Israel Active

February in Jerusalem sees the annual Shaon Horef (Winter Noise) cultural festival. On each of the four Monday evenings, Jerusalem’s streets are transformed into art and music venues. Events include street theatre, night tours, dance classes and videos screened on buildings.

Israeli tennis prodigy Yshai Oliel reached the final of the boy’s singles at the Australian Open, beating the number one seed.  Oliel won the junior Orange bowl twice and last year won the boys doubles at the French Open. At last year’s US Open, he reached the semi-finals of the boys singles.

Israeli actress Gal Gadot, of Wonder Woman fame, is starring in this year’s Super Bowl advert for Israel’s Wix.  The ad, cost NIS 13 million to produce and over $10 million per minute to broadcast.

Welsh singer Bonnie Tyler, famous for “Total Eclipse of the Heart”, is performing at three concerts in Israel – Feb 4, 6 and 7.

The Darom Adom Festival, throughout February, follows the rainy season, when the ordinarily green landscape of the northern Negev is covered with a magnificent carpet of scarlet red anemones.  This year the festival features mountain bike marathons, poetry readings, concerts by Israeli artists every Thursday, and much more.

17-year-old Israeli motorcyclist Gev Teddy Sella won the 12-day, 6,500km Africa Eco Race.  He beat experienced drivers racing motorcycles, SUVS and trucks through Morocco, Mauritania and Senegal, plus the harsh Sahara Desert, whilst navigating by guidebook.

Legendary Rock Superstar Rod Stewart will be “sailing” again into Israel when he performs on June 14 2017 in the Yarkon Park Tel Aviv.  The video is of his 2010 concert in Israel.

I wrote previously about Israel’s Zohar Sharon - one of the best known blind golfers in the world. He recently won his sixth (bi-annual) International Blind Golf Association tournament.

The Tel Aviv Blues festival, in the heart of south Tel Aviv, attracted some of the finest blues musicians from all over Israel. At the local “Tsuzamen” venue, Moshe Beauford played as guest violin with featured band Oded Weiss & Peripherya.

America’s first fashion magazine, Harper’s Bazaar, Israel should be number eight on your list as a vacation destination. The magazine states, “Don’t be fooled; its vibrant culture, phenomenal food scene, historic landmarks, beaches and endlessly impressive hotels are too much of a draw to ignore.”