Pop-up culturePop-up culture

Puppets and dance in a festival on wheels in Jerusalem

A new cultural initiative brings free performances to the capital’s neighborhoods

Jessica Steinberg, The Times of Israel's culture and lifestyles editor, covers the Sabra scene from south to north and back to the center

Giant puppets are one of the cultural events sponsored by the municipality and partners at pop-up events taking place around Jerusalem in November and December 2016 (Courtesy JLM i-team)
Giant puppets are one of the cultural events sponsored by the municipality and partners at pop-up events taking place around Jerusalem in November and December 2016 (Courtesy JLM i-team)

If some Jerusalemites can’t get to plays and performances, a new initiative is bringing those cultural extras to them.

Called Zaza: Festival-on-Wheels, this cultural pop-up event is sponsored by the Jerusalem Municipality, the Ministry for the Development of the Negev and Galilee — which helps all areas considered peripheral — and the Jerusalem Innovation Team, a unit founded by Bloomberg Philanthropies, Michael Bloomberg’s charitable foundation.

Specially-designed content mobiles will bring Zaza’s visual arts, theater, music and science events to sixteen neighborhoods around the city during November and December, ushering residents into community parks, commercial centers and public squares for afternoon performances.

A total of 50 events are planned, with hopes of reaching some 5,000 Jerusalem residents. The artistic endeavors are all Jerusalem-based, and include the Djanogly Visual Arts Centre, the Train Theater, the Bloomfield Science Museum and the Oman Visual Arts Centre for the Haredi Public.

Check out the Zaza Facebook page for more information, and several of the upcoming events are listed below:

  • November 17, Beit Hanina community center, 10 a.m.-12 p.m., visual arts
  • November 20, A-Tor, 3:30 p.m.-6:30 p.m.
  • November 25, East Talpiot commercial center, 12 p.m.-2 p.m. with flamenco dancing, giant puppets gypsy celebration, and hands-on art activity with Adam Yachin.
  • December 1, Romema, 3:30 p.m.-6:30 p.m., visual arts and theater
  • December 5, Katamon, 4 p.m.-7 p.m.
  • December 18, Ramot, 4 p.m.-7 p.m., science
  • December 19, Neve Yaakov, 4 p.m.-7 p.m., visual arts and theater
  • December 29, Bayit Vegan, 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. visual arts and theater

Most Popular
read more:
If you’d like to comment, join
The Times of Israel Community.
Join The Times of Israel Community
Commenting is available for paying members of The Times of Israel Community only. Please join our Community to comment and enjoy other Community benefits.
Please use the following structure: example@domain.com
Confirm Mail
Thank you! Now check your email
You are now a member of The Times of Israel Community! We sent you an email with a login link to . Once you're set up, you can start enjoying Community benefits and commenting.