SEPTEMBER 2012 Vol. 5 - Issue 7 |
GREETINGS FROM THE COMMISSIONER
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Dear Friends,
This summer marked one of the best-ever seasons for travel to Israel with a slew of new festivals, hotels and outdoor attractions opening throughout the country -- not to mention record-high numbers in tourist arrivals in the months of June and July.
The vibrant energy and excitement will continue into the autumn months with new events taking place in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, the Galilee and beyond.
I would like to wish you a Shana Tova, or Happy New Year, and am looking forward to welcoming you to Israel in the months to come.
Shalom,
Haim Gutin Israel Tourism Commissioner, North & South America
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ISRAELI OPERA FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES TURANDOT AT MASADA PERFORMANCES IN JUNE 2013
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Following this summer's sold-out performances of Carmen, the Israeli Opera has announced next year's festival featuring a mega-production of Puccini's Turandot at the foot of Masada in June 2013. The performances will feature the Israel Symphony Orchestra - Rishon Litzyon, the Israeli Opera Chorus and world-renowned singers performing on June 6,8,9 and 10, as well as a one-off performance of Orff's Carmina Burana, June 7. www.israel-opera.co.il and www.turandot-at-masada.com
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RUNNERS FROM AROUND THE WORLD GEAR UP FOR THIRD ANNUAL JERUSALEM INTERNATIONAL MARATHON, MARCH 1, 2013
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Athletes from Israel and around the world will arrive in Jerusalem next spring for the third annual Jerusalem International Marathon on March 1, 2013. Taking place during Israel's 65th anniversary year, the race will include 26-mile, 13-mile and 6.2-mile running routes through a unique course combining historic sites, beautiful landscapes and modern attractions, including the Old City of Jerusalem, Mount Scopus and Hebrew University, Sultan's Pool, Mount Zion, American and German Colonies, the Alrov Mamilla outdoor mall and streets adjacent to the Mahane Yehuda Market. www.jerusalem-marathon.com
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TEL AVIV VOTED AMONG WORLD'S TOP TEN BEST CITIES FOR ARCHITECTURE LOVERS
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Tel Aviv was ranked among the "World's Top 10 Best Cities for Architecture Lovers" last month in a list released by Conde Nast Traveler magazine. Tel Aviv was recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2003 and coined as the "White City" for its collection of more than 4,000 international and Bauhaus-style buildings.
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NEW EXHIBITION SHOWCASING JAPANESE ART AND THEATER ON DISPLAY AT ISRAEL MUSEUM IN JERUSALEM
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A new exhibition showcasing Japanese artwork entitled, "Crossplay: Male Actors, Female Roles in Kabuki Theater" is open at the Israel Museum in Jerusalem through November 10, 2012. The collection includes 17- to 20th-century Japanese prints, paintings and original Kabuki theater costumes, and is the first of its kind to be shown in Israel. In addition, the Israel Museum will host a troupe of entertainers from Japan in a special performance showcasing Kabuki acting alongside traditional music on August 30 and 31.
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ACTOR PATRICK STEWART TO FILM NEW MOVIE IN ISRAEL
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Actor Patrick Stewart, best known for his roles as Captain Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek: The Next Generation and Professor Xavier in the X-Men, arrived recently in Israel to prepare for the filming of a new movie, Hunting Elephants, directed by Israeli Director Reshef Levy (pictured at right, with Stewart).
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LONELY PLANET RANKS TEL AVIV AMONG WORLD'S TOP TEN ULTIMATE PARTY CITIES
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Tel Aviv has been ranked as one of the "Ultimate Party Cities" and in the "Top Ten Hedonistic City Breaks" in a recent list released by Lonely Planet. Lonely Planet describes Tel Aviv and its residents as "a cultured lot, oozing style and hungry for the finest art, fashion, cuisine and clubbing."
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ISRAELI STARCHITECT RON ARAD PRESENTS NEW DIGITAL ART DISPLAY AT JERUSALEM'S ISRAEL MUSEUM THROUGH SEPTEMBER 5
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Israeli starchitect Ron Arad will present his new monumental multimedia installation work, 720�, at the Israel Museum in Jerusalem, through September 5, 2012. Commissioned as part of the 2012 Jerusalem Season of Culture festival, the new work is composed of 5,600 hanging silicon rods projecting 360-degree screenings of films and video artworks -- and is being housed in the Israel Museum's Isamu Noguchi-designed Billy Rose Art Garden. Visitors to the digital art installation will experience a revolving lineup of video loops created by world-renowned visual artists and accompanied by live music. www.jsoc.org.il/en
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BRITISH POP LEGEND MORRISSEY PERFORMS IN ISRAEL
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British pop music legend Morrissey performed in Israel this month to a crowd of more than 10,000 fans at Tel Aviv's Hayarkon Park. Morrissey is pictured, at left, receiving a key to the city from Tel Aviv Mayor Ron Huldai. Morrissey's performance precedes concerts by Diplo and the Red Hot Chili Peppers in Israel this fall.
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JERUSALEM SEASON OF CULTURE ANNOUNCES CLASSICAL AND TRADITIONAL MUSIC PERFORMANCES THIS FALL
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In coordination with the Jerusalem Season of Culture festival, Israel will host the Jerusalem Sacred Music Festival (September 6-7), a 24-hour marathon featuring electronic music, poetry, liturgy and traditional music at various locations across the city; and a concert featuring the New Jerusalem Orchestra performing a specially commissioned piece entitled "Maam Yerushalayim" on September 8. www.jerusalemseason.com
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LOLLAPALOOZA MUSIC FESTIVAL TO ARRIVE IN TEL AVIV IN AUGUST 2013
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Organizers of the Lollapalooza Music Festival have announced plans to bring the festival to Tel Aviv's Hayarkon Park in August 2013. Lollapalooza festival organizer Perry Farrell, lead singer of the band Jane's Addiction, praised Tel Aviv for "having all the hotels right on the beach" and cited the city as "having no curfew." http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bCP-T3syP8g&feature=player_embedded
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JULY 2O12 SETS NEW ALL-TIME HIGH FOR TOURISM TO ISRAEL
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Tourism to Israel reached a new all-time high in July 2012 with the arrival of 296,000 travelers, an 8% increase compared to July 2011. In addition, 2 million travelers arrived in Israel during the first half of 2012, a 7% increase compared to the same period in 2011.
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JERUSALEM BIBLICAL ZOO TO OPEN ISRAEL'S LARGEST AQUARIUM IN 2015
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The Jerusalem Biblical Zoo announced plans this month to construct Israel's largest aquarium, which is slated to open in 2015. The aquarium will hold 6.5 million square feet of seawater and feature 32 different fish tanks and an underwater tunnel with 180-degree views of sharks, sea turtles, coral reef and exotic fish. http://www.jerusalemzoo.org.il/len
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TREASURES OF TEMPLE EXHIBITION OPENS IN THE OLD CITY OF JERUSALEM
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A new display, entitled "The Treasures of the Temple," featuring more than 60 sacred vessels and pressed garments, opened this month on Misgav Ladach street in the Old City of Jerusalem. Recreated by the Temple Insitute in Jerusalem, each vessel is a result of years of research and correspondence with local artistans, craftsmen, engieneers and rabbis, and is on display alongside the Temple Institute's half-ton solid gold Menorah. www.templeinstitute.org/treasures-of-the-temple.html
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STALACTITE CAVE IN THE JUDEAN HILLS REOPENS AFTER MASSIVE RENOVATIONS
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Israel's Stalactite Cave, or Sorek Cave, recently reopened to the public after massive renovations featuring new lighting fixtures and trails to accommodate travelers with disabilities. Located on the western slopes of the Judean Hills, the 270-foot by 200-foot cave features stalactites and stalagmites dating back more than 300,000 years, and is open to visitors year-round. www.parks.org.il/BuildaGate5/general2/data_card.php?Cat=~25~~739243154
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