NORTH Hadera's Colors of Dance troupe returned home last week after nabbing first prize at the Ninth Mediterranean Folklore Festival held in Larnaca in September. The troupe was comprised of 26 dancers alongside choreographer and artistic director Itzik Cohen, as well as the city's acting Mayor Tal Eliahu and Karmiel Festival director Aaron Solomon. The festival lasted for five days, with dance performances every night in Larnaca and the surrounding areas; a total of 12 countries participated, including Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Egypt and Georgia. The event was organized by the Cultural Heritage Association of Nicosia in collaboration with the Larnaca Municipality. Larnaca Mayor Andreas Louroudgiatis met with Eliahu, and the two exchanged gifts and discussed the possibility of developing relations between their two cities. Colors of Dance has won numerous awards in Israel and abroad; Eliahu said the dance troupe represents Hadera in a way that brings honor to the city. “Over the years, the troupe has become very professional and we aim to expand its operations,” he said. “This year, activities will be expanded to other neighborhoods as well.” Attempted burglary at Safed supermarket A masked man tried to rob a Safed supermarket last week, holding its owner at knifepoint. According to the Local website, the owner fought back and the perpetrator fled. Police arrested a 28-yearold city resident on suspicion of attempting to burgle the store. CENTER Presidents, current and former, attend annual storytelling festival The 21st Israeli Annual International Storytelling Festival kicks off this Thursday in the presence of President Reuven Rivlin and former presidents Shimon Peres and Yitzhak Navon. Over 100 storytelling shows will be performed on stage by over 800 performers, covering a wide range of topics. The event features theater stars, comedians, stage performers, writers, musicians, philosophers, politicians and prominent cultural figures from across Israel. To celebrate its 21st year, the International Storytelling Festival will also be hosting prominent performers from around the world: storytelling show Kingdom of Fire from Holland; Romanian comedy Outdoor Crooks; Persian-Dutch raconteur Sahand Sahebdivani; Polish storyteller Witold Dabrowski; and well-known Portuguese actress and director Sandra Barata Belo. Jaffa Port to host travel photography exhibit over Succot A travel photography exhibition is set to open on October 14 at Jaffa Port's Theater Hall, and will remain open over Succot. The “Beauty Matters” exhibition will comprise 100 photos by travel photographer Matty Karp, marking his first solo display. Beauty Matters focuses on two different media – the traditional medium of printed photos and the digital screen, which will display different photographs; in addition, two video artworks will be showcased. The images stand alone, without any explanation; Karp seeks to remind exhibition visitors of the simplicity and excitement associated with simple beauty. Karp is one of the founders of Israel's venture capital industry (Concord Ventures) and a former IDF combat pilot. The exhibition will be open daily between the hours of 10 a.m. and 10 p.m. Beit Issie Shapiro wins Microsoft social action contest Microsoft Israel has awarded Ra'anana-based NGO Beit Issie Shapiro first place in its Innovate for Good competition. The worldwide initiative aims to encourage the creation of applications to address a social need. Beit Issie Shapiro develops and provides therapies and services for children with disabilities and their families, and promotes the inclusion of people with disabilities in society. The competition was run by Microsoft and its partner in the project, Appleseeds Academy, an organization dedicated to using hi-tech to help disadvantaged youth and adults; they selected the 16 best ideas. The panel – which included Science, Technology and Space Minister Yaakov Peri – selected as the winner Beit Issie Shapiro's tablet app, IssiePlay, described as “an imaginative game with accessibility features for children with disabilities.” It is available for free worldwide download at the Microsoft app store. Microsoft spokeswoman Hagar Kustianovsky said: “This project combines technology, social values and voluntarism, and is primarily designed to channel the knowledge and skills of youth to these values – benefiting not only them, but the rest of society.” Beit Issie Shapiro executive director Jean Judes said, “We are sharing our knowledge with professionals nationwide and globally through our advisory role to the UN. Being able to play a game independently is a huge step for a child with a disability, and can provide parents with respite and help children bond with their siblings and friends.” SOUTH Eilat hosts Red Sea Beer Festival The three-day Red Sea Beer Festival is set to kick off in Eilat on Sunday. Entry is free, and encompasses live musical performances, DJ parties, and a huge beer bar on 500 meters of land featuring over 50 Israeli and international brands. The festival is put on by the Eilat Festival Group, and sponsored by the Municipal Tourism Corporation. Ahead of Succot, Municipal Tourism Corporation CEO Yossi Chen wished all the people of Israel a hag sameah and a good and peaceful new year. Describing Eilat as Israel's tourism capital, he said the city is always glad to host special festivals and have visitors enjoy its hotels, restaurants and tourist spots. The festival is located on the northern promenade, next to the mall and facing the sea; it begins at 7 p.m. every day, continuing into the wee hours. Kibbutz Yad Mordechai invites families to visit succa Yad Mordechai is inviting families from all over Israel to visit its succa over the holiday and enter the “Honey and Bee House.” The apiary was established in 1936 by the kibbutz's pioneers, who learned the secrets of beekeeping from Australian and British soldiers stationed in the country during the Mandate. At the Honey and Bee House, children can dress up as bees and learn the process of honey production via a tour of the hives. Kids will learn about the hives' structure and the process of pollination, honey production and its contribution to the human body; they will also get the chance to taste fresh honey and make candles out of beeswax. Families may also take special tours of the kibbutz on tractor- drawn wagons. The tractors will take the families to see the cows, where children will learn about the milking process, the preparation of milk and the daily routine of the barn. Visitors will also be taken on a journey through time to the early kibbutz days, before the State of Israel was established, via activities that make use of memories, objects and stories to relive the “kibbutz of the old days.” They can also visit the War of Independence memorial, to learn about the famous Egyptian attack on the kibbutz in the Battle of Yad Mordechai. Children can climb on tank relics and listen to explanations about weapons used in those days; they may also peek into the trenches and hear stories from kibbutz members who fought in the battle. Visitors are invited throughout the Succot holiday; tickets are NIS 50 for adults, NIS 55 for children over age two. Activities run every hour on the hour from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.; it takes two-and-a-half to three hours to complete all activities.
The ‘Beauty Matters’ exhibition will remain open at the Jaffa Port over Succot.(photo credit: MATTY KARP)