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Axis Mundi Festival

Tania Notarius
Yana Tchekhanovets
Matan Israeli
Mitia Frumin
Sue Frumin
Olga Zlatkin
Marik Shtern
Shalom Boguslavsky
Steven Kaplan
Peretz Eliyahu
Mark Eliyahu
Michael Tuval
Daniella Talmon-Heller
Noah Hysler Rubin
Alexander Gordin
Max Gorts
Michael Greilsammer
Shmil Holland
Eshkolot’s Festival of Jewish Texts and Ideas

23-28 June, 2016

Axis Mundi: Europe, Asia and Africa meet in Jerusalem

Geologically, culturally and politically Jerusalem has always sat on the great "rift" between Asia, Africa and Europe (see the famous Bunting Clover Leaf Map). This "axial" location shaped the city's unique character. In the course of its long history Jerusalem's identity has been constantly shifting between European (Greek, Roman, Crusader), African (Egyptian, Ethiopian) and Asian (Persian, Ottoman) influences. The heterogeneous character of contemporary Jerusalem was also shaped by waves of Jewish immigrants from Europe (Asheknazim), Asia (Bukhara, Caucasus, Syria, Iraq) and Africa (Morocco, Ethiopia).

The aim of the 11th Eshkolot's Festival of Jewish Texts and Ideas is to explore the unique "intercontinental" character of Jerusalem through in-depth reading of texts and artifacts (ancient and contemporary graffiti, tombstone inscriptions, maps and photographs), art workshops and city walks.

Study Tracks

EPIGRAPHY

Jerusalem as Axis Mundi in ancient and contemporary graffiti and tombstone inscriptions

Faculty: Tania Notarius (ancient Hebrew inscriptions), Yana Tchekhanovets (pilgrim graffiti and tombstone inscriptions), Matan Israeli (contemporary graffiti)

CARTOGRAPHY

Jerusalem as Axis Mundi in historic and modern maps

Faculty: Mitia Frumin

PHOTOGRAPHY

Jerusalem as Axis Mundi in historic photographs

Faculty: Marik Shtern and Shalom Boguslavsky

Plenary Lectures

Contested Space: Jerusalem during the Crusades and counter-Crusades (Dr. Daniella Talmon-Heller)

Think Global, Act Local: Planning Jerusalem during the time of the British Mandate (Dr. Noah Hysler Rubin)

African Jerusalem: Ethiopian Zion - Symbol and Reality (Dr. Steven Kaplan)

Field Trips

Geological mysteries of Jerusalem (Dr. Olga Zlatkin)

Archaeobotany of Jerusalem (Dr. Sue Frumin)

Maccabean Jerusalem - Hellenistic or Jewish? (Dr. Michael Tuval)

Library of Babel in Jerusalem. Rare books and manuscripts in the National Library (Dr. Alexander Gordin)

Valley of Ghosts: German Jerusalem (Max Gorts)

New York in Jerusalem: Participant observation of "American" synagogues (Shabbat program)

Jerusalem Mosaic: Night Quest (Max Gorts)

Cultural Program

From Caucasus to Jerusalem. Concert by Piris and Mark Eliyahu

Caucasus-Jerusalem: Culinary Journey. Food seminar with Alona Eizenberg

Meurav Yerushalmi. Food seminar with Shmil Holland and chef Ezra Kedem

Carlebach Goes Reggae. Michael Greilsammer in concert

Pharaoh in Canaan. Night in Israel Museum

THE ESHKOLOT FESTIVALS ARE SUPPORTED BY THE GENESIS PHILANTHROPY GROUP, THE ROTHSCHILD FOUNDATION (HANADIV) EUROPE, CAF, PRIVATE DONORS AND THE AVI CHAI FOUNDATION