For a quarter of a century, the Metula Poetry Festival found its home in the northern town of Metula. Next week, for the second year, the festival – spearheaded and produced by the Confederation House – will be held in Jerusalem. The relocation is a direct consequence of the war, which has left the beloved border town severely damaged and its residents evacuated.
As the festival’s artistic directors, Shiri Lev-Ari and Benny Ziffer, explained, “The present burst into the Metula Poetry Festival, and we opened the gate to it.” This year’s program places a strong emphasis on contemporary poetry and emerging voices while continuing to honor the country’s rich literary past. The festival itself is envisioned as a “ray of light of faith in a better future” during a difficult and painful chapter in the nation’s history.
Program highlights
The program unfolds as a carefully woven tapestry of commemoration and conversation. It opens with a tribute to the late David Avidan, marking three decades since the passing of the trailblazing poet. The closing event will turn to Shaul Tchernichovsky, celebrating the 150th anniversary of his birth.
Between these milestones, the festival will salute living legends, among them Haim Be’er, on the occasion of his 80th birthday, and Ronny Someck, with an event marking half a century of his poetic work. The festival will also honor the memory of A.B. Yehoshua, three years after his passing, as well as Ariel Hirschfeld.
At its most powerful, the festival confronts the nation’s recent trauma through the unfiltered voice of poetry. A special event titled “Exposed Poetry” will present works written in the wake of October 7. Among them are poems by Shlomo Efrati, who had never written poetry before that day but has since recorded his harrowing experiences identifying bodies after the massacre.
Also featured is Dr. Kinneret Magen, whose book Mommy, a Helicopter Is Coming, recounts her role as a doctor on that day. Another program will focus on poetry as a form of healing, with poet Dana Amir and therapist Meirav Rot, who has been treating the community of Kibbutz Be’eri.
Alongside these raw and poignant reflections, the festival will also highlight some of Israel’s most prominent cultural voices. Singer Chava Alberstein will discuss her autobiographical book Kna’an Alley, while musician Ehud Banai will reflect on his work The Book of Green Onions. Conversations will also feature writers such as Dorit Rabinyan, Kobi Meidan, and Yaron London, drawing the public into Israeli culture at its most introspective and vital.
All events are open to the public free of charge, on a first-come, first-served basis, with the exception of the opening performance, which requires a ticket.
The festival will take place on September 3-5. For more information, the full schedule, venues, and reservations, visit the Confederation House website at confederationhouse.org.