It’s always a good idea to swing by Yad Lakashish and pick up some greeting cards for the year ahead. These include a unique greeting card of the Western Wall (NIS 28), a set of Ethiopian greeting cards (NIS 85), and cards depicting the beauty of Israeli nature (NIS 65).
All cards are created by elderly Jerusalem men and women. Proceeds go toward supplementing their income.
14 Shivtei Yisrael St. Call (02) 628-7829 for more. You can book a tour and meet the artists your support aids. Visit https://yad-la.com/en/home/ to see other items for sale.
SATURDAY, JANUARY 10
Enjoy live opera beamed from New York’s Metropolitan Opera House to the silver screen of the Jerusalem Cinematheque, and take in I Puritani by Vincenzo Bellini.
Directed by Charles Edwards, this opera is a love story set against the backdrop of the English Civil War – prompting some Puritans to relocate from England to the New World.
This was Bellini’s last opera; he died nine months after the premiere, at age 33. A technically difficult work, it has a happy ending (how splendid for an opera!).
8 p.m. NIS 170. Italian with English subtitles. 11 Hebron Rd. Call (02) 565-4333 to book.
SUNDAY, JANUARY 11
Watch the 2024 film Reading ‘Lolita’ in Tehran by Israeli director Eran Riklis. Based on the 2003 same-titled book by Azar Nafisi, the film follows Nafisi’s bold attempt to lead a clandestine book club for Iranian women, where the great literary works of the West might be read and discussed.
The Iranian regime takes literary matters seriously, as Salman Rushdie, author of The Satanic Verses, can testify, mostly due to his efforts to stay alive after Ayatollah Khomeini issued a 1989 fatwa calling for his murder.
8:30 p.m. In English and Farsi. English subtitles are used when Farsi is spoken. NIS 35. Cinema by Sam Spiegel, 3 Menora St. Visit cinema.jsfs.co.il to book.
MONDAY, JANUARY 12
Start 2026 by dropping by the Russian-language bookstore Babel and picking up the English edition of Tired Truths by Victor Shenderovich. A Russian-language satirist and anti-Putin activist, this Jewish creator currently lives in Israel. This is a good way to get to know his witty aphorisms translated into English by Marian Schwartz, with illustrations by Viktor Bogorad.
31 King George St. Call 054-206-7957 for more.
TUESDAY, JANUARY 13
Head to the Hebrew University of Jerusalem’s Givat Ram campus and listen to A German Requiem by Johannes Brahms, performed by the Jerusalem Street Orchestra, with the lavish stained glass window crafted by Mordechai Ardon serving as a mystical backdrop.
Baritone Yair Poloshook and soprano Tal Ganor will take to the stage to intone the musical expression of grief and hope.
The Germanic aspect in the work’s title is linguistic, as Brahms opted to turn to the Lutheran tradition and not the Latin requiem. He avoided any mention of Jesus, to boot.
There was an overwhelming demand for tickets when the piece was performed in October. This is a second chance to experience this musical work in an unforgettable location.
8 p.m. NIS 120 per regular ticket; tickets are also offered at NIS 30. Patrons can also pay more than the regular cost to show their support. To book, visit eventer.co.il/brahmsrequiem.
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 14
Step into the Leo Baeck Institute and hear a panel discuss the life and oeuvre of artist Yosl Bergner, marking 105 years since his birth. The panel will include curator Ruth Direktor, curator Carmela Rubin, and culture critic Ariel Hirschfeld.
Bergner was born in 1920 in Vienna; his father was Yiddish-language poet Melech Ravitch.
Bergner grew up in Warsaw and made aliyah in 1948 from Australia. He quickly became one of the better-known painters and set designers during Israel’s early years. He was especially hailed for his profound understanding of Jewish destiny.
7 p.m. 33 Bustanai St. In Hebrew. Free. Pre-registration is required. Call (02) 563-3790 to book. It is possible to watch the panel discussion online. Visit https://leobaeck.org/?lang=en for more.
THURSDAY, JANUARY 15
Enter the Machol Shalem Dance Center and watch After the Fifth Sun, a new dance by Ofra Idel. The work is based on the Aztec cosmic myth of our world having gone through four cycles of birth and death, with our own times being part of the fifth sun – Huitzilopochtli – which requires blood sacrifices to keep the sun burning bright and sustain life.
Idel ventures beyond that ancient tale to explore what happens when that last sun is blotted out. In the twilight zone, four women survivors are poised between darkness and light, and strive to move toward a yet unborn new order.
8:30 p.m. 3 Haparasa St. NIS 65. One-hour performance. Call 050-641-1334 to book.
Throwing a special event? Opening an art exhibition or a new bar? Bringing in a guest speaker to introduce a fascinating topic? Email hagay_hacohen@yahoo.com and let In Jerusalem know about it. Write “Jerusalem Highlights” in the subject line. Although all information is welcome, we cannot guarantee it will be featured in the column.