Holiday of Holidays
Haifa’s annual 'Holiday of Holidays' festival is open to participants of every age, faith
Some 275,000 residents - including Muslims and Christians - live in Israel’s third largest city. Inhabitants of the mixed neighborhoods cross the same major intersections and stroll through the same narrow alleyways, and Christmas decorations and Hanukkah candles share shelf space in Haifa’s stores.
In Haifa, no one talks about coexistence. Haifaites simply experience it in their daily lives, and, once a year, they celebrate it.
Each December in Wadi Nisnas, the “Holiday of Holidays” Festival, now in its 13th year, marks the three monotheistic religions’ December holidays: Ramadan, Hanukkah, and Christmas.
Wadi Nisnas (PR Photo)
Last year, 120,000 celebrated in the culture and crafts festival, thus adding yet another layer to Haifa’s human mosaic. This year, organizers anticipate even greater crowds. In the aftermath of this past summer’s war and the resulting decreased tourism, a decision was made to extend the festival until the end of December.
The wide selection of festival offerings, organized by the Beit HaGefen Arab-Jewish Center, include 17 liturgical music concerts to be held in several of the city’s churches and halls, street fairs, outdoor performances, an art and antiques fair, a children’s artwork exhibition, and conferences on the subject of coexistence.
Partners 2006
Festival curator Smadar Shindler plans on stringing cables, which will connect porches along HaWadi Street, and hanging bright banners, displaying dozens of prints by Jewish and Arab artists. The colorful effect will be reminiscent of laundry lines.
“Partners 2006”, an exhibit comprised of artwork, video installations, and stills, will be located in the Beit HaGefen Gallery. The show’s theme is cooperation and shared destiny.
A display of children’s drawings will be held in the BiGova HaEinayim Gallery (35 HaTzionut Boulevard). Many of the illustrations, which were collected from around the country, focus on the fighting in the North and the missiles.
Nostalgia and antiques
On December 16, Haifa Mayor Yona Yahav will dedicate a new street to be named “Sesame Street”, in the presence of some of the show’s popular characters. The dedication ceremony, which will occur in the Emil Toma Plaza at 13:00, will be immediately followed by the national premiere of a new episode from the Israeli version of the series, which emphasizes tolerance and multiculturalism.
The screenings, which will take place in the HaGefen Theater (at 14:00 and then again at 15:00), are open to the public and are free of charge. Advance reservations are necessary. Tel.: 972-4-852-5252.
The festival’s national antiques and collector’s fair has already started and will continue until the last Saturday in December. A team of experts from the Shorashim Center offer free object evaluations. (Visitors may bring up to three items for evaluation.)
Related lectures and workshops will take place in Beit HaGefen, and over 50 galleries and collectors will display their wares - ranging from porcelain dishes to antique agricultural tools - in the Haifa Museum, Beit HaGefen, and a special tent located in the museum’s courtyard. Admission to the fair is free.
Pathways of peace
Wadi Nisnas is a fascinating neighborhood in its own right. Narrow alleyways lead to nowhere, and intriguing aromas waft from the thriving market, the working class restaurants, and the ancient stone houses.
Leftover artwork from previous festivals adorns the walls, the roofs, and the street light poles along the main street. Nasrallah added his own ugly touch to the scene; a building and numerous residents were hit by one of this summer’s Katyushas.
Begin your tour of this outdoor museum at Beit HaGefen (2 HaGefen), where you can enjoy the covered exhibit and receive a festival program and map. From there, follow the crowd, your nose, or the yellow footprints painted on the sidewalk into the holiday-dressed wadi.
What else?
Beit HaGefen conducts guided tours of Wadi Nisnas, the Bahai Gardens, Stella Maris, and the German Colony. Tours leave the Beit HaGefen complex at 11:00, 12:00, and 14:00 and cost NIS 25 a person. Advance reservations are recommended. Tel.: 972-4-852-5252.
Plays for children will be staged at the Haifa Museum, the Beit HaGefen Hall, and the Emil Toma Plaza. Also, the Beit HaGefen Library courtyard will host several arts and crafts workshops and activities.
Admission to the Haifa Museum (28 Shabtai Levi Street) will be free. Exhibits include “Fata Morgana”, a display of modern art and illusions.
An exhibition entitled “Existing Together”, showcasing Jewish and Arab artists, will be held at the Chagall Artist’s House (24 HaTzionut Boulevard).
The Armenian Center (12 HaTzionut Boulevard) will house the Armenian Arts Fair.
Abed Abedi’s Gallery (16 HaTzionut Boulevard) will present a wide range of ceramics, needlework, paintings, and sculptures.
Artwork and homemade food can be purchased from numerous outdoor stalls. In addition, visitors will enjoy parades, street theater, and folklore and dance performances.
