Jewish Nightlife: An Evening of Celebration with Poetry and Music

Jewish Nightlife is a multi-disciplinary exploration of the nexus between the ritual performance of Jewish texts and social changes across Jewish history, including Hebrew poetry, music, and synagogue liturgy in Europe, in North Africa, the Middle East, and present-day Israel. The program includes solo and ensemble performances by UC Berkeley students and participants in the Piyut North America project at The Magnes, led by Israeli visiting artist, Yair Harel.

Yair Harel is a world-renowned Israeli performer, artistic director, and community organizer, active in the revival and contemporary interpretation of the ancient art of piyyut (liturgical Hebrew poetry). Born in Jerusalem, Harel received a traditional Jewish education before going on to study zarb (Persian drum) in Israel and France, tar and Persian classical music with Peretz Eliyhau, improvisation with André Hajdu, and Jewish-Andalusian Vocal tradition with Rabbis Meir Atiyah and Haim Louk. Harel is one of the main figures behind the “Piyut” scene that has revolutionized the face of Israeli musical culture, and is a founding member of the “Singing Communities Project” in Israel. Harel’s residency at The Magnes in the Fall Semester 2014 is is sponsored by the Schusterman Visiting Israeli Artist Program of the Israel Institute.

For more information, visit www.magnes.org.

Presented by the Magnes Collection of Jewish Art and Life with the Center for Jewish Studies, the Berkeley Center for the Study of Religion, and the Berkeley Institute for Jewish Law and Israel Studies.