Israel Active

At the Pickleball World Cup in Fort Lauderdale, Israel’s Adi Berman won Israel’s first international gold medal in the Over-35 Women’s Singles. She and Yaniv Semo won silver in the U35 Mixed Doubles 4.5 category. And team captain Adam Bachmann won silver, in the +35 Men’s Singles.

Barclays Center (see previously) turned Blue and White as the NBA’s Brooklyn Nets hosted Israel’s Hapoel Jerusalem for a preseason friendly. US-Israeli Gilad Paz sang the Israeli National Anthem, “Hatikva.”

From Dec 1-3, the southern Israeli city of Sderot will pulse with the sound of Israeli blues, as top artists, local jams, and rare blues films take over the Music, Soul, Cinema and Resilience Festival at the Sderot Cinematheque. For a city that’s seen more than its share of blues, the festival is one of celebration.

The first flock of migrating cranes have arrived at the KKL-JNF Hula Valley Nature Reserve, marking the start of the region’s annual spectacle as the birds leave their Russian breeding grounds (see kkl-jnf’s live cameras). Meanwhile, the first-ever sighting in Israel of Asia’s White’s thrush.

The annual Tel Aviv Night Run, featuring courses lined with DJ stands and illuminated art installations, on Oct 29 was organized by the Tel Aviv-Yafo municipality. It is described as a “celebration of sport, music, and urban energy”. It had three courses - 5km, 10km, or 15km - to attract various fitness levels.

Actor Kevin Spacey will perform a show, “Songs & Stories,” accompanied by a jazz band on 19 Nov at Tel Aviv’s Hangar 11. Spacey visited Israel in Dec 2024 with British author Douglas Murray (see previously).  

The Israeli Opera turns 40 this year, featuring seven productions.  Purcell's Dido & Aeneas (November - the company’s very first production in 1985), Tchaikovsky's Iolanthe (January), The Dybbuk, Mozart’s The Magic Flute, Strauss’s Salome, Verdi’s Nabucco, and finally, Puccini’s Tosca.

Tel Aviv’s first-ever stand-up and comedy “Punch” festival, takes place Dec 11-13. Based at the Zionist House, it features homegrown comedians, a special Russian-language stand-up night, and The Harry Potter Stand-Up Show for the whole family.  bit.ly/3WrVOf9 for tickets.

This year’s Abu Ghosh fest featured 30 concerts and musical events, including the "Sinatra Meets New Orleans" show with Eli Preminger and The Chocolate Factory Band! Part of the festival was held in Tel Aviv due to the renovation work being carried out on the Kiryat Ya'arim Church.

A very rare softshell turtle was rescued from the Jordan River during Sukkot after his beak became entangled in abandoned fishing wire. The turtle was recovered by the Nature and Parks Authority and treated at the KKL-JNF Hula Valley Wildlife Acclimation Center. It had also swallowed fishing hooks.