister Hili Tropper, museum curators and academics, and forced the postponement and eventual halt to the auction.

"I am delighted that all our strenuous efforts to preserve intact the entirety of the collection of the L.A. Mayer Museum have come to such a successful conclusion," Tropper said, saying the Al Thani Collection Foundation's "generosity is a great tribute to the spirit of cross-cultural cooperation."

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The economy might be seeing a light at the end of the tunnel as early as next week if a pilot testing program being launched by the health and defense ministries to conduct rapid COVID testing for public buildings proves a success.

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The "green building" pilot will take place in the Negev Center in Beersheba, which houses The Authority for Development and Settlement of the Bedouin in the Negev, the Israel Lands Authority, and the city's Sharia court. All three are deemed essential institutions and continue to operate during lockdown.

Under the pilot, all employees and visitors to these premises will be required to be tested upon arrival and receive results on their smartphone devices in just 10 minutes.

Employees and cleaning personnel will be tested every two days and will be required to follow all Health Ministry guidelines, including social distancing and limits to the number of people per room.

The pilot, a joint project by the Health Ministry, the IDF technological greenhouse, and Tel Aviv's Sourasky Medical Center, which developed the rapid tests, is designed to experiment with a program that could potentially be expanded nationwide to allow businesses and other venues to reopen, putting the economy back on track.

In a related development, the Health Ministry is set to present next week an exit program from the current lockdown in an outline named "green badge." On Thursday, officials held several meetings with representatives from the leisure and culture sector in which several ideas were raised, including the possibility of opening cultural venues to people who can present proof of a negative COVID test taken within 48 hours.

Meanwhile, teenagers aged 16-18 will be able to get vaccinated starting next week, after Health Ministry Director-General Professor Hezi Levi received approval from the Vaccine Priorities Board on Thursday evening to go ahead with the campaign.

These teens are high school students in 11th and 12th grades who are slated to take matriculation exams this year, then be drafted into the IDF.  The health and education ministries as well as healthcare providers have begun logistic preparations to vaccinate the high schoolers.

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American Friends of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra and the Israel Philharmonic Foundation will premiere the "Israel Philharmonic Pre-Hanukkah Global Celebration," a multidisciplinary program of instrumental performances and behind-the-scenes interviews, coupled with powerful messages of hope.

The Dec. 6 event will stream internationally, free of charge, to bring music and holiday light from Israel's world-class Philharmonic to audiences around the world amid the global coronavirus pandemic.

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The event will weave together word and song, featuring Academy Award-winning composer Hans Zimmer; Grammy and Tony Award-winning actress and singer Bette Midler; actress and star of the TV series "Fauda" Ronalee Shimon; actress and model Dar Zuzovsky; music manager Kenny Hamilton; and other special guests.

The Israel Philharmonic and its conductor, Lahav Shani, will perform pieces from Zimmer's acclaimed works.

"The Israel Philharmonic is a shining light for humanitarian principles, artistic freedom and the tireless pursuit of excellence – and for continuing to provide accessible, inspiring digital musical content despite the pandemic," said Danielle Ames Spivak, AFIPO executive vice president and CEO.

Tali Gottlieb, Israel Philharmonic Foundation executive director, said "2020 has been an extremely difficult year. We are making every effort to assist the philharmonic, and I am moved by the heartwarming response of its friends in Israel and throughout the world. In an end-of-the-year effort and in light of the exceptional success of our Global Gala this past June, which was viewed by more than 500,000 people worldwide, I hope this event will provide the support it needs to grapple with the enormous challenges still ahead."

Registration is free. Donations will offset critical Philharmonic revenue losses due to forced closures due to the ongoing pandemic.

Donors will receive access to a VIP after-party with Christie's global managing director Lydia Fenet and guests, discussing "Trendsetters and Tastemakers: Culture, Art, Fashion and Design in 2021 and Beyond."

Reprinted with permission from JNS.org

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