Israel will soon celebrate Yom Ha'atzmaut, Israel’s Independence Day, on May 13 with bittersweet emotions as the war continues with the Jewish homeland fighting for its existence and the lives of the Muslims, Christians, Druze and Jews who live there. Here in Greater Philadelphia, there is a great opportunity to learn about the diversity that makes up Israel’s people by visiting one of six events, featuring Israeli poet Adi Keissar, who is visiting the area from May 10 through May 20. At these events, Keissar will share her poetry and experiences about growing up in Israel, her family’s Yemenite background and how personal identity impacts culture in Israel.
Keissar, an Israeli poet, is the founder of the popular Ars Poetica, a project which initiated a new wave of Mizrahi poetry in the form of readings combined with Middle Eastern music and dancing.
The author of four books of poetry, Keissar is the recipient of literary prizes from the Israeli Writers Association, the Ministry of Culture, the Bernstein Foundation and Saloona magazine. Keissar is also an artistic director, journalist and lecturer based in Tel Aviv.
Keissar will be coming to Greater Philadelphia as a guest of the Venture Israel Fellowship, a project of the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia in partnership with the Jewish Learning Venture. The fellowship program nurtures a diverse network of Jewish professionals eager to create robust and engaging programs that focus on the dynamic complexity of today’s Israel through the lens of Jewish identity and its evolution.
See below for the events featuring poet Adi Keissar.
Through Her Words: Mizrahi Judaism Featuring Israeli Poet Adi Keissar
Saturday, May 11 | 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Temple Beth Zion-Beth Israel
Israeli poet Adi Keissar will share her poetry and experiences about growing up in Israel, her family’s Yemenite background and how personal identity impacts culture in Israel. To register, click here.
Through Her Words: Mizrahi Judaism Featuring Israeli Poet Adi Keissar
Monday, May 13 | 6:30 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Germantown Jewish Centre
Israeli poet Adi Keissar will be doing a 10-day residency in May as part of the Venture Israel Fellowship's Israel engagement programming. For this program, there will be dinner and participants will hear from Adi Keissar. To register, click here.
Through Her Words: Mizrahi Judaism Featuring Israeli Poet Adi Keissar
Tuesday, May 14 | 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Kaiserman JCC
Join us for an enriching evening and delve into the poetic world of Adi Keissar, an Israeli poet whose words resonate across languages and cultures. Adi, of Yeminite descent, has not only crafted powerful verses but also ignited a cultural movement through her project, Ars Poetica. Adi will share her evocative poetry in both Hebrew and English. Her verses traverse landscapes of memory, loss, and resilience, inviting us to contemplate the human experience in times of turmoil. As the sun sets, enjoy an authentic Israeli-style dinner. Let the flavors of the Middle East transport you as we continue our exploration of culture, identity, and shared humanity. To register, click here.
Through Her Words: Mizrahi Judaism Featuring Israeli Poet Adi Keissar
Wednesday, May 15 | 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Congregation Beth Sholom
Join the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia’s Old York Road Kehillah and hear from Israeli poet Adi Keissar. To learn more, email Beth Razin.
Through Her Words: Mizrahi Judaism Featuring Israeli Poet Adi Keissar
Thursday, May 16 | 7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Temple Sinai
Join Temple Sinai and Congregation Beth Or to celebrate Israel with a presentation from Adi Keissar, an Israeli poet, artistic director, journalist and lecturer based in Tel Aviv. She will discuss her experiences growing up in Israel, her family's Yemenite background, becoming a poet, and how personal identity impacts culture in Israel. To register, click here.
Through Her Words: Mizrahi Judaism Featuring Israeli Poet Adi Keissar
Sunday, May 19 | 3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Kesher Israel
Israeli poet Adi Keissar will be doing a 10-day residency in May as part of the Venture Israel Fellowship's Israel engagement programming. This program is for teens and young adults. To register, click here.
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For more information about these events or the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia’s work in Israel, contact Associate Director of Jewish Life Beth Razin at brazin@jewishphilly.org.
To see other Yom Ha'atzmaut events happening in the area, check out our community calendar.