Mother and Harlot
CONCEPT
One of the unique traits of Jerusalem is its very strong feminine identity. Any city in the Hebrew language is feminine, but Jerusalem has been personified as a woman from the times of early Biblical prophets to modern Zionist movement and Israeli literature. Actually, feminine images of Jerusalem have even been projected into the future Messianic and apocalyptic “end of days”. From the very start, Jerusalem’s feminine persona has been very complex, contradictory and provocative – the city has been depicted as a daughter, a bride, a wife, a mother, a female slave and a harlot. Mythological, historiosophical, mystical, literary and political aspects of Jerusalem’s feminine identity will be explored at the Festival through “slow reading” of classical Jewish texts from Antiquity to Modernity and through exclusive thematic city walks.
PROGRAM
With classes led by international and Israeli scholars of repute, carefully selected students and young professionals choose one of three tracks enabling an in-depth study and discussion. The readings are accompanied by plenary lectures, city walks, evening edutainment programs, all with a strong focus on community building and follow-up activities.
PARALLEL TRACKS
Each track includes 11 textual learning workshops and 15 hours of “field work”
Antiquity
Jerusalem as a woman in Biblical and early Rabbinic literature
Faculty: Michael Tuval and Reuven Kiperwasser
Middle Ages
Jerusalem as a woman in Jewish mysticism and Hebrew poetry
Faculty: Ruth Kara-Ivanov and Zoya Kopelman
Modernity
Feminine images of Jerusalem in Israeli literature and cinematography
Faculty: Marat Parkhomovsky and Asya Waisman
PLENARY LECTURES
Prof. Moshe Idel
Prof. Haviva Pedaya
CULTURAL EVENTS
Kirya Yefefiya – a concert of liturgical hymns about Jerusalem from different communities by Maureen Nehedar
Fashion and Religion in Jerusalem – panel discussion and fashion show moderated by Linor Goralik
THE ESHKOLOT FESTIVALS ARE SUPPORTED BY THE GENESIS PHILANTHROPY GROUP, THE ROTHSCHILD FOUNDATION (HANADIV) EUROPE, CAF, PRIVATE DONORS AND THE AVI CHAI FOUNDATION