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Encounters — 60 Years of Israel in Berlin

Münchner Lach- und One Family: This photo of the photographer's mother and aunts, all survivors of Auschwitz, is the gateway to Vardi Kahana's exhibition on display as part of "Encounters - 60 Years of Israel in Berlin." by Vardi Kahana, courtesy Der Kreis der Freunde der Habimah

One Family: This photo of the photographer's mother and aunts, all survivors of Auschwitz, is the gateway to Vardi Kahana's exhibition on display as part of "Encounters - 60 Years of Israel in Berlin."
by Vardi Kahana / courtesy Der Kreis der Freunde der Habimah

Germany is commemorating Israel's 60th birthday – not just through official events but also with civil society initiatives. One of these is "Encounters – 60 Years of Israel in Berlin," organized by an association known as Der Kreis der Freunde der Habimah (Habimah Friendship Group). Under the aegis of Federal Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier the program is taking place in the German capital from April 3 to 12.

In a message to the organizers, Steinmeier emphasized how much personal friendships contributed to the good relations the two countries enjoyed. He thanked the association for rising so splendidly to the challenges posed by German-Israeli relations.

"To mark this special birthday," he noted, "you have designed a wonderful program featuring renowned artists and performers."

Der Kreis der Freunde der Habimah was established in 1987 by a number of (West-)Berlin citizens with a keen interest in culture. It takes its name from an organization founded by Erwin Piscator and Elisabeth Bergner, which was dissolved in 1933 and whose tradition it seeks to continue. The aim of the association is to strengthen cultural and personal ties between Berlin and Israel and to foster Israeli culture in the city. A decade ago it organized a series of events under the motto "Zion's Yearning" to mark the 50th anniversary of Israel's founding.

Yom huledet same'akh – heartfelt congratulations

Even in the lifetime of Holocaust survivors, Steinmeier pointed out, Israel and Germany had become close allies. "This could happen only because Israelis reached out to Germans across the Shoah graves, building bridges between Germans and Jews."

What was crucial now, he added, was to keep this shared remembrance alive and explore ways to build a more humane world. In this spirit the program would make a very special contribution to Israel's birthday celebrations.

Renowned artists in Berlin

Drei: The Batsheva Dance Company is also among the Israeli artists and ensembles in Berlin for "Encounters."
photo by Gadi Dagon / courtesy Der Kreis der Freunde der Habimah

The program began on April 3 with a lecture by Israeli writer A.B. Yehoshua in the Akademie der Künste. The city where the Holocaust was once conceived and planned is hosting an impressive array of Israeli artists and ensembles, including the Batsheva Dance Company, photographer Vardi Kahana, the Arab Orchestra of Nazareth, Naomi Yoeli with her "Tante Frieda" theater performance and actor Itay Tiran.

April 9, 2008

Link

Der Kreis der Freunde der Habimah (in German)

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