Background

Recent studies (Israel in the Age of M&M) and our own experience have shown that people are craving for a positive message - a message of hope, to come from the Middle East. That they are tired of militant rhetoric and the never-ending quarrel, that seems to turn them away from engagement with the Jewish community.

In response to this challenge the Israel Center has decided to dedicate the Spring Performing Arts Series to the topic of co-existence and dialogue. We also decided that the appropriate way of bringing the message would be through dialogue between Jewish and Arab artists. Audiences seem to be much more receptive to the message of artists than that of politicians, and culture has a very powerful way of conveying important ideas.

The Program

This spring, the Israel Center is bringing to the Bay Area a three-part performance arts series that is a dialogue through music, dance, and theater. All three performances are presented by a Jew and an Arab who collaborate in their respective artistic fields. The performances will be staged at small theaters throughout the Bay Area.

For reservations and more info call 415-512-6424, or email tzavta@sfjcf.org

• Part I - A Dialogue through Theater:
  Ambassadors of Very Good Will
  NEW DATES: Wednesday, March 3 – Friday, March 12, 2004

  Ibrahim Mia'ari is an actor in the Acco Theater and Meirav Kupperberg studied acting at Haifa University and is involved in community theater projects in Haifa. These actors (currently involved with the Traveling Jewish Theater's "The Middle East Project") come together to reveal the human experience and the human stories at the heart of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict through their acting ...
  
  More about the production and the artists
  
  Tarbut Be'Tzavta

  • NEW DATE: Sunday, March 7, 8:00pm. San Francisco. Followed by a reception with the artists, @ The Marsh, 1062 Valencia Street, San Francisco (near 22nd street in the Mission). Tickets $10. For reservations or more info call 415-512-6424 or email tzavta@sfjcf.org. Original January performance was postponed. Click here....
  • PERFORMANCE ADDED: Thursday, March 4, 7:00 p.m. Congregation. Beth Am 26790 Arastradero Rd. Los Altos Hills, CA 94022 (Beit Kehilla room).
    
  
  Campus Performances
  
  • Friday, March 5, 4:00pm, Sonoma State Univsrsity,. Cooperage Hall . E. Cotati Ave, Rohnert Park. Info: www.sonomahillel.org. Info: Jesse @ 949-338-3402
  • Monday, March 8, 7:30pm. UC Davis. UCD Main Theater, 222 Wright Hall, One Sheilds Ave. Info: www.hillelhouse.org or Ronen @ 530-756-3708. $5 General/Students Free.
  • FREE SHOW AND LUNCH! Tuesday, March 9, 12:00pm, San Francisco State. At Jack Adams Hall. Info: Sara @ 415-333-4922.
  • FREE SHOW AND LUNCH! Wednesday, March 8, 12:00. University of San Francisco. 2130 Fulton, San francisco. At Mcclaren 250. Info: Joliana @ 333-4922.
  • Tuesday, March 9, 7:30pm. UC. Santa Cruz. Kresge Town Hall, @ Kresge College. Info: www.santacruzhillel.org or 831-426-3332. Free.
  • Thursday, March 11, 7:30pm, UC Berkeley. Wurster Hall. Info: www.berkeleyhillel.org or 510-845-7793x23

For more info call 415-512-6424.

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• Part II: Neighbors Meeting
  NEW DATE: Wednesday, March 17, 2004
  
  Two friends and neighbors from the Galilee join together in this production. Wassim Bashar , an Arab musician who plays the Ud and the violin, and Pablo Ariel, a Jewish actor who has performed with the Israeli Philharmonic Orchestra, meet and have an intimate dialogue through music and "object theater."

  Click here for Pablo and Wassim's biographies
  
  Tarbut Be'Tzavta

  • NEW DATE: Wednesday, March 17, 8:00pm. San Francisco. Followed by a reception with the artists, @ The Marsh, 1062 Valencia Street, San Francisco (near 22nd street in the Mission). Tickets $10. For reservations or more info call 415-512-6424 or email tzavta@sfjcf.org.

For more info call 415-512-6424.

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• Part III: Tfila (Prayer)
  A production of Acco Theater Center
  Sunday, April 18 - Friday, April 23, 2004
  
  Rabeah Morkus is a Palestinian actress and dancer from Kfar Yasif, and Smadar Yaaron is a Jewish performer from Haifa. They are working together to foster tolerance and coexistence through their dancing.
  
  More about the production and the artists
  
  Tarbut Be'Tzavta - TIME CHANGE
• Sunday, April 18, 3:00pm (Note the time change due to observance of Yom Hashoa Memoril Day), San Francisco. Sunday Followed by a reception with the artists, @ The Marsh, 1062 Valencia Street, San Francisco (near 22nd street in the Mission). Tickets $10. More info call 415-512-6424 or email tzavta@sfjcf.org.

Campus Performances

• Monday, April 19, 12:00 noon. Santa Rosa Junior College. Newman Auditorium. Info: Kerri 707-527-4372.
• Tuesday, April 20, 7:30 pm. UC Davis, Wyatt Theater. Info: www.hillelhouse.org or Ronen @ 530-756-3708.
• Wednesday, April 21, 10:00am , Stanford Dance Department. More info: Elysa, 915-203-5972.
• Thursday, April 22, 7:30pm, UC Berkeley. Wurster Hall. Info: www.berkeleyhillel.org or 510-845-7793x23.

The Spring Series is suported by a generous fund from the Koret Foundation.

Visual Arts: Larry Abramson

Corresponding exhibit:

COEXISTENCE: A traveling art show
In addition, the Israel Center has recently acquired an exhibition of posters from The Museum on the Seam titled Coexistence. The Israel Center is happy to offer this exhibition to the Hillels for an extended period of time.