Arts, Letters, and Culture as Windows on Israeli Life & Identity. info minus

In any country, its arts & culture are expressions of individual creativity, and are also reflections of the collective past & dreams for the future. In Israel, the unique situation of an ancient people & culture rekindling living connections with the Land of Israel, with the Hebrew language, and with the cycle of the Jewish calendar, all make arts & culture a powerful window onto Israeli life & psyche.

Informative Articles & Videos.

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‘Prisoners of War’ – the Precursor to ‘Homeland’

‘Prisoners of War’ – the Precursor to ‘Homeland’

In this short clip (1:44), Gideon Raff discusses his award-winning Israeli televisions series ‘Prisoners of War.’ The format for the series was sold to various international broadcasters to be adapted for local audiences. Fox

‘Fauda’ Star Explains Inspiration Behind Hit Show

‘Fauda’ Star Explains Inspiration Behind Hit Show

Co-creator and lead actor Lior Raz talks about his inspiration for the show ‘Fauda‘ in this interview (4:34) with Fox News. Based on the life experiences of Raz and other co-creater Avi Issacharoff,

Israeli Premiere of ‘Hostages’

Israeli Premiere of ‘Hostages’

In this clip (4:04), hit Israeli TV series ‘Hostages‘ co-creators Rotem Shamir and Omri Givon chat with The Israel Bureau at the show’s premiere. Bought on paper by CBS before the Israeli team

Behind the Scenes of CBS’s ‘Hostages’ Pilot

Behind the Scenes of CBS’s ‘Hostages’ Pilot

In this behind-the-scenes look (3:15) at the pilot of CBS’s ‘Hostages‘, hear from the show’s executive producers and lead actors about some of the controversial characters and plot lines they portrayed. ‘Hostages’ is the

‘8 New Israeli Writers You Need to Read Right Now’

‘8 New Israeli Writers You Need to Read Right Now’

Looking for a good summer read by an up-and-coming Israeli writer? In ‘8 New Israeli Writers You Need to Read Right Now‘, Beth Kissileff has you covered. Meet the first Ethiopian woman to

‘When the World Became White’

‘When the World Became White’

This Times of Israel article by reporter Mitch Ginsburg celebrates Dalia Betolin-Sherman’s work and budding contribution to the Israeli literary scene. Born in Ethiopia in 1979, Betolin-Sherman crossed the Sudan by foot along with

Q&A with Ofir Touché Gafla

Q&A with Ofir Touché Gafla

In this casual interview (8:21) put out by “On the Map”, meet Ofir Touché Gafla: a highly talented Israeli author with a cult-like following both in Israel and abroad. His first book, The World

Dror Mishani on His Early Literary Influences

Dror Mishani on His Early Literary Influences

Dror Mishani reflects on his early literary influences in this brief clip (1:21). Mishani is an up-and-coming Israeli crime writer and literary scholar whose award-winning novels have already won several prizes both in

Ayelet Gundar-Goshen’s Award-Winning Debut Novel

Ayelet Gundar-Goshen’s Award-Winning Debut Novel

In this clip (6:53), Ayelet Gundar-Goshen speaks about her award-winning 2012 debut novel One Night, Markovitch. Gundar-Goshen is a relative newcomer on the Israeli literary scene, but her her work has been met

Ari Shavit’s best seller wrestles with Israel’s complexity

Ari Shavit’s best seller wrestles with Israel’s complexity

In this PBS NewsHour interview (7:46), prolific author and reporter Ari Shavit shares some of his complex views on the Israeli-Arab conflict. Shavit, the former senior correspondent at popular left-leaning news outlet Haaretz, is best

Up Close and Personal with A. B. Yehoshua

Up Close and Personal with A. B. Yehoshua

Published by the Dan David Prize committee, this clip (3:14) introduces one of Israel’s most beloved and internationally acclaimed writers: A. B. Yehoshua. Yehoshua has been hailed by the New York Times as the

First Israeli to Win Man Booker Prize

First Israeli to Win Man Booker Prize

Published by i24NEWS, this news clip (1:52) celebrates Israel’s first win, and winner, of the Man Booker International Prize in 2017. Israeli writer David Grossman took home the prestigious U.K.-hosted prize, awarded for “continued

Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari

Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari

This animated book summary (5:39) walks us through the New York Times bestseller by Israeli writer, historian, and professor Yuval Noah Harari. Recommended as a must-read by the likes of  Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg,

Remembering Amos Oz

Remembering Amos Oz

PBS NewsHour pays tribute to one of Israel’s most internationally acclaimed thinkers and writers in this clip (3:26). Born in Jerusalem to European, right-wing Zionist parents, Amos Oz forged his own way, changing his

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Conan Interrogates ‘Fauda’ Star

Conan Interrogates ‘Fauda’ Star

Conan O’Brien and Lior Raz‘s ‘Fauda’ spoof (2:02) is an entertaining comedy sketch based on the wildly popular Israeli television series. Originally broadcast locally in Israel, the show gained major international popularity when

Musician Eran Zamir Connects Jews and Arabs

Musician Eran Zamir Connects Jews and Arabs

In this clip (3:02), meet unique Israeli artist Eran Zamir whose music embraces contradictions and builds bridges between east and west, old and new, Jewish and Arabic. Originally trained in western music, Zamir

Mekudeshet: Jerusalem-Inspired Arts Festival

Mekudeshet: Jerusalem-Inspired Arts Festival

This clip (1:31) gives a taste of Mekudeshet — the international Jerusalem festival celebrating music, drama, and various forms of art. Translated as “sacred,” Mekudeshet draws inspiration from the city of Jerusalem itself and

Yuval Noah Harari on Fear Mongering

Yuval Noah Harari on Fear Mongering

Put out by Newsnight, BBC’s place for “ideas and debate,” this brief clip (2:11) of Israeli author Yuval Noah Harari offers a fresh, though controversial, insight into the psychology that drives terrorism. Harari is

‘Etgar Keret: Based on a True Story’

‘Etgar Keret: Based on a True Story’

This is the trailer (1:19) for the hybrid documentary about the life and work of renowned Israeli author Etgar Keret. Producers Stephane Kaas and Rutger Lemm blend documentary filmmaking, fiction, and animation in

Animated clip of Etgar Keret’s ‘Pipes’

Animated clip of Etgar Keret’s ‘Pipes’

Best-selling Israeli author Etgar Keret is lauded for his zany ingenuity, as you’ll experience in this brief scene (1:46) from the full-length movie Etgar Keret: Based on a True Story. Like most of Keret’s work, this

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