Israeli Night Festivals : Art and Pasta at the Museum of Italian Jews in Jerusalem

Last week the Museum of Italian Jews in down-town Jerusalem celebrated Italian culture with lots of great food and arts from Italy.

The Italian Jewish community in Jerusalem is small but vibrant, orbiting around the community synagogue and museum at the foot of Hillel Street downtown – and like most Italians, they know how to throw a party. Over three days in mid-August, the square outside the museum will become the epicenter of a public celebration of Italian Jewish culture, including a culinary festival, Italian opera and music, commedia dell’arte, a pasta eating contest, children’s plays, pasta-related crafts for kids and exhibits on the music of Italian Jewry. The festivities run from 18:00 to 23:00 each day, and entrance is gloriously free.

There was some live music… Italian style.

And not too far away, as part of a different event, some live music… Israeli style.

The event was next to the old Italian synagogue and museum, which is an experience if you’re religious and looking for a slightly different atmosphere.

A little taste of Italy…