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- Written by Embassy of The Republic of The Philippines to The State of Israel
HAIFA, 01 AUGUST 2024 – To commemorate President Manuel Quezon’s 146th birth anniversary (19 August) and 80th death anniversary (01 August), Ambassador Pedro R. Laylo, Jr. led members of the Filipino community in a wreath-laying ceremony at the Quezon Memorial in the northern Israeli city of Haifa.
The monument honors President Quezon’s compassionate act of providing refuge in the Philippines for 1300 Jews (later called Manilaners) fleeing the Holocaust in Europe. The street is also named after Manila, a sister city of Haifa.
Joining Ambassador Laylo and Mme. Carijane Laylo were the family of the late Mr. Carmel HaCohen, former Philippine Honorary Consul General in Haifa, who lobbied for the establishment of the monument and the naming of the street. With them was Ms. Janice Iawa, the Filipina caregiver who looked after Mr. HaCohen.
Also present were Mr. Danny Weissler, son of the late Manilaner Max Weissler; Mr. Shai Brovender, Philippine Honorary Consul in Haifa; Embassy personne; and Filipino community leaders and members based in the city.
After the ceremony, participants tied yellow ribbons at the monument to signify the Philippines’ solidarity with Israel’s hope to bring home the hostages still being held captive in Gaza.
The Embassy continues to undertake activities which raise awareness of Quezon’s legacy, such as a screening planned in Haifa of the film retelling their story, Quezon’s Game.
The saga of Quezon and the Manilaners brings pride, offers inspiration, and restores faith in humanity. More importantly, it manifests the innate goodness of Filipinos and their enduring malasakit (compassion) for others, according to Ambassador Laylo
Photos ; courtesy Embassy of The Republic of The Philippines to The State of Israel
Photos
The Quezon Monument in Manila Street, Haifa
Amb. Laylo, Embassy staff, Philippine Honorary Consul Shai Brovender, Filipino Community, family of the late Carmel Hacohen (ex Honorary Consul General of Philippines in Haifa), Danny Weissler (son of Holocaust sur
Amb. Laylo offering his wreath at the monument
Participants singing the national anthems of the Philippines and Israel
Amb. Laylo, Embassy staff, and the Filipino Community at the Manila Street sign
Amb. Laylo tying yellow ribbons at the Monument to honor the hostages still held captive (2)
Monument Marker
Street marker for the monument
- Details
- Written by Silvia G. Golan
The Embassy of India, Tel Aviv, in association with the Jerusalem Film Festival, held a Session on Incentives for filming in India at the Jerusalem Cinematheque on 20 July 2024 at 1630 hrs. The Session was followed by screening of the Indian film “All we imagine as light” as part of the ongoing Jerusalem Film Festival. Over 100 film enthusiasts, including Israeli film fraternity, friends of India, members of Indian community and friends from media attended the event.
The programme started with brief remarks by Deputy Ambassador of India Mr. Rajiv Bodwade.
Deputy Ambassador Mr. Rajiv Bodwade: “Up to 40% of production costs, with a cap limit of USD 3.6 million gets reimbursed if you make films in India. On top of it, various states also offer their incentives for film shooting with a cap of USD 1.2 million. The taxes levied/GST also gets refunded. I think it will possibly qualify as one of the top incentives anywhere offered to the film producers. The idea is to create in India, not just for India but for the world. Further, Israel is one of the 16 countries with which India has an Audio-Visual Co-production agreement, and hence in addition to the Indian incentives, producers can also avail incentives from Israeli Government. All in all, in India, you have the best of locations, highly capable and trained technicians, state-of-the-art equipment, technology in post-production, large market and now the best-in-class incentives. I invite all the Producers to please come forward with projects for film production in India including through co-production.”
Mr. Roni Madhav Levin CEO Jerusalem Film Festival and the Director of the Jerusalem Cinematheque: " It's an honor for us at the Jerusalem film festival to present this year two very prominent films emerging out of India, and I'll add we are especially proud that both films are directed by women".
Mr Dan Wolman an acclaimed Israeli film producer:” Producer Amir Gedalia and myself in collaboration with Indian film director Manju Borah have just completed shooting the first official Indian- Israeli co-production of the - the thriller "The Murderer with the Purple Hair" in Guwahati Assam. We are very excited and pleased with the co production deal and its very attractive incentives".
www.facebook.com/cinematheque.jerusalem
Photo Dennis Kappel
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- Written by Adi Esther Lahmi
The Slovak Institute, a lovely location in the center of Jerusalem, is now hosting the fascinating exhibitions "IN' Code" and "Woman."
This carefully chosen exhibition explores the remarkable lives of women who have left a lasting impression on society.
The "Woman" ally in the place is carefully crafted to recognize and illustrate the exceptional achievements and contributions of these extraordinary women via a stunning mix of art, photography, and captivating storytelling.
Beyond merely recognizing their past successes, the show seeks to offer a moving and personal glimpse intothe trials, wins, and adventures of these extraordinary women.
Entering the engaging exhibition atthe Slovak Institute instantly transports you to a world where emotional personal stories, inspiringvisual displays, and powerful artwork bring these women's power, elegance, and perseverance to life.
Each story has been chosen with care to provide an immersive and incredibly significant experiencethat allows visitors to relate to these remarkable women's lives and legacies on a very personal level.
Leaders who disregarded social conventions and broke down boundaries in a variety of fields—including science, politics, the arts, and humanitarian work—are among the women highlighted. Their common experiences serve as an ode to the strength of will and the capacity to effect change in theface of hardship. By highlighting the hardships, dedication, and achievements of those women, theexhibition hopes to motivate a new generation to carry on the tradition of promoting equality andjustice. Upon leaving the show, visitors will have a fresh understanding of the enormous influencethese women have had on the development of our world.
Among the notable people on display is Aylet Zurer, a well-known Hollywood performer best recognized for her parts in hit films like "Man ofSteel" and "Shtisel," which Netflix purchased in 2018.
Visitors will also discover the story of Estee Lauder, a founding business woman whose popular cosmetic brand lives on and carries her name longafter her death. Their tales offer a potent see to women's determination and strength in the face ofhardship, as well as serving as poignant reminders of the incalculable contributions made by women throughout history.
Apart from the inspirational stories of these extraordinary women, the Slovak Institute is also hosting the "IN' Code" exhibition, which features the fascinating paintings and sculptures of the renowned painter and sculptor Ašot Haas.
Through his powerful artwork, the artist—a close friend of Israel's—hopes to convey his steadfast support. Immerse yourself in the "IN' Code" show, and you'll see that Haas's artwork is enduring.
Every artwork appears to exist beyond time, beckoning viewers to experience a surreal visual adventure. The colorful and engrossing images in "IN' Code" give you the impression that you are exploring another reality in which you are the only one who notices splotchesof blue, red, or the full rainbow.
The exhibitions at the Slovak Institute offer an immersive experience that invites visitors to embark ona magical journey through the transcendent power of art and the enduring impact of the remarkable women who have shaped the tapestry of our world. This is achieved by offering a captivating fusion of story telling, visual creativity, and historical significance.
Or, as they call it in the institute, "cultural diplomacy matters.".
19 King David St. Jerusalem
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Adi Esther Lahmi is a member of DebateforPeace
Photos credit Or Lahmi
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- Written by Silvia G. Golan
Yad Vashem Unveils Groundbreaking New Moshal Shoah Legacy Campus and David & Fela Shapell Family Collections Center
On Monday (8 July 2024), Yad Vashem, the World Holocaust Remembrance Center inaugurated, in the presence of the President of the State of Israel, H.E. Mr. Isaac Herzog and his wife, Michal Herzog, the new Moshal Shoah Legacy Campus and the new David & Fela Shapell Family Collections Center at its heart. The new Moshal Shoah Legacy Campus also includes the Joseph Wilf Curatorial Center, the Wolfson Gallery featuring a new Video Art Wall Installation created by renowned video artist Ran Slavin and curated by Director of the Yad Vashem Archives, Museums and Collections Medy Shvide, and a new innovative auditorium and exhibition hall. The, 5-story, subterranean state-of-the-art structure, now houses Yad Vashem's vast collections of Holocaust-related artifacts, documentation, photography and artwork. The Collections Center is the epicenter of Yad Vashem's mission to safeguard these 'everlasting witnesses' of the atrocities of the Holocaust, ensuring their preservation of these hundreds of millions of items for future generations.
The inauguration of this ambitious project, initiated by Yad Vashem back in 2016, was kicked off on Sunday, 7 July 2024, with a stirring concert at the Jerusalem Theatre. This unique event seamlessly wove together classical and Jewish music with images of Yad Vashem's world-class archival collection. The Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra, led by Amos Boasson and featuring Violins for Hope, accompanied by the Neve Shir Choir and Cantor Simon Cohen, delivered soul-stirring performances of classical arrangements and beloved Jewish melodies.
The evening reached an emotional crescendo with a performance by IDF Reservist and violinist Mordechai Shenvald, who was injured in the wake of the October 7th Massacre in Gaza. Grandson of Holocaust survivors, Mordechai Shenvald played on a violin from Yad Vashem's Artifact Collection. This violin once belonged to Motale Shlain, a young Jewish partisan fighter who was killed, at the age of 14, while fighting the German army. Mordechai's moving rendition of the theme song from Steve Spielberg's film, "Schindler's List", embodied the resilience of the human spirit in the face of unspeakable adversity.
At yesterday's investiture ceremony, Israel's President, H.E. Mr. Isaac Herzog, Yad Vashem Chairman Dani Dayan, Holocaust survivor and Chairman of the Yad Vashem Council Rabbi Israel Meir Lau, Martin and Ilana Moshal and Irvin Shapell all spoke about Yad Vashem's unprecedented commitment to ensuring that the treasures from the Holocaust are preserved and protected at Yad Vashem for future generations.
Reflecting on the significance of the new facilities, Yad Vashem Chairman Dani Dayan reaffirmed the critical importance of Holocaust remembrance. "The few remaining items are invaluable, each a precious link to our past. Even after eighty years, the events of the Holocaust remain beyond our full comprehension. We believe that personal stories and belongings allow us to weave fragments of the tapestry of remembrance, six-million puzzle pieces and offer a glimpse into the lives of the Jewish people and communities of Europe and North Africa."
Chairman Dayan continued, "The national treasures to be housed here are deeply meaningful to us, both as Jews and as human beings. They bear silent witness to our people's experience during the Holocaust. To me, the collections housed here represent the crown jewels of the Jewish people—they are our very DNA. These artifacts will stand as a testament to our history, resilience, and culture for generations to come."
In his address, President Herzog stated, "Many of these items have been entrusted to Yad Vashem over the years with the purpose of giving voice and identity to the victims. Each item carries a story, a story of life, hope, and pain. These items connect us to the past and remind us of our responsibility to remember and to remind. Each one of them is a pillar of memory that cannot be toppled, a message that the past sends to the present and future.
President Herzog continued, "It is our duty to keep this memory alive, to give it the proper honor, and to preserve and share it for future generations. And thanks to all those who led this amazing project, we remember those who lost their lives, those who fought, and those who survived and witnessed the importance of memory. Thank you for being partners in this journey of remembrance. Thank you also to Yad Vashem, the management, the staff, and the thousands of volunteers and supporters worldwide for their dedication and mission - in the name of a whole nation. Together, we will continue to shed light on the truth and preserve the memory, for those who were, for those who will be, and for all of humanity."
As Yad Vashem embarks on this new chapter, these world-class facilities stand as beacons of remembrance, education, and hope—ensuring that the lessons of the Holocaust continue to resonate and inspire future generations.
About the Moshal Shoah Legacy Campus and the David & Fela Shapell Family Collections Center:
Located on Yad Vashem's Mount of Remembrance, the Moshal Shoah Legacy Campus spans some 6,000 square meters. The heart of the Campus lies the new David & Fela Shapell Family Collections Center. It is here that Yad Vashem preserves, restores, and stores these Holocaust-related objects in a state-of-the-art facility. Boasting five world's most advanced laboratories for paper, photographs, artifacts, textiles and art, the center will preserve Yad Vashem collections including 227.6 million pages of documentation, nearly 40,000 artifacts, 14,000 works of art, 541,000 archival photographs and films, 2.8 million Pages of Testimony and tens of thousands of Holocaust survivor testimonies. Each item here tells a unique and poignant story of individuals, families, and communities that endured the Holocaust.
Yad Vashem, the World Holocaust Remembrance Center, was established in 1953. Located in Jerusalem, it is dedicated to Holocaust commemoration, documentation, research and education.
www.youtube.com/user/YadVashem
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- Written by The Knesset
Jerusalem Day “Jerusalem – the Eternal City”
Jerusalem Day is celebrated on the 28th of Iyar, according to the Hebrew calendar, or in proximity to that date. On June 7, 1967 (the 28th of Iyar, 5727), in the course of the battles for Jerusalem in the Six-Day War, east Jerusalem was liberated from Jordanian rule and came under Israeli sovereignty.
One or two days before the holiday, a festive parade is held in Jerusalem, entitled “Rural Communities Salute Jerusalem.” Thousands of people march in the parade, mostly members of kibbutzim and moshavim and rural education institutions.
On the eve of Jerusalem Day, a large gathering of thanksgiving is held every year at Mercaz Harav Yeshiva in Jerusalem, with the participation of rabbis from the national-religious population and public figures.
On Jerusalem Day, festive ceremonies are held within Jerusalem and outside the city, as well as state memorial services for the soldiers who fell in Jerusalem during the Six-Day War. A state service is conducted at Ammunition Hill, which was the site of one of the fiercest battles for the city. On this day, the Jerusalem Municipality holds the ceremony for presenting the Worthy Citizen of Jerusalem (“Yakir Yerushalayim”) awards.
The main event of the day is the March of Flags, or “Dance of Flags,” which is held in the afternoon hours. For this event, thousands of people come to Jerusalem, mostly young people from the religious Zionist movement. The celebrants conduct a large procession accompanied by songs, dancing and flag waving, which starts from the city center, enters the Old City and ends at the Western Wall in a mass prayer of thanksgiving.
70
names for Jerusalem according to the Midrash
4
quarters in the Old City
8
permanent gates along the Old City walls
19
- Number of years the city was divided between Israel and Jordan
Legislation on the status of Jerusalem
Following the IDF’s victory in the Six Day War, on June 27, 1967, the Knesset enacted three laws that established the effective unification of Jerusalem and made Israeli law applicable throughout the entire area of the unified city. The municipal boundaries of the city were altered and its area was increased nearly threefold: from 38,100 dunams to 110,000 dunams. Residents of east Jerusalem were granted permanent resident status, and they were permitted to vote in municipal elections, but not in the Knesset elections. One of the three laws passed deals with the preservation of the holy sites in Jerusalem.
On May 12, 1968 the government resolved to commemorate the 28th of Iyar – the Hebrew date of the city’s liberation – as Jerusalem Day. In 1998 this resolution was anchored in a law establishing this date, which symbolizes the continued historical connection of the Jewish people to Jerusalem, as a national holiday.
Basic Law: Jerusalem, Capital of Israel was enacted in 1980, 13 years after the city's unification. The law states that Jerusalem is the capital of Israel, and the seat of the government institutions. The law mandates the protection of the holy places in the city and freedom of access to these places for members of all religions, and establishes the government of Israel’s commitment to provide for the development and prosperity of the city.
https://main.knesset.gov.il/en/about/pages/jerusalem.aspx
Photo Silvia G Golan
