Israel Festival 2026

The Israel Festival brings together performing arts, artists, and creators from Israel and abroad. Enjoy a renowned festival with quality dance, music, theater, performance, original Israeli productions, and outdoor shows.

For 65 years, the Israel Festival has been the beating heart of the local cultural world. It is not only a tradition, but a constant movement of renewal, curiosity, and passion for art. Here in Jerusalem, the peak of excellence takes shape every year - an international event that celebrates creativity without borders and serves as a beacon of inspiration for tens of thousands of viewers.

Opening Event: On a Tightrope - East West Orchestra

Breathtaking aerial art above the Ben Hinnom Valley | Tuesday, July 28, 16:30 | Free admission

Israel Festival 2026 opens with eyes lifted to the sky. In a world searching once again for its point of balance, we invite you to raise your head, take a deep breath, and witness a moment of pure magic.

Above the Ben Hinnom Valley - the historic and poetic valley stretching between East and West Jerusalem - four thin lines will be suspended. On them, four aerial artists will walk in a performance that requires synchronization, attentiveness, and courage. In movement that shifts between precise timing and the danger of falling, they will embody the human effort to find balance, rise after falling, and keep walking even above open abysses. Every step on the rope is an act of weaving threads - of connection, hope, and perseverance.

The festival does not take place only in the air. While the artists walk in the sky, a powerful musical work will rise from the ground and surround the entire valley. The Jerusalem East & West Orchestra, together with the Jerusalem Youth Choir, will perform a piece written especially for this occasion by Maestro Tom Cohen. The combination of aerial movement and live sound opens a rare space for a wordless conversation - an encounter between East and West, between different voices, beliefs, and communities that make up our human mosaic.

This is not the first time the Ben Hinnom Valley has held its breath. In 1987, in an opening event that became truly legendary, the French tightrope artist Philippe Petit crossed the valley. Now, decades later, the Israel Festival returns to that iconic moment. On the seam line of the city, at the holiest point for the three religions, we will meet again for an unforgettable experience that reminds us of Jerusalem’s cultural richness and diversity.

The opening event begins at 16:30
The performance begins at 18:00

Much more than a show - a celebration of community
The event is a celebration for the general public and all ages, and it begins long before twilight. Starting in the afternoon, the grass of the Ben Hinnom Valley will become a lively gathering place:

A community backgammon tournament on the grass
Live and spontaneous music circles
Language-exchange encounters, introductions, and dialogue
Try walking on a tightrope: come feel the balance for yourself!

Performance Schedule

All the Spirits

Anti-war dance in six scenes
Creators: Shani Tamari Matan, Moshe Schechter Avshalom, Mor Shani, Ariel Cohen, Gilad Yerushalmi, Anabel Dvir, Michal Samama, Nitai Hershkovitz
Dates: 04.08 - 21:00 | 05.08 - 21:00

Extras

Four actors play with death (international)
Creator: Yonatan Ron
Dates: 04.08 - 19:00 | 05.08 - 19:00, 21:30

Portraits of Falling

A local and international dance production
Creator: Adi Boutrous
Dates: 07.08 - 14:00

The Thinking Heart

Six performance diaries inspired by Etty Hillesum
Participants/Creators: Neta Spiegelman, Meital Raz, Sarah Siegel, Neta Spiegel and the Jerusalem Vocal Consort, Talia Danzig
Dates: 06.08 - 19:00, 21:30 | 07.08 - 12:00