Dead Sea Fun

Masada Project: A Tribute to Israeli Performing Arts, May 30 - June 1, 2013

At Masada Hall, Nature’s Auditorium: May 30 - Shalom Hanoch - "White Wedding", May 31- Mayumana - "RacConto", June 1- Shlomo Artzi.

According to Dov Litvinoff, Chairman of the Tamar Regional Council: "The Tamar Regional Council is a ground breaker in the field of Israeli music. Each year the Council hosts the Tamar Festival, drawing hundreds of thousands of spectators in a very distinguished setting for first-class performers. Now, the Council does so again by establishing the "Masada Project" which brings together the very best of Israeli performers and starting a tradition for the Shavuot Holiday by establishing a unique music festival at the world's lowest geographical point".

Read the full article at Masada-Hall.co.il

Side Trip: Plug Fest - May 9 - 11, 2013

Plug Fest is Israel’s first ever international music festival and will take place May 9-11, 2013 in the beautiful Negev Desert close to the Dead Sea. The festival will bring a great roster of international names to Israel including Azealia Banks, Chk Chk Chk (!!!), Jessie Ware, Tinariwen, CSS, Lee Scratch Perry, 2ManyDJ’s, John Talabot, and more.

Taking place over three days, the festival is a true first for Israel, bringing so many international artists together for a festival has never happened before, and there is no doubt that it will be a great success. Space are limited, and tickets are on sale now.

For more information TouristIsrael.com

Side Trip: Eilat Chamber Music Festival - April 28 - May 4, 2013

The 8th Eilat Chamber Music Festival will be held on April 28th - May 4th, 2013. This marvelous festival attracts many music lovers who come to enjoy the compositions played by known artists, locals, and guests from around the world.

For more information Eilat-Festival.co.il

Side Trip: International Belly Dance Festival in Eilat - January 8-11, 2014

On January 8-11 2014, Eilat, Israel, will host the 10th international Belly Dance festival. This festival is perfectly organized for dancers, teachers and amateurs as a vacation with a rich program and treats!

For four days, there will be dancers from all over the world, live music, workshops, shows, competitions and night parties. It's one of the world's biggest festivals and has the most unique and amazing atmosphere!

There will be a full program of over 50 workshops for all levels of dancers, open stage, competition, relaxation place for yoga and stretching, Bedouin tent with live music and a lot of fun!

For more information EilatFestival.com

Side Trip: Musical Cooperative at Zman Midbar - November 29-30, 2013

The musical cooperative will take place on November 29 -30, 2013 at the Zman Midbar Eco Spirit Lodge near Arad, Israel. The cooperative is a unique concept of a music festival with the participation of creative artists who perform in diverse styles.

For more information ZmanMidbar.net

Save the date: Opera at Masada, La Traviata: June 14 - 16, 2014

The next Israel Opera at Masada will be La Traviata on June 14 - 16, 2014. Daniel Oren will be conducting. Almost 50,000 people are expected to attend the performances which will take place outdoors at the foot of Mount Masada on the way to the Dead Sea in Israel. Past performances of the Opera at Masada have been spectacular - we hope you'll plan a visit to Israel around this world class musical event!

See the Opera at Masada Facebook page for updates Opera at Masada Facebook

Website LaTraviataatMasada.com

Ahava Dead Sea Festival: March 27 - 30, 2013

The Ahava Dead Sea Festival will take place at the Dead Sea, Israel, on March 27-30, 2013. It is one of Israel’s leading rock music festivals - combining musical performances with hikes through the beautiful nature of the region and tours of its tumultuous history. The annual festival attracts some of Israel's top musicians.

Read the full article at TouristIsrael.com

Tickets are on sale now at Eventim.co.il

Ya-Salam Belly Dance Festival: November 28 - 30, 2013

The Ya-Salam Belly Dance Festival will take place at the Leonardo Hotel at the Dead Sea on November 28 - 30, 2013. The festival features a large group of Israeli dance teachers with guest teachers from abroad, who teach various styles of oriental dance in various level workshops. The festival offers nightly shows.

For more information, contact Fifi Ness at fifiness@zahav.net.il

Facebook page (in Hebrew) YaSalamFestival

Side Trip: Red Sea Winter Jazz Festival - January 16-18, 2014

The Red Sea Winter Jazz Festival will be held on January 16-18, 2014 in Eilat, Israel. The events of the winter festival are held in Hangar 6 in Eilat harbor, in a roofed hall seating 2500. The festival hosts international and Israeli leading artists.

For information RedSeaJazzEilat.com

Side Trip: Hot Air Balloon Festival at Timna - September 22 - 24, 2013

Timna Park, in the southern Negev, just north of Eilat, is the setting of another balloon festival in Israel September 22nd - 24th. The festival will feature balloons from around the world which will be showcased in the unique setting of the Timna Valley - a valley in the midst of the Negev Desert which for millenia has been used by man for innovative purposes (some of the world's earliest copper mines were found here).

Tickets can be purchased from Timna Park (08-6316756)

For more information ParkTimna.co.il

Tamar Festival: September 21 - 25, 2013

The Tamar Festival, September 21 - 25, 2013, combines breathtaking performances from some of Israel's greatest musicians and international artists with delightful desert nights in the heart of Masada Hall, stunning sunrises over the top of the mountain, and the beautifully manicured lawns of the Botanical Gardens at Ein Gedi and the Kikar Sdom villages.

The four-day festival offers a multisensory experience of music, freedom, nature and attractions and draws varied audiences from all over Israel every year.

Read the full article at TamarFestival.com

Side Trip: Eilat Women's Festival - February 14-16, 2013

The Eilat Women's Festival, started in 2004, attracts more than 1,500 women of all ages from all over the country to enjoy a weekend of activities, quality time and women's harmony. The Festival includes workshops, lectures, entertainment, and an artistic program performed by the best artists in Israel.

For more information saritpro@bezeqint.net

Stand-Up Paddle Retreat at the Dead Sea - December 28-29, 2012

Stand-up paddle is one of the world’s fastest growing sports, and it’s coming to Mineral Beach in the northern Dead Sea area on December 28-29, 2012. The event will bring over 40 surfers from different disciplines to the Dead Sea including world-champion windsurfer Lee Korzits, world-champion kitesurfer Amit Inbar and vice world-champion windsurfer Nimrod Masiah.

The calm, salty waters at the Dead Sea are not often used for sport, yet their calm nature makes them the perfect place for stand-up paddle, although special training is needrd to navigate the "heavier" waters.

Read the full article at TouristIsrael.com

Side Trip: Zorba the Buddha Festival - March 28 - April 1, 2013

Desert Ashram (north of Eilat) presents: Zorba the Buddha Festival, March 28 - April 1, 2013. The festival features shows, workshops and meditation with the best instructors, gurus and musicians from Israel and abroad. The Festival, started in 2003, demonstrates the right to be free and fill the world with happiness and music.

Zorba the Buddha teach us that life is a journey that can combine the good of all the worlds; the fiesta with the meditation, the dance with the quiet, the riches of the festival with the simplicity of the desert. There is no other festival of its kind in Israel.

Desert Ashram is situated in the Shittim settlement, right next to route 40, between Zihor junction and Shizafon junction.

For more information ashram@desertashram.co.il

Dead Sea Half Marathon 2013 - February 14-16, 2013

The 30th annual Dead Sea Half Marathon will take place at Kibbutz Ein Gedi Spa, Dead Sea, Israel, on February 14-16, 2013. The race, named after Giora and Tomer Ron, includes five competitions: half marathon, hand bike half marathon, ten km race, five km walking contest and children's contest.

The race, which follows along the Dead Sea coasts and the montain landscape in front of Masada, Herod's stronghold, promises a unique sporting experience.

Read the full article at EinGedi-Run.co.il

Side Trip: International Belly Dance Festival in Eilat - January 16-19, 2013

On January 16-19 2013, Eilat, Israel, will host the 9th international Belly Dance festival. This festival is perfectly organized for dancers, teachers and amateurs as a vacation with rich program and treats!

For four days, there will be dancers from all over the world, live music, workshops, shows, competitions and night parties. It's one of the world's biggest festivals and has the most unique and amazing atmosphere!

There will be a full program of over 50 workshops for all levels of dancers, open stage, competition, relaxation place for yoga and stretching, Bedouin tent with live music and a lot of fun!

Read the full article at EilatFestival.com

Side Trip: Osho-Galactic Trance Rave - December 27-29, 2012

The Galactic Tribe is gathering for three days of colorful musical celebration at the Desert Ashram, north of Eilat, Israel, on December 27-29, 2012. Parties, Workshops, Live shows, Ceremonies, Happy people and Galactic Trance. Love is the compass...music is the background...the magic is the people. The Galactic rave is a rare musical gathering purely based on celebration.

Read the full article at DesertAshram.co.il

Side Trip: Zman Midbar Cooperative Musical Festival - December 14-15, 2012

The Zman Midbar Cooperative Musical Festival is a unique concept of a music festival with the participation of creative artists who perform in diverse styles. The music festival will take place on December 14-15, 2012, at the Zman Midbar Eco Spirit Lodge, near Arad, Israel. For more information, phone +972 8 6340041.

Read the full article at ZmanMidbar.net

Side Trip: Red Sea Jazz Festival - January 17-19, 2013

The Red Sea Jazz Festival will be held on January 17-19, 2012 in Eilat, Israel. Marking its 26th anniversary, the festival has become a favorite tradition attracting tens of thousands of dedicated fans to Eilat each year. Israel's southern paradise getaway provides a perfect setting for a unique experience of romantic beaches, fine dining and generous hospitality, topped with spectacular live music featuring some of the world's greatest Jazz artists.

The time-honored Red Sea Jazz Festival Jam Sessions are held this year at the Isrotel Riviera Club Hotel poolside area providing local and guest musicians with the unique opportunity to cultivate professional dialogues as they play and improvise till dawn.

Read the full article at RedSeaJazzEilat.com

Side Trip: Red Sea Classical Music Festival - January 16-19, 2014

The 12th festival will be in recognition of maestro Valery Gergiev's 60th birthday.

The Red Sea Classical Music Festival under the directorship of Maestro Valery Gergiev will be delayed this year in order to celebrate with an extraordinary and special festival in January 2014. This has been agreed and coordinated with Maestro Gergiev.

Pinchas Postel, Gergiev’s representative in Israel, notes that the program of the upcoming festival, to be held January 16–19, 2014 will be upgraded in light of Maestro Gergiev’s 60th birthday. Postel has also said that the date has been set for the Festival in 2015. “We have no intention of leaving Eilat” said Postel, and guarantees that the next festival will be celebratory and special.

Read the full article at RedSea-Classic.co.il

Side Trip: Eilat Birds Festival - March 21-20, 2013

The 7th Eilat Birds Festival will take place March 13-20, 2013, in Eilat, Israel.

Organized by the Israel Ornithological Center of the Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel (SPNI), the spring migration festival brings together birders from the world over for an unforgettable week during the peak of spring migration in southern Israel. Visitors are free to choose from several free guided daily tours to the best sites and enjoy an interesting evening program of lectures and presentations, in a casual pub like atmosphere.

Be one of the Flock and migrate to Eilat in 2013!

Read the full article at EilatBirdsFestival.com

Side Trip: Arava Film Festival - December 6-8, 2012

The Arava Film Festival is a unique open air film event which takes place under the stars in the Negev Desert in Southern Israel. The festival will take place between December 6-8 and will screen Western films featuring the likes of Clint Eastwood, Claudia Cardinale and Henry Fonda. For more information and to buy tickets, call the box office at +972 (0)52-3665935.

Read the full article and order tickets at TouristIsrael.com

Veolia Desert Challenge - November 29-December 1, 2012

The Veolia Desert Challenge is a series of challenging outdoor events taking place every winter in the Negev Desert near to the Dead Sea. Including mountain biking and running events at day and night for the beginner or the experienced, the Veolia Desert Challenge offers some once in a lifetime experiences in a magical desert setting. The 2012 event takes place between November 29-December 1.

Read the full article at TouristIsrael.com

For further information and registration DesertChallenge.co.il

Side Trip: Israel Didgeridoo Festival - October 25-27, 2012

If you thought the classic didgeridoo was an instrument perhaps beyond the realm of cult status in Israel, you'd be sorely mistaken – the now annual Israel Didgeridoo Festival returns on the 25-27 October!

The Israel Didgeridoo Festival returns for the eighth year, this time in the Ashram Desert in the south of the country (actually in Shittim, on Road 40 on the way to Eilat).

This year, the three day festival will feature many of the leading didgeridoo artists in the world, and combined with the amazing desert location, this year's festival looks like being the perfect way to close out the summer!

Here's an amazing taste of what they can do to get you in the mood, those didgeridoos!

For more information and tickets IGoogledIsrael.com

More TouristIsrael.com

Side Trip: In-D-Negev Festival - October 18-20, 2012

From a small gathering of a few music enthusiasts five years ago to about 5000 participants today (audience and musicians), In-D-Negev has been leading a real musical revolution in Israel, working to promote and strengthen the best of Israeli independent art and music.

This year, for three magical days marking the end of summer, two diverse and interesting stages will rock you with music ranging from blues, folk and rock all the way to electronic and experimental.

But In-D-Negev is not only about the music, we know that it's the spices that make the musical stew so delicious!

Read the full article at InDNegev.co.il

Photographer Spencer Tunick Returns to the Dead Sea for Anniversary Photo Shoot

International photographer Spencer Tunick, famed for his nude installations, is returning to Israel. Tunick is set to shoot a new project this Friday at the Dead Sea.

According to news site Bloomberg, Tunick will be joining Israeli-based organization Save Our Sea, which works toward the conservation of the Dead Sea, for a mass clothed floating event at the Dead Sea to raise awareness of its shrinking shores.

Read the full article at IsraelHayom.com

Sukkot Dance Festival at Adama in the Desert, September 30-October 2, 2012

The Sukkot Dance Festival at Adama in Mitzpe Ramon, in the heart of the Negev Desert will be a fascinating and special event. Taking place over Sukkot between September 30-October 2, 2012, the Dance Festival features evening performances followed by quiet dance parties into the night, whilst the days feature workshops, classes and masterclasses.

Read the full article at TouristIsrael.com

Red Sea Jazz Festival, Eilat, July 30-August 2, 2012

The Red Sea Jazz Festival will take place in 2012 for the 26th time, first happening in 1987 and has been running every year since in the last week of August.

A four day international jazz festival with 8 to 9 concerts per evening, 6 clinics with guest artists and nightly Jam sessions, The Red Sea Jazz Festival showcases a broad spectrum of jazz music from New Orleans jazz to the contemporary, including Latin and World music, bringing groups from across Israel and the world to Eilat.

Read the full article at TouristIsrael.com

For information and reservations RedSeaJazzEilat.com

Carmen at Masada: Fascinating Details About the Production

Update June 08, 2012: Masada Sandstorm Gives Israeli Opera Star Break

Read the full article at JerusalemPost.com

Carmen is the biggest and the most challenging of the three productions staged by the Israeli Opera at Masada since 2010. About 2,500 workers have been involved in creating the site, and 450 international performers, including 32 flamenco dancers from Spain, will take to the stage.

Read the full article at The Guardian

For Ofra Gazit, marketing director of the local Tamar Regional Council and a resident of nearby Kibbutz Ein Gedi, the opera festival means an increased focus on this unique and ecologically fragile area of the country. "The festival helps position the Dead Sea area as a natural theater," Gazit enthuses. "There's a fabulous natural echo here, and the moon over Masada is dramatic - this year the waning moon will be part of the set," she adds.

Read the full article at The Canadian Jewish News

Carmen at Masada: Free Live Broadcast in 3 Locations

For the first time ever, a free live broadcast of the premier of Carmen at Masada will take place in three locations around Israel.

The open-air screenings of the lavish production – the largest ever in Israel – will make the opening night of the opera available to thousands of Israelis and tourists.

The screenings, which are offered through the courtesy of the Marc Rich Foundation – are set to take place in the following locations:
1. Gan HaShlosha (Sachne) in the north,
2. Amphitheater on the Netanya Promenade (behind the Park Hotel) in the central region, and
3. Plaza of the Be'er Sheva Museum in the south.

Read the full article at IsraelNationalNews.com

Carmen's Opera at Masada Leaves No Trace

Israeli Opera Festival 2012 will feature five performances of the classic opera, Carmen, June 7 to 11 at Masada. According to the Israeli Opera's Artistic Director, Michael Ajzenstadt, over 50,000 people from across Israel and all over the world are coming to experience opera at the lowest point on earth, beneath the mountain of Masada and across from the Dead Sea.

Choosing the location for this momentous performance was a delicate balance between aesthetic appeal and the imperative to not effect the historic site in any way. "We wanted to perform opera in the desert, not just to have an opera performance at a desert location," said Ajzenstadt. "There is no stage. There is sand and rock beneath the mountain. The set is an extension of the surrounding habitat. In three weeks we will deconstruct the set and leave no trace."

Read the full article at GreenProphet.com

Israeli Opera Festival - Carmen at Masada, June 7 - 10, 2012

The free spirited gypsy Carmen sings about freedom as she falls in love with the soldier Jose and then with the toreador Escamillo. Fiery Spanish dances and seductive arias in a huge celebration performed by hundreds of participants by the Mt. of Masada. Love, scorching passion and hate that knows no boundries conducted by Daniel Oren.

Save the dates: Thursday 7 June, 2012 (10PM), Saturday 9 June, 2012 (10PM), Sunday 10 June, 2012 (10PM)

Read the full article at OperaMasada.com

2012 Israeli Opera Festival - Carmen at Masada

Dec 30, 2011

Low Tech-Design -417: Bezalel at the Dead Sea

"We are reclaiming crafts," said Haim Parness, Head of the Department of Industrial Design at Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design, Jerusalem, as we stood on the shore of the Dead Sea where students, faculty, and their families gathered for the 7th Low Tech Design -417 workshops. The department hosts a week long seminar each year, which includes a lecture series at Bezalel, followed by a two day sojourn at the Dead Sea, to explore traditional crafts and methods.

This year's theme was "Dinnerware & Food," with lectures by Bezalel faculty and international guests. See a picture of the solar oven!

Read the full article at MidnightEast.com

Israel Harley Davidson Riders Club in the Dead Sea

Photo by Ilan Mizrachi, November 28, 2011.

See a larger photo at Israel Ministry of Tourism

Sweets from the Lowest Place on Earth

The world's first date harvest of the year has begun in the Dead Sea region. What is a date harvest? What makes Dead Sea dates so special? And why are dates so special, anyway?

Dates are one of the Seven Species of plants with which the Bible says Israel is blessed. Dates are one of the oldest crops of the Dead Sea region, and the regional Majhul strain has been considered the finest in the world since the time of Christ. Today, date plantations cover thousands of acres in the Dead Sea region, and constitute one of the local residents' most important and stable sources of income.

Read the full article at VoteDeadSea.com

World leaders to Meet in Tel Aviv on Israeli-Arab Cooperation

Hundreds of world leaders, government officials and businessmen will descend upon Tel Aviv next week for an international conference aimed at boosting Israel's cooperation with the Palestinians and other members of the Arab world.

The Ministry of Regional Cooperation has sponsored several initiatives to improve Israel's regional standing, including its "Peace Carrier" (water canal) project, a joint international project between Israel, Jordan and the Palestinian Authority. The project's goal is to preserve and raise the water levels of the Dead Sea, supply desalinated water to the region, aid the development of agricultural and tourist sectors and maintain regional stability.

Read the full article at Haaretz.com

Spencer Tunick Nude Photo Shoot on September 17th - A Personal Story

On September 17th I [Raffe Gold] will be car-pooling with others down to the famous Dead Sea to pose naked for a Spencer Tunick nude photo. The purpose of this, largely for the thrill of the idea, is to show that currently Israel is the only country in the region that could possibly get away with such a brazen display of flesh.

Tunick is well known to Australians and the world. He has taken photographs of mass nudes in Sydney, London, Barcelona, New York, Switzerland and scores of other countries. The models are all unpaid and in many cases Tunick's photographs are meant to convey a message to the world.

Read the full article at J-Wire.com

Must be 50 to Apply: JNF Hosts Israel Trip for First-timers

Sponsored trips to Israel for teenagers and young adults who have never been to the Jewish state are more popular than ever. That gave the folks at the Jewish National Fund pause: Where's the trip for older people who want to visit Israel but maybe can't afford the full ride?

A grant from the Los Angeles–based Jesse Simon Charitable Foundation is helping to make that trip a reality.

The L'dor V'dor Israel Experience, now registering participants for its first mission Feb. 19-28, 2012, offers people 50 and older who have never been to Israel (or who haven't visited in the last 10 years) the opportunity to tour the Holy Land with JNF for 10 days.

Note the optional side trip to Masada and the Dead Sea!

Read the full article at JWeekly.com

Spencer Tunick Plans Mass Nude Dead Sea Shoot

Update: the bare facts...
American photographer Spencer Tunick has posted a registration for volunteers to participate in a photo shoot of nude Israelis at the Dead Sea.

Tunick, who has gained fame for taking photographs of crowds of naked people at sites around the world, is calling on Israelis to "Disrobe to Save the Dead Sea."

Read the full article: TheJerusalemPost.com

Tour de Dead Sea Bicycle Race Coming December 2011

Tour de Dead Sea is an annual cycle race along the contours of the Dead Sea. The Tour de Dead Sea will attract more than one thousand cyclists from around the world and feature four different routes along the sea each with a varying level of difficulty.

For more information, visit the Tour de Dead See Facebook page.