Students at universities across the United States are going to get a chance to learn about modern-day Israel in the coming academic year from top Israeli artists in fields ranging from dance to poetry.
Ten artists will be taking up teaching residencies under the aegis of the Visiting Artists Program of the Israel Institute, a DC-based nonprofit organization that advances discourse, teaching and research about Israel in collaboration with academic and cultural institutions.
The program brings outstanding Israeli filmmakers, choreographers, musicians, writers, theater practitioners and visual artists to North American universities. Beyond engaging with students, visiting artists share contemporary Israeli culture with American communities.
“In fields spanning from dance and theater to literature, music, and technology, these artists provide university students windows into the creative heart of Israel and a deeper understanding of the cultural richness of modern Israeli society,” says Flo Low, the associate director of arts programs at the Israel Institute.
The upcoming delegation of Israeli artists will be the 11th such cohort, and will include writers, dancers, choreographers and artists.
This year’s group includes theater artist Ruth Kanner, who will be teaching at the Julliard School; dancer and choreographer Oryan Yohanan and interdisciplinary artist and entrepreneur Matan Berkowitz (California Institute of the Arts); novelist and screenwriter Ayelet Gundar-Goshen and screenwriter Yoav Shutan-Goshen (University of California); poet, translator and editor Dory Manor (Stanford University); award-winning choreographer, dancer and musician Dafi Altabeb (Emory University); performer, choreographer and dance instructor Noa Shavit (University of Michigan); theater director, puppeteer and performer Ayelet Golan (University of Central Florida) and director, curator, translator, and dramaturg Lilach Dekel-Avneri (University of Southern California).