Editor’s note: Due to the ongoing security situation, events listed below may be postponed or canceled. Check before booking, and stay safe.
FRIDAY, JULY 31
Treat yourself to homemade mango jam at Mitz Petel (raspberry juice), a small but high-quality spot for juice, shakes, ice creams, and more at Park Hamesila. The name is also connected to Jerusalem, as author Haya Shenhav wrote a famous book for children with that title in the 1970s while living in the capital.
In the book, Mitz Petel is a mysterious animal that befriends other animals in the forest – and all of them enjoy “raspberry juice in tall glasses.”
7 Derech Beit Lehem. Standard working hours. Kosher.
SATURDAY, AUGUST 1
Watch My Beautiful Laundrette at the Jerusalem Cinematheque. Written by Hanif Kureishi, this 1985 British film depicts a relationship between a white English youngster (Daniel Day-Lewis) and Omar (Gordon Warnecke), a British-Pakistani youth attempting to balance his role in the community and his own needs.
6 p.m. 11 Hebron Rd. NIS 43. Call (02) 565-4333 to book.
SUNDAY, AUGUST 2
Step into The Garage for a hearty Slavic meal of shuba salad – colloquially called “herring under a fur coat,” or “furry herring” (NIS 40) – lamb pelmeni dumplings (NIS 60), and a bottle of Midbar date porter. Staff speaks Russian, English, and Hebrew.
5 Yosef Rivlin St. 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Not kosher. Call 050-661-2310 for more.
MONDAY, AUGUST 3
Climb to the roof of the Sam Spiegel Film School and watch the 1997 sci-fi hit The Fifth Element. Directed by Luc Besson and starring Bruce Willis, Milla Jovovich and Chris Tucker, this is a visually stunning futuristic fable about the importance of spirit (the fifth, non-material, element) to make the most of human life.
8 p.m. Cinema by Sam Spiegel, 3 Menora St. In English. NIS 35. Visit cinema.jsfs.co.il to book.
TUESDAY, AUGUST 4
The Haifa Theatre brings Freeing Nehama to the Jerusalem Theatre. Patrons will enjoy this light-hearted comedy by Daniel Lappin, starring Tzipi Shavit as the noisy Nehama. The plot involves four women who are staying in hospital for the night but can’t sleep. Why? Because Nehama, the fifth woman, makes a raucous in the next ward.
This clever play uses Shavit’s stage persona (she is an established and well-liked entertainer) as the foundation of a moving new role, as it also exposes the realities of the healthcare system and the forced intimacy it forces on patients.
8:30 p.m. 20 Marcus St. In Hebrew, with English subtitles. Tickets: NIS 110-NIS 220. Call (02) 560-5755 to book.
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 5
Celebrate the rich musical legacy of the 1940s and 1950s female vocal groups with High Heels (Michal Levinton, Shir Schneider, and Maayan Belvis) at the Yellow Submarine. Relax and enjoy such golden songs as “Why Don’t You Do Right?” and “Blue Suede Shoes,” among others.
Doors open at 8:30 p.m.; show starts at 9:30 p.m. NIS 25. 13 Harechavim St. Call (02) 679-4040 to book.
THURSDAY, AUGUST 6
Take a stroll in the Aminadav forest and visit Yad Kennedy – the Kennedy Memorial. Erected in 1966 and designed by sculptor Dov Feigin and architect David Resnick, its columns stand for each state of the union (DC also gets one), plus two columns for Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael-Jewish National Fund (53 columns in total).
Visitors can enjoy the woods, grab a coffee at the newly opened eatery in the park, and reflect on the six decades that have passed since the monument was built.
Take in the lovely view of Gush Etzion to the south and even the sea to the west. Special paths for cyclists (like Shvil Hasheminia) are also there.
To find the memorial, type “Yad Kennedy” into any navigation application. The park is open 24/7. The hall inside Yad Kennedy, as well as the coffee shop, operate during standard business hours.
Throwing a special event? Opening an art exhibition or a new bar? Bringing in a guest speaker to introduce a fascinating topic? Email hagay_hacohen@yahoo.com and let In Jerusalem know about it. Write “Jerusalem Highlights” in the subject line. Although all information is welcome, we cannot guarantee it will be featured in the column.