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A Celebration of Psalms at the City of David

http://www.cityofdavid.org.il/en/events/celebration-psalms-city-david

The City of David National Park is proud to host an evening of creativity, music, theater and study inspired by the Book of Psalms and King David. In light of last year’s success, the festival is back with a wealth of shows and creative sessions, featuring Shlomo Gronich, Erez Lev Ari, Ar’el Segal, Yoaz Hendel, Rebbetzin Malka Puterkovsky, singer Karni Eldad, author Mira Magen, poet Eliaz Cohen and many more artists and actors.

Isru Chag Shavuot | June 5, 2014 | 6:30 PM – 11:00 PM

The Celebration of Psalms Festival was born out of the desire to connect Israelis from different places and backgrounds at an evening of joint open discussion, with the Book of Psalms and the thoughts of King David at its foundation, as he wrote them three thousand years ago on the hill of the City of David.

This year as well, creative workshops will be held in different fields of artistic expression. At these workshops, the general public will be able to attempt these outlets of creativity firsthand, enjoy the various shows and hear captivating dialogues. 

Musical performances, open stages featuring well known personalities discussing the Book of Psalms, creative workshops and more.

Artistic direction: Director and playwright Gilad Alfasy

Price List 

Youth (until age 18)   30 NIS  

Students with a student card   45 NIS

Advance purchase online   50 NIS

On the evening of the event   65 NISBook Activity

Central Shows – King’s Garden

7:30 PM – Shlomo Gronich with his musical project, winner of the AKUM Prize – “Journey to the Sources”

This project is the fruit of three years’ work – the journey of a secular musician back to his Jewish roots, a deep and captivating search amidst the uncertainties of his identity. Gronich’s rich musical talent is exposed here in all of its glory as he presents an innovative, special musical performance to complement the ancient words.

(From Shlomo Gronich’s official website)

10:00 PM – Erez Lev Ari – Erez Lev Ari is emerging as an especially unique artist in Israel, integrating creativity and virtuosity in the songs and music that he writes. When the music meets the sources often quoted in his songs, the result is an artistic work which fluctuates between the old and the new.

Central Show – Area G

10:00 PM – Nigun Yerushalmi in Concert – “Waiting for Dawn”

After bringing the mighty wall of the City of David to life last year with their concert “Wanted,” the members of the “Nigun Yerushalmi” ensemble (a group which was formed right between the stones of the City of David) return this year with a new concert – “Waiting for Dawn.” The concert combines melodies to Biblical sources with the texts of many personalities who dreamed of Jerusalem and wrote about the city.

Smaller Shows

8:45 PM – “Peace in your Palaces”, a concert to commemorate 20 years since the passing of Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach – This year will mark 20 years since the passing of Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach. Karni Eldad and her instrumental group took Carlebach’s very familiar melodies and gave them a Cameri twist, adding new depth and an interesting, different angle…

8:45 PM  – “The Fathers have Eaten Unripe Grapes” (Written by Gilad Alfasy, Acting: Evyatar Lazar)

In Jerusalem, there was a custom that the fathers would go down to Absalom’s Pillar with their recalcitrant sons. There, they would stone the monument, evoking the fate of Absalom and of the wayward son. On the backdrop of this custom, a short monodrama was written which presents a different, non-conventional perspective on the entire story of Absalom’s rebellion.

The uniqueness of this performance is the subsequent attempt to examine the sources of the artists’ inspiration and the extent of their loyalty to what is written in the Bible. We will do this with the help of Yoshi Farjon (Herzog College), who will compare the artists’ interpretation to the text.

© גלעד אלפסי 052-4295336 [email protected]

7:30 PM  – The First Fruits of the Kedem Project

For the past few weeks, a unique project has been underway at the City of David involving creative workshops for the general public. The participants are instructed by professional artists in different creative areas, with the theme being the Book of Psalms. In the framework of the festival, the works of two of the first groups will be presented – the musical group led by Yagel Harosh and Moshe Shalev, and the creative writing group led by Eliaz Cohen.

6:45PM – Young Stage- In Jerusalem, there are many groups of young artists who play different styles of music. Many of their works are based on and connected to the Biblical sources. In addition to their original and youthful creations, these groups prove that music can connect different worlds. The youth who play in these groups come from a wide range of backgrounds and philosophies and find common ground in the music and the sources which they play.

The opening show of the festival will spotlight a few youth ensembles, who will play and sing texts from the sources alongside their own original songs.

8:45 PM , 10:00 PM – Speaking Psalms

People from different worlds come together for an opening dialogue about the Book of Psalms. Each session will be composed of a pair of speakers who read a psalm from the Book of Psalms which will serve as a springboard for an open discussion about their conclusions and understanding of the psalm. The dialogue is directed by the pair themselves and can deal with any topic which they believe stems from the chapter – social, religious, political, explanatory, etc. The audience at the session takes an active part of the discussion by directing questions to the speakers and expressing their opinions.

8:45 PM – yoaz Hendel and Ar'el Segal

Yoaz Hendel – Head of the Institute for Zionist Strategies and journalist.

Ar’el Segal – Journalist and publicist.

10:00 PM – Malka Puterkovsky and Mira Magen

Malka Puterkovsky- Lecturer, founder of Midreshet Lindenbaum, managing member of “Ma’agalei Zedek”.

Mira Magen – Author, winner of the Prime Minister’s Prize for Literature.

8:45 PM – Creative Workshops for the General Public

This year as well, creative workshops will be held in various fields of art. The general public, who have never had hands-on experience with these creative outlets before, will be able to attempt to create a new, original work of art:

Pergola, Area G – Creative Writing: Eliaz Cohen – Poet, founder and editor of the “Meshiv Haruach” Journal. 

Lower Pergola, Area G – Theater – Dan Sudry – Actor.

Tombs Overlook – Art and Drawing.