Editor’s note: Due to the ongoing security situation, events listed below may be postponed or canceled. Check before booking, and stay safe.
FRIDAY, AUGUST 15
Prepare your body and soul at Hamam Sitna Mariam (Virgin Mary’s Baths) in the Old City. A few steps from the Lion’s Gate, this bathhouse, housed in a lavish, ornamented building, offers massages, cupping therapy, and – as the name suggests – Turkish baths to satisfy Jesus’ mother, as legend claims that she took baths at that location.
Women’s hours: Sunday, 9 a.m.-8 p.m.; Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Men’s hours: 4 p.m.-10 p.m. Saturday, men only, from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Basic hamam (two hours) is NIS 120. Call (02) 644-0860. Located at Bab Sitna Maryam (Mariam’s Gate), also known as Lion’s Gate, Stork Tower Road. English-speaking staff.
SATURDAY, AUGUST 16
If you remember Hobo the Bum and Zoltan Fortune Telling machines, then you might enjoy ordering the Etz Hayim tarot deck. Created by Karel Goldmann, this lovely deck of cards is inspired by biblical myths and Jewish legends about the Golem of Prague. By purchasing a deck for $28, you’ll be supporting Jewish culture in Central Europe.
To order, go to herbalculture.cz/ec-chajim or via karel.goldmann@gmail.com.
SUNDAY, AUGUST 17
Watch the play Donald and Abdul, a lively and biting one-hour satire about US power and the Middle East, by Yonatan Blumenfeld and Tal Miler.
Days before the US and the Taliban are meant to sign a peace agreement, US President Donald Trump is unable to present the media with his “beautiful Afghan partner” because the Taliban leader is a no-show. Trump must now embark on a hero’s “big beautiful quest” to appease Abdul and strike an artful deal for peace.
9 p.m. at 18 Mesilat Yesharim St. In Hebrew. Also Monday, August 18, at 7 p.m., and at 9 p.m. NIS 85. Call (02) 654-3001 to book.
Part of the Incubator Festival of Israeli Comedy. Opening today, the festival continues until Thursday, August 21. Visit comedy-festival.co.il for more.
MONDAY, AUGUST 18
Enjoy watching Listening to the Planets, a solo performance by Ari Teperberg that combines text, sound, movement, and object animation, inspired by Gustav Holst’s orchestral suite The Planets.
Holst was inspired by the “father of modern astrology,” Alan Leo, who released his book What Is the Horoscope and How Is It Cast? in 1913. Holst read this book while on vacation in Spain and composed the seven movements of the suite (Mars, Venus, Mercury, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune) as an expression of not just the heavenly bodies but also what they mean to us humans on Earth.
This is the Hebrew premiere, shown as part of The Train Theater’s 34th Jerusalem Puppet Festival.
9 p.m. NIS 60 per ticket. Call (02) 561-8514 to order. The theater is inside Liberty Bell Park. For more on the various shows included, visit traintheater.co.il/en/festival/2025.
TUESDAY, AUGUST 19
Dress warmly and head to the National Library of Israel to watch the documentary film The Rovina Legacy. Shown as part of the 10th edition of the Docutext Festival, the film explores the life of one of the greatest actresses of the Jewish stage in the 20th century, Hanna Rovina.
Filmmaker Sigal Rosh will discuss the work with the audience after the screening.
8:30 p.m. NIS 40. Two hours (film and discussion). Outdoor event. Note that sections 1 and 2 have seats, while section 3 offers stone benches and sitting on the grass only.
Call *5049 to book. 1 Eliezer Kaplan St. For more, visit docutext.nli.org.il/en. The festival will continue until Thursday, August 21.
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 20
Climb to the roof of the Sam Spiegel Cinema to enjoy the summer night open-air screening of Pick a Card, directed by Julie Shles. Actors Zvika Hadar and Esti Zakheim play a couple from the sleepy town of Afula, who move to Tel Aviv to live the dream of a stage life.
Shot in 1997, the film, also known as Afula Express, was very important in the 1990s and paved the way for Hadar to transition from being mainly a comedian to a serious actor. Today, he performs in the most established theaters in the country.
Doors open at 6:30 p.m. At 7 p.m., there will be a DJ set marking the sunset. Screening begins at 8 p.m. Hebrew-language film, with Hebrew subtitles. NIS 35. 3 Menora St. Visit cinema.jsfs.co.il for more information.
THURSDAY, AUGUST 21
Relish Jewish foods at Rooftop Cholent, open on Thursdays from 4 p.m. to well past midnight. Patrons can enjoy red or white beans, and cholent at prices that range from NIS 15 to NIS 50. In addition to cholent, there is a variety of salads, soft drinks, and traditional Jewish foods. Note: NIS 50 is the price of the salmon dish. All the other dishes cost less.
This is a haredi eatery, so while nobody will demand that male patrons don a head covering, the norm is modest attire for male and female customers.
5 Malkei Israel St., on the roof. Self-service. Other patrons might join your table if there is space where you sit. Call 054-693-0096 if you can’t locate the entrance.
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.