Israel-Taiwan connections and related news : March 20th, 2008

Maybe it’s all a coincidence, but in the past two weeks I received alot of Taiwan-Israel related news from various sources, showing that there’s actually a lot more going on between Taiwan and Israel than one would naturally expect. Here are a few news bits that might be interesting for you to check out :

• The new Israeli OECD membership means a few changes in regulations, and so it was recently announced that the will be no more double tax for Israel and Taiwan. Great news for the Israeli businessmen. [Hebrew article from NFC]
• The Israeli theater makes a first appearance in Taiwan… in Hebrew! Antigona, by the Habima and Hakameri, will perform next week in Taipei, for the first time in History. [Hebrew article from Ynet]
• Israel celebrates 60 years of independence this year, and there are a few things happening around Taiwan to mark this occasion. China Post tell the story with “Israel marks 60th year with cultural presentations“. There’s alot going on - the Paul Goldman exhibition, Yossi Berg and Oded Graf - Israel residents of the Taipei Artists Village - are displaying, Antigona is showing (see above), Beaufort is a must-see Israeli movie showing in Taipei during April, Maurice Sklar is coming to Tainan - no less, Gila Almagor and a good selection of Israeli movies will come to Taipei later on this year, David D’or - a special Israeli musician - will come once again to perform all over Taiwan. Wonderful!
• When there are no Israelis in Taiwan to talk about Taiwanese elections(ahhhmm…) the China experts in Israel stand up to help out. Prof. Yitchak Shichor rambles about China, Ti#et and Taiwan, correctly foreseeing the final election results [Hebrew article in Ynet]
• “Young pianists from Israel and Taiwan tied Thursday in the 12th Arthur Rubinstein International Piano Master Competition, but the judges
  awarded them second place, not first” [article from Haaretz/Associated Press]
• Doco-Aviv is a documentary festival in the Tel-Aviv Cinemateq with some doco-movies from Asia. The Korea Center in Jerusalem sent a list of 4 recommended Korean movies - Grandmother’s Flower, 16 Takes on Korean Society, Nogada, & Repatriation. I miss the Israeli Yes-Doco channel. [Movie list]

Know of anything else going on? let me know…

Update 1 - Taipei Times also has a list of Israel-Taiwan events.