Culture, Tel Aviv-Yafo

Favorite thing: The Tel Aviv Folk Club presents an evening of live folk music.

Four different gigs in one evening
Folk, 60's, Country, Bluegrass, Blues, Jazz, Irish, etc.
(with a possible jam session at the end)
in an acoustic, friendly, intimate and non-smoky ambiance.

On the following dates for 2007:
(the 1st and 3rd Wednesday of each month).

7 Feb, 21 Feb
7 Mar, 21 Mar
11 Apr or 18 Apr (please check)
2 May, 16 May
6 June, 20 June
4 July
Summer break till Sep. 5, but there will be hoots in the park during the summer.

Time: 8.30pm
Admission: NIS 30
Place: Bikurei Ha'itim Building, 6 Heftman St., Tel Aviv.
For performing / more details, call Ariela: 03-68 37 441
Southern end of Ibn Gvirol, not far from London Ministores. Bikurei Ha'itim Building is facing the Mifal Hapayis Building. Sprinsak Street leads into Heftman Street.

My friends and I look forward to these evenings, as they are fun and with some entertainers, jokes abound.
The people who take part are amateur and professional musicians and singers from all walks of life.
Most of the songs are sung in English, but we do hear some Hebrew songs too.
We have heard Welsh songs and South African songs, etc. Occasionally we also have the chance to listen to visitors from abroad.
We had a harp player, and only then did I learn how versatile that instrument is, and really enjoyed listening to it. We have people playing all types of instruments, apart from the usual guitar, banjo etc. and I will never be able to name them all! A few I have never even seen before. That shows how varied the programs are here.

My photo shows artists from our last gig.

There are folk evenings each month near Karmiel and in Jerusalem. For info on the Karmiel Folk Club: 053-414 544
folkster@galilan.com

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The next Winter Weekend will take place at Nof Ginosar in May 2007. Onsite Hotel Rooms
04-6700320. Onsite Pundak 04-6700311
www.jlfestival.com

Favorite thing: This large picture suddenly appeared on the side of the British Embassy building in Tel Aviv, corner Hayarkon/Jabotinsky Streets. As I am a great fan of the Queen, it is very much to my liking. It shows the head of the Queen in the middle of a 'hamsa'.
Below is what I found written on a web site explaining what a 'hamsa is'.
"The hamsa hand (Arabic) or hamesh hand (Hebrew) is an old and still popular apotropaic amulet for magical protection from the envious or evil eye. The words hamsa and hamesh mean "five" and refer to the digits on the hand. An alternative Islamic name for this charm is the Hand of Fatima, in reference to the daughter of Mohammed. An alternative Jewish name for it is the Hand of Miriam, in reference to the sister of Moses and Aaron".
Hamsot are very popular here and you will find them in many shops and in many forms, either as wall hangings or jewellery.
Now for tfu.. This word is more difficult to explain, but I'll try. If you say, for example , "he's looking good, tfu, tfu, tfu" - you are saying "he's looking good, and let him stay that way (to do with the evil eye).

Favorite thing: Bench project. It's been a few years since Tel Aviv Municipality started asking different artists to participate in a special project along the streets of Tel Aviv.
For instance, last year many penguins were located at street corners and sidewalks of the city in a celebration of the street environment. After 3 months of open-air exhibition the Penguins were sold in a public auction. The money collected was used to install new computers at kindergartens and schools.
This year the project is - benches. At the end of Summer all the benches will be returned to their creators for renovations and then sold. Next year, I'm sure, they'll come up with something new. In the meantime, enjoy our benches with their different shapes and colors, that can be found everywhere in Tel Aviv.

Favorite thing: The Hasan Bek Mosque is the place where Tel Aviv ends and Jaffa starts, it is kind of a border. The mosque was renovated few years ago, and got a new fence as well. It is closed for public and unfortunately you can't go inside. Otherwise, it's old walls would tell you a lot about Tel Aviv's history, since they have seen pretty much everything since the beginning of the last century.

Favorite thing: Look around... You may see many large paintings everywhere, which Rami Meiri voluntarily painted on old and neglected walls.