notizie italiane - Ambasciata d`Italia

NOTIZIE ITALIANE
Newsletter of the Embassy of Italy in Israel
Fausto Bertinotti, Speaker of Chamber of
Deputies, visits Israel
2007
Michelangelo Pistoletto
awarded 2007 Wolf Prize
Wolf Foundation has announced the
T heselection
of Italian artist Michelangelo
March 9 the Speaker of the Italian
O nParliament’s
Chamber of Deputies,
Fausto Bertinotti, concluded a two day visit
to Israel, during which he held meetings
with Knesset Speaker Dalia Itzik, Vice Prime
Minister and Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni
and Vice Premier Shimon Peres.
Mr. Bertinotti’s meeting with Acting
President of the State of Israel and Knesset
Speaker Dalia Itzik took place on May 8 in Fausto Bertinotti, 2nd from left, during his meeting with Acting
a warm and friendly atmosphere. President and Knesset Speaker Dalia Itzik
President Bertinotti recalled that his
generation was raised with the warning ‘never
the Foreign Affairs & Defense Committee and
again Auschwitz’ engraved in its consciousness.
by the Israel-Italy Parliamentary Friendship
He stressed that the abyss of the Shoah has
Group, Mr. Bertinotti discussed Middle Eastern
assigned a deeply significant symbolism to the
politics with several leading Israeli politicians.
existence of Israel, whose future holds important
Moshe Kahlon, President of the Israel-Italy
implications for the rest of humanity. For these
Parliamentary Friendship Group, expressed his
reasons, continued Bertinotti, it is important to
support for intensifying ties between parliaments
w o r k
of the two countries. In response President
together
Bertinotti underlined the significance of the role
towards a
that parliamentary diplomacy can play and the
resolution of
importance of sharing which constitutes, of
the Israeliitself, a cornerstone in the resolution of conflicts.
Palestinian
During his stay in Jerusalem Mr. Bertinotti
conflict. In
also held long and cordial meetings with Vice
this context, Fausto Bertinotti with Vice Premier
Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni
President Shimon Peres
and Vice Premier Shimon Peres.
Bertinotti underlined that there is room for a
President Bertinotti also paid a visit to the
parliamentary initiative to support diplomatic
Hebrew University, where he held discussions
moves undertaken by the respective
on the importance of culture as an antidote to
governments. This could create a framework for
politics with President Menachem Megidor
dialogue that would enable legislators to operate
and political science Prof. Shlomo Avineri.
productively and to promote the values of
The Italian Speaker’s visit to Israel also
cohabitation, which are fundamental for the
included a moving ceremony at Yad Vashem,
relaunching of the peace process.
where he placed a wreath in the Hall of
At a luncheon held in his honor offered by
Remembrance. <>
No. 45 May
Pistoletto among the winners of its prestigious
Wolf Prizes for 2007. Michelangelo Pistoletto
was honored for “his constantly inventive
career as an artist, educator and activist, whose
restless intelligence has created prescient forms
of art that contribute to fresh understanding
of the world.”
Pistoletto,
73, attended
the prize award
c e r e m o n y,
which took
place on May
13 in the
K n e s s e t ’s
Chagall Hall in
Jerusalem. The
awards were
presented to
the recipients
by the Acting
President of
the State of
Israel and
Knesset
Speaker Dalia
I t z i k a n d Michelangelo Pistoletto, Love
E d u c a t i o n Difference, Mar Mediterraneo,
mirror and wood
Minister Yuli 2003-2005,
(photo P. Terzi)
Tamir, in the
presence of several Israeli officials, Ambassador
Sandro De Bernardin and the Director of the
Italian Cultural Institute of Tel Aviv Simonetta
Della Seta.
(cont. p.2)
Haifa's Italian Hospital celebrates centenary
Italian Hospital of
T heHaifa,
together with
the city's Municipality and
the Italian Cultural
Institute, celebrated its first
one hundred years on May
15. The organizing
committee included the
Rector of Haifa University
Prof. Yossi Ben-Artzi.
The hospital was
founded in 1907 by the
National Association for
Sister Emanuela Verdecchia, left, examining the placard
presented to the Italian Hospital, with Ambassador Sandro
De Bernardin and Mayor of Haifa Yona Yahav
1
Assisting Italian
Missionaries
(ANSMI), a Catholic
philanthropic
organization created
s l i g h t l y ove r a
century ago by Prof.
E r n e s t o
Schiaparelli. Since
then it has been run
by the Franciscan
nuns of the Cuore
Immacolato di
Maria and at present is managed by Sister
Emanuela Verdecchia, who has been awarded
Italian state recognition for her work.
The hospital treats patients from all religions,
cultures and ethnic backgrounds, without
distinction and with the same warmth and
humanity for which the Franciscan nuns are
famous.
The hospital is one of the most important
Italian institutions in Israel and an integral part
of the scientific-technology cooperation
agreement between the two countries. Its many
activities include annual courses in (cont. p.2)
NOTIZIE ITALIANE
May 2007
Embassy promotes cooperation in
neuroscience
Preserving the
‘White City’
ItalianT heIsraelifirstbinational
course introducing Italian
A specialized
methods for preserving and protecting
conference on
neuroscience, entitled
"Brain functions: from
basic research to clinical
applications", was held
on March 12 – 14 at the
Weizmann Institute. The
event was organized
within the framework of
the Italian Israeli
Agreement on Industrial, Scientific and
Technological cooperation.
The initiative, which was attended by around
50 academics, researchers and other
neuroscience professionals, was intended to
serve as a starting point for future industrial and
scientific collaboration in the field.
The Italian delegation consisted of 12
representatives from the National Research
Council (CNR) as well as scientists from the
historical buildings was held in Tel Aviv on
April 25-30.
The course,
organized by the
Italian Cultural
Institute in
cooperation with
the Technion, was
given by Leonardo
Borgioli (CTS
Italia), an
internationally
recognized expert
in restoration, and
was the third in an
annual series of
popular seminars
on the subject
organized by the Institute.
The course was attended by pre- and postdoctoral students from the Technion and other
universities, as well as by restoration
professionals, including Jack Neguer and well
known Israeli experts in building
conservation.
Particular importance was given at the
seminar to the impact of atmospheric
conditions on materials used in restoration
work and on the influence on these materials
of conservation methods used in the past.
Collaboration between the Technion and
Italian institutions has been strengthened,
thanks also to the activities of the Israeli
architect Nitza Smuk, who has organized an
exhibition on Bauhaus architecture, “Tel Aviv:
White City” that will be on display for the
entire month of June at Rome’s La Casa
dell’Architettura. A parallel conference on
the subject, “Cultural heritage and innovation
in modern cities”, will be held at La Sapienza
University. <>
universities of Florence and Pisa, including Prof.
Giancarlo Righini of the CNR as well as Dr.
Paolo Rovero and Dr Anna Maria Papini of
the Life Science Foundation.
Israelis taking part in the event included Prof.
Haim Sompolinsky (Hebrew University), Prof.
Eshel Ben Jacob (Tel Aviv University), Prof.
Moshe Abeles (Bar-Ilan University) and Prof.
Michael Tsodyks (Weizmann Institute). <>
Michelangelo Pistoletto awarded 2007 Wolf Prize
(cont. from p. 1)
Pistoletto’s work “Love
Difference”, a large table surrounded by
numerous chairs originating from several
countries, representing a meeting point for
people of diverse cultures, will be displayed this
summer at the Tel Aviv Museum of Art, as part
of the Exhibition Italian Mentalscapes: A
Journey through Italian Contemporary Art,
promoted by the Italian Cultural Institute of Tel
Aviv and curated by Prof. Demetrio Paparoni.
Since 1978, more than two hundreds
scientists and artists, among them nine Italians,
have received the prestigious Wolf prize,
established by Ricardo Wolf, an Israeli Germanborn inventor, diplomat and philanthropist who
spent the last years of his life as Cuba's
representative in Israel, where he died in 1981.<>
Haifa's Italian Hospital celebrates centenary
(cont. from p. 1)
traumatology, organized
together with several
regional medical facilities in
Italy; a cooperative program
with the Mediterranean
Hematology Institute for the
treatment of the blood
disease Thalassemia; a joint
program with Rambam
Medical Center and the
Veneto Region’s ASL 13 Center for the
treatment of heart diseases; and an ongoing
project in oncology in collaboration with
Rambam Medical Center and the ‘Regina Elena’
Institute of Rome.
Centenary celebrations opened at the hospital
where the Mayor of Haifa, Yona Yahav, in the
presence of Ambassador Sandro De Bernardin,
donated a placard in four languages (Italian,
Hebrew, Arabic and English) presented to the
hospital in commemoration of a century of
uninterrupted service by appreciative citizens.
The event continued at the Krieger
auditorium, whose entrance
was the venue for a
photographic exhibition
documenting the history of
the Italian Hospital and an
exhibition of medical
instruments used by the
hospital in the past. In his
opening address Ambassador
De Bernardin underlined the
strategic importance of the
Italian Hospital which, apart from providing
first class medical service to the local community,
has over the years maintained a lively Italian
presence in the north of the country.
Approximately 500 guests attended the
celebrations, who were then addressed by Salim
Joubran, Judge of the Supreme Court; Dr.
Maurizio Saglietto, ANSMI President, Sister
Roberta Malgrati, Mother Superior, Suore
francescane; and Prof. Elias Toubi, Health
Director of the Italian Hospital.
Celebrations ended with a concert featuring
music by Boccherini and Tosti performed by
2
soprano Valeria Fubini and pianist Sonia Mazar,
accompanied by the Jerusalem University String
Quartet, followed by a reception offered by the
Italian Cultural Institute.
Among the guests attending the event were
Mons. Giacinto Marcuzzo, Vice Patriarch of
the Latin Catholic Church; Pierbattista
Pizzaballa, Custodian of the Holy Land; Yossi
Ben Artzi, Rector of Haifa University; the
French Consul General, Loan Forgeron; Consul
General Nicola Manduzio, the Director of the
Italian Cultural Institute of Tel Aviv Simonetta
Della Seta, the Director of the Italian Cultural
Institute of Haifa, Edoardo Crisafulli, as well
as representatives from leading cultural
institutions, magistrates (Israeli and Arab),
academics and assorted medical professionals.<>
NOTIZIE ITALIANE
May 2007
Technion hosts Shape Modeling conference
conference on industrial and
A binational
biomedical applications of digital shapes
entitled "Shape modeling and reasoning for
industrial and biomedical applications",
organized by the Embassy as part of the Italian
Israeli bilateral agreement on scientific and
industrial cooperation, took place in Haifa on
May 7-8. Around 100 academics and
industrialists from both countries took part in
the event at the Technion’s Coler-California
Visitor Center
The conference, opened by Prof. Perez
Lavie, Vice President of External Relations at
the Technion, and Dr. Stefano Boccaletti, the
Embassy’s Scientific Attaché, was divided into
11 sessions and 41 presentations, and included
discussions on medical, biomedical and
industrial applications in the modeling and
management of digital images, which can be
applied in mathematics, engineering and
computer science.
The Italian delegation was led by Prof.
Leila de Floriani (University of Genoa)
and included 13 representatives from
institutions such as CNR, the Universities
of Genoa, Catania, Rome and Milan.
Prominent among them were Prof.
Maurizio Martelli (University of Genoa), Participants at the Italian-Israeli conference on industrial and
D r. M a u r i z i o S p e r a t i ( A l t a i r biomedical applications of digital shapes
Engineering), Dr. Davide Ciarloni (Think 3)
Hanan Samet, of the University of Maryland
and Eng. Giovanni Garibotto (Elsag Spa).
and author of a recent book on mathematical
The Israeli delegation was headed by Prof.
models for the management of digital forms.
Anath Fisher (Technion) and included
Meetings between the two delegations were
representatives from all of Israel’s major
designed to explore avenues for future
universities as well as delegates from industrial
cooperation, which will start with a summer
concerns such as Given Imaging, Philips Israel,
course in Genoa for students at the Technion,
MediGuide, Mazor Surgical Technologies,
and the first steps were taken towards an
Objet, WonderNet, CogniTens, Dassault
agreement between the CNR, the University of
Systemes, Caliber, Z-Corp, Optimet, Israel
Genoa and the Technion that will include student
Aircraft Industries.
exchange programs and co-tutelage of doctoral
Guest of honor at the conference was Prof.
dissertations. <>
New materials for industry
conference
A nonItalian-Israeli
industrial applications
for amorphous materials entitled
“Dynamics, intermittency and non
linearity from fluids to glasses",
was held at the Weizmann Institute
last March 19-21.
Attending the conference, organized as part
of the Italian Israeli agreement on scientific and
industrial cooperation, were representatives from
scientific institutions of both countries involved
in the study of formless materials.
The Italian group included scientists from
Rome’s Tor Vergata University, the National
Research Council (CNR), the International
Center for Theoretical Physics in Trieste and a
high level delegation from FIAT
Research Center’s Department of
Micro and Nanotechnology.
Participating on the Israeli side
were scientists from the Weizmann
Institute, the Technion, the Hebrew
University and Tel Aviv University.
Guests of honor at the conference were Prof.
Sergio Ciliberto, Director of the Physics
Laboratory of the University of Lyon and Prof.
Ettore Mancini, Director of the Institute of
Physics at the University of Navarra in Spain.
The conference was intended to identify joint
areas for collaboration in research and industrial
development between Italy and Israel.<>
Israel attends Research to Business expo
name implies Research
A stoitsBusiness
(R2B) is an
international event designed to
foster the encounter between the
major research centers, innovative Italian and
international spin-offs, and the world of
manufacturing enterprises.
The exposition, now in its 3rd edition, is
promoted by the Emilia Romagna Regional
Government and Bologna Fiere SpA, in
collaboration the Italian Trade Commission
(ICE), the Italian Ministry for Productive
Activities (MAP) and ASTER Science,
Technology & Business Consortium.
During the event, which took place on May
3-4, major Italian and foreign universities,
research centers and R&D companies have the
opportunity to exhibit their technological
innovation proposals and close-to-marketapplication research results to entrepreneurs and
investors interested in supporting
technology transfer operations.
At this edition of the event the
Israeli delegation was composed of
two representatives from the Hebrew
University’s Faculty of Medicine, Prof.
Francesca Levi Schaffer and Prof. Shulamit
Katzav, and two representatives from Matimop,
the Israeli Industry Center for R&D, Ms. Ilana
Gross and Ms. Merav Tapiero.
The Hebrew University exhibited a project
aimed at identification of novel therapeutic
targets on mast cells, eosinphils and basophils
for the suppression of chronic allergic and
inflammatory diseases. Matimop presented its
activity of encouraging and assisting
participation of Israeli companies in international
bilateral or multi-lateral cooperation programs
for industrial R&D.
www.rtob.it <>
3
Edited by:
The Embassy of Italy in Israel
( E c o n o m i c a n d C o m m e rc i a l O f fi c e )
Trade Tower, 25 HaMered Street, Tel Aviv 68125
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www.ambtelaviv.esteri.it Sportellounico.telaviv@esteri.it
Hon. Fausto Bertinotti visits Israel
Michelangelo Pistoletto awarded 2007 Wolf Prize
Haifa’s Italian Hospital celebrates centenary
Embassy promotes cooperation in neuroscience
Preserving the ‘White City’
Technion hosts shape modeling conference
New materials for industry
Israel attends R2B expo
Remembering Luigi Luzzatti
Exodus: Ada’s Dream
Jerusalem meets Piedmont
Lazio Region goes kosher
Talks on economic theory
Italian language studies in Israeli schools
Professional Women of the Year
New citizens of Italy
Mentalscapes art expo
From Italy with love
The ‘Infidel’ visits Tel Aviv
Events in Israel
Pantomime Festival in the Galilee
Events at the Nahon Museum
Events in Italy
Italian trade fair calendar
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NOTIZIE ITALIANE
May 2007
Remembering Luigi Luzzatti, 1841-1927
honoring Luigi
A conference
Luzzatti (photo), the only
Jewish Prime Minister of Italy,
was held in Jerusalem on March
19-20.
The two day conference,
entitled ‘Luigi Luzzatti: from
Venice’s Jewish community to the
leadership of Italy’ was organized
by the Italian Cultural Institute of
Tel Aviv on the occasion of the
80th anniversary of the death of
the Italian politician, in
collaboration with the the Hebrew University’s
‘Forum Europa’ and the Center for Italian Studies
of the Nahon Museum of Italian Jewish Art in
Jerusalem.
Among the guests at the opening session,
attended by Ambassador Sandro De Bernardin,
were Luisa Franchetti Nahon, Luzzatti’s
granddaughter .
The proceedings were opened by Prof
Sandro Franchini of the Istituto Veneto di
Scienze Lettere e Arti, which houses the Luzzatti
archives, who traced the significance of the
archive as a record of Italian history. He was
followed by Prof. Carlo Ghisalberti of Rome’s
‘La Sapienza’ University, who
outlined Luzzatti’s political profile;
Prof. Annibale Zambarbieri of
Pavia University, who spoke about
Luzzatti’s ideas on freedom,
religion and unity; Prof. Amos
Luzzatto, who presented a picture
of ‘Luzzatti as Venetian and Jew’
and Prof. Ester Capuzzo, on
Luzzatti’s mixed identity ‘between
Judaism and secularism’.
Israeli academics participating
in the event included Prof Sergio
Della Pergola of the Hebrew University, who
spoke of the situation of the Jews in Europe
during Luzzatti’s period; Amb. Sergio Minerbi,
who brought to light new documents outlining
Luzzatti’s relations with the first Zionists and
Dr. Sergio La Porta, who described Luzzatti’s
support for the Armenian community. Several
members of Jerusalem’s Armenian community
attended this lecture.
Coordinating the proceedings was Simonetta
Della Seta, Director of the Italian Cultural
Institute of Tel Aviv, who is also an expert on
contemporary Jewish history. <>
Jerusalem meets Piedmont
committee
A heof theJerusalem
Dante Alighieri
Society has undertaken a
campaign promoting the history
and culture of the Piedmont
Region.
The promotional campaign
includes the display of images
and the projection of films
documenting the region’s most
significant attractions, its art, its
Jewish population centers, and
its attraction for admirers of fine
cuisine.
The campaign opened with a conference at
the Van Leer Institute entitled ‘Jerusalem meets
Piedmont’, which was attended by Ambassador
Sandro De Bernardin and by
Simonetta Della Seta, director
of the Italian Cultural Institute,
and included an audience of
around 300 guests interested in
a deeper acquaintance with a
region of Italy little known in
Israel.
Three further sessions
followed the opening ceremony,
which ended with a tasting of
typical dishes representing
Piedmontese culinary art.
A trip to the Piedmont region
on May 27, organized by the Dante Alighieri
Society of Jerusalem, concluded the
campaign.<>
Exodus: Ada’s Dream
of Yom Hashoah last April
O n16,thetheoccasion
Italian Cultural Institute screened
the television production of ‘Exodus: Ada’s
Dream’, which was first shown on Italian state
television, RAI, during the ceremonies for this
year’s European Remembrance Day on
January 27.
The fictional
film is inspired
by the story of
Ada Sereni, the
Italian Jewish
heroine and
Israeli agent who
helped thousands
of Jewish
refugees on their
way to Palestine
during the Aliàh
Bet period
following World
War II.
Although the film is not an historically or
factually accurate account of Sereni’s activities,
the producers chose to use Ada’s name together
with some references to the book The
Clandestine Sea, in which Sereni recounts the
story of her actions in rescuing Jewish refugees
passing through Italy on their way to Palestine.
A member of Rome’s Jewish community
who joined the ranks of the postwar pioneers
who established the state of Israel, Ada Sereni
was an extraordinary woman and wife of Enzo
Sereni, who was captured and murdered in
Dachau following his parachuting into occupied
Italy during the war to report on the situation
of the Jews there. Despite her husband’s tragic
end Ada Sereni, a passionate humanist, returned
to Italy after the war to assist Jewish refugees
on their way to Palestine, fighting against
restrictions on immigration imposed by
authorities of the British Mandate.
The Sereni family, now mostly living in
Israel, professed not to recognize the character
in the film as their Ada but agreed that Monica
Guerritore proved her brilliant acting as the
heroine of the film. By seeing such films Italians
are becoming increasingly aware of relatively
unknown but important chapters in their
history.<>
Lazio Region goes kosher
first group of companies able to supply
T hekosher
products from the Lazio Region
has been established. The aim of this initiative
is to open up national and international
markets for quality kosher goods from the area,
to support Lazio’s producers in obtaining
kashrut certification for their products and to
promote and publicize the group’s activities.
Traditionally, certification for the relatively
small production of Kosher products from the
Lazio region has been the responsibility of the
local Rabbinate, but in light of numerous
requests from the local and international wine
and oil sectors to increase production of kosher
goods from Lazio, it was considered necessary
to provide a comprehensive Kashrut certification
that would permit Jewish communities
everywhere to consume products originating in
Lazio.
“The ‘Made in Lazio’ group,” explained
Regional President Piero Marrazzo, “wishes
to become the international ambassador for
4
kosher products and must assure that goods
originating from the region are certified by a
source that can be trusted in all of Europe, the
US and Israel.” The Region’s Agriculture
Secretary Daniela Valentini added that “goods
will be guaranteed by the introduction of a new
certification and a recognized brand name that
will assure consumers that products have been
produced according to halachic requirements.”<>
NOTIZIE ITALIANE
May 2007
Talks on economic theory
April 1 the General Secretary of the
O nUnion
of Italian Workers (Uil), Luigi
Angeletti, visited the Hebrew University of
Jerusalem, where he was hosted by President
Menahem Magidor, University Rector Prof.
Haim Rabinowitz and Governor Adv. Oreste
Bisazza Terracini.
The meeting between representatives of the
two institutions, part of ongoing ties that stretch
over a long period and include contacts with the
Histadrut, was designed to explore ways towards
developing mutually beneficial future projects.
“Contacts between Uil and Israel have
developed over decades and are destined
to strengthen,” said Angeletti.
Mr. Angeletti, accompanied by Uil
Treasurer Rocco Carannante, also held
an informal meeting with Prof. Daniel
Paserman of the University’s
Department of Economic Studies, Prof.
Francesca Levi-Schaffer of the
Department of Pharmacology and a group
of students, for discussions on economics,
employment and the effects of Mr. Angeletti, left, during his visit to the Hebrew University
globalization on international stability.
Governor Bisazza to propose a term seminar
The success of this meeting prompted
led by Mr. Angeletti on the subjects discussed.<>
Italian language studies return to Israeli schools New citizens of Italy
the beginning of the 2006-2007
S ince
academic year the Italian Cultural
Institutes have been involved in an important
promotional campaign aimed at reinserting
the study of the Italian language into the Israeli
secondary school curricula.
The initiative was undertaken by Simonetta
Della Seta, Director of the Italian Cultural
Institute (IIC) of Tel Aviv, on the basis of studies
that demonstrate a growing demand for the study
of Italian language and culture by the Israeli
public, which includes over 10,000 Italians and
Israelis of Italian origin, and their children, as
well as a similar number of other Israelis who
have studied in Italian universities. In fact to
cope with increased demand the IIC recently
opened four new language courses for children
in Jerusalem.
Building on these developments the IIC also
decided to open and temporarily finance 6 pilot
projects involving selected schools that wish to
include the study of Italian language and culture
in their syllabuses.
The six schools are located in different parts
of Israel and include Ironi Dalet of Tel Aviv,
Hadarim in Hod Hasharon, the Um-el-Fahm
High School, the Carmelit and Leo Beck schools
in Haifa and the Menachem Begin High School
in Eilat.
It is hoped that these projects will eventually
lead to the recognition of the study of Italian
language and culture as subjects for inclusion
in Israel’s matriculation exams (bagrut).
To serve this purpose the Italian Foreign
Ministry, in collaboration with the Università
per Stranieri of Siena has published a text for
the teaching of the Italian language in foreign
secondary schools which has been edited in a
Hebrew version.
The state of relations between the IIC and
Israel’s Ministry of Education has been further
strengthened by the latter’s recent agreement to
allow soldiers to use their release grants for the
study of Italian in IIC schools, which serve
approximately 4000 students all over the
country.<>
I
talian nationalities were conferred on
thirteen Israelis in a moving ceremony
at the Embassy on April 13.
The 13 ‘new Italians’ were welcomed by Adv.
Beniamino Lazar, President of COMITES,
before being sworn in by Ambassador
Sandro De Bernardin. Offering his
congratulations to the new Italian citizens,
the Ambassador expressed his confidence
that they would become goodwill
ambassadors for Italy in Israel.<>
Professional Women of the Year
the Association of Women in
N éta,
Management, Business and
Technology, held its annual contest and
ceremony to select the ‘Professional Women
of the Year’ at the Italian Residence on March
22 hosted by Ambassador Sandro De
Bernardin and his wife Anna.
The contest was designed to select
professional women who can function as role
models for the younger generation. The
ceremony was introduced by Mrs. Anna De
Bernardin and emceed by Mrs. Levana
Zamir, President of Néta.
The three women awarded the honors were
Anat Kokhva, Clinical Communications,
Founder of ‘Hedim’ Audiology Institutes;
Marga Segal, Director General, ORT High
Schools, Kiryat Motzkin and Sima Koushnir,
Ambassador Sandro De Bernardin and his wife Anna with Levana
Zamir, President of Néta, and the finalists of the Professional
Women of the Year contest
Chief Engineer of Rishon-Lezion.
Néta, the association for the advancement
of women in management, business and
5
technology, is an active N.G.O. forum of more
than 3,500 members all over Israel, which
meets from time to time to make new contacts,
share problems and help each other when
necessary.
Néta has its own bulletin in Hebrew,
appearing once a year, and holds conferences
at international workshops and the U.N.
Conferences on the status of women.
The organization attended the U.N. Decade
of Women in Nairobi 1985, The U.N.
Conference of Beijing 1995, in Venice in 1996
and in Lucerne in 2006.
The aim of these initiatives is to exchange
experiences with similar forums from other
countries and to adopt effective tools and
strategies to advance the status of women.<>
NOTIZIE ITALIANE
Italian
Cultural
Institute
May 2007
Tel.
03-5161361
From Italy with love
I
nitiatives
promoted in
Be’er-sheva by the
Italian Embassy and
Cultural Institute
concluded in March
with a series of three
concerts in the city’s
music conservatory,
entitled ‘Dall’Italia con
amore’, that featured
the Israel Sinfonietta
under Italian conductor Massimiliano Caldi
(photo) and including the flutist Mario
Carbotta.
Present at the gala opening night on March
13 were Ambassador Sandro De Bernardin
and the Director of the Italian Cultural Institute
of Tel Aviv Simonetta Della Seta, who were
joined by the Rector of Be’er-sheva University
Prof. Jimmy Weinblatt,
the city’s recently
appointed Italian consul
Dr. Blima Sztorchain,
as well as
represesentatives of the
city’s municipality,
numerous local
dignitaries and assorted
friends of Italy. On the
program were works by
Mozart and
Mendelssohn
At the post-concert reception offered by the
Italian Cultural Institute, the cultural
representative from Be’er-sheva’s Municipality,
Ori Inon, proposed the creation of an “Italian
corner” at the communal library, an idea
enthusiastically embraced by the
Ambassador.<>
Mentalscapes: A Journey through Italian
Contemporary Art
Mentalscapes: A Journey
through Italian
Contemporary Art’, a major art
exhibition promoted by the Italian
Cultural Institute in Tel Aviv and
curated by Prof. Demetrio
Paparoni, will be inaugurated at
the Tel Aviv Museum of Art on
July 19, where it will remain open
to the public until the end of
October. Thanks to a careful and
wide-ranging selection of artists
and quality works, the exhibition Giorgio de Chirico, Self Portrait (detail), 1924
will be one of the most important displays of
three sections: literary metaphysics, analytical
Italian art outside of Italy.
metaphysics and tragic irony. This classification
Mentalscapes analyzes the spirit of Italian
allows for an original identification of the
contemporary art and is conceived as a path
characteristics that distinguish Italian
through which all the works are connected to
contemporary art and celebrating its
one another, grouped according to specific
uniqueness.
themes and not necessarily following a
Mentalscapes focuses from the Seventies
chronological order.
until today, but it will also present older works.
The curator has divided the exhibition into
Three major works will open each of its
sections: a work of Giorgio De
Chirico for the “literary
metaphysics”, one of Giorgio
Morandi for the “analytical
metaphysics” and one of Alberto
Savinio for the “tragic irony.”
Although the exhibition begins with
the Arte Povera (poor art), it will
display the works of artists from
previous decades whose teachings
have had a strong impact on the
development of the Italian
‘
Giorgio Morandi, Natura Morte (detail), 1951
6
The ‘Infidel’ visits
Tel Aviv
Lerner, host of Italian television’s
G adpolitical
talk show ‘L’Infedele’, made
a lightening trip to Israel during the Easter
holiday and met members of the Italian public
at the Italian Cultural Institute of Tel Aviv.
(from left) Simonetta Della Seta, Gad Lerner, Emanuela
Dviri
The theme of the discussion, held before
a large crowd of the writer and journalist’s
many admirers in Israel, centered on the
subject of Lerner’s latest book Tu sei un
bastardo (Feltrinelli), a controversial work
that deals with the abuse of identity. Lerner
maintains that man’s search for his origins and
for a personal identity is disrupted by his
adherence to groups, be they in religion, sport,
politics or social life, pulling him in a divisive
and contrary direction, creating an inauthentic
identity.
Joining in the lively debate were journalist
and writer Emanuela Dviri and the Director
of the Italian Cultural Institute Simonetta
Della Seta. Both younger and older members
of the audience were highly stimulated by
Lerner’s ideas and opinions on present
conditions in both Italy and Israel.<>
contemporary identity (Giorgio De Chirico,
Giacomo Balla, Umberto Boccioni, Filippo
Tommaso Marinetti, Lucio Fontana, Piero
Manzoni.)
The exhibition and the catalogue will
highlight the works belonging to the Tel Aviv
Museum of Art’s collection (Piero Manzoni,
Mimmo Palladino, Enzo Cucchi, Sandro Chia,
Claudio Parmiggiani). Many of the works were
donated by Arturo Schwarz, an Italian
intellectual who was among the founders of
the Museum and a strong supporter of this
initiative. Particular attention will also be given
to the works of Israeli private galleries
(Michelangelo Pistoletto, Liliana Moro) and
private collectors.
One of the most important aspects at the
heart of the project of Mentalscapes is the idea
that the exhibition should serve as a meeting
point between Italian and Israeli culture, not
only on classical subjects but also on
contemporary expressions. <>
NOTIZIE ITALIANE
Events in Israel
Musica Ficta at the Israel Festival
June 2, Jerusalem
This superb
I t a l i a n
ensemble of
nine vocalists,
conducted by
A n d r e a
Angelini, is
performing at
the Festival for
the first time. Musica Ficta specializes in
religious and polyphonic vocal compositions,
placing special emphasis on the Renaissance
period. The program includes choral works by
Palestrina, Victoria, Lobo, Guerrero and Morales.
www.israel-festival.org.il
International Film Festival
5-14 July, Jerusalem
La masseria delle allodole,
a film by Paolo and Vittorio
Taviani, heads the list of
Italian movies at the the 24th
edition of the prestigious
Jerusalem International
Film Festival. A film by
director Vittorio De Seta
will also be screened.
www.jff.org.il
Montedidio
18 July, Haifa
A theatrical elaboration of Erri De Luca’s novel,
set in the Naples district of the title, directed by
Dani Horovitz, with Claudia Della Seta, Izik
Vaingarten and Albert Eiloz.
At the première, Erri De Luca will converse
with Dani Horovitz.
www.haifa-theatre.co.il
Puccini: Il Trittico
From June 21, Tel Aviv
Production by the Opera
of Nice of Puccini’s trilogy
comprising Il tabarro, Suor
Angelica and Gianni
Schicchi, three short
operas in one evening
about three powerful
women, in plots
combining love, unfaithfulness and murder.
Directed by Giancarlo del Monaco.
www.israel-opera.co.il
Journey through Italian
Contemporary Art
From 19 July, Tel Aviv
Mentalscapes: a
journey through Italian
contemporary art,
curated by Demetrio
Paparoni, analyzes the
spirit of Italian
contemporary art
through a selection of Francesco Clemente,
works by fifty Italian Grisaille Self-Portrait, 1997
artists (see p. 6). (Nicoló Cardi Collection,
www.tamuseum.com Milan)
Tel. 03-5162151
Summer at the Museum of Italian
Jewish Art June-August, 2007
Exhibition: the Italian Marriage
June 14
Exhibition of recent
additions to the museum’s
collection, including 100year-old bridal dresses,
wedding pictures from a
19 th century family
album, Ketubot and
ancient love songs
illustrate the special
nature of marriage in
Italian Jewish culture.
Italian Style
Marriage
June 14
Special event, part of the
Hebrew Book Week,
celebrating the
publication of the book
‘Italian Style Marriage’, by Ronni Weinstein.
On the program a guided tour of the “Italian
Marriage” exhibition; a short lecture by Dr.
David Malchiel about the customs of the Italian
Jewish marriage; Italian love song concert
preformed by the Italian singer Valeria Fubini,
accompanied by pianist Sonya Mazar.
Tickets: NIS 50
Sixth Italian Arts Festival
August 14 - 16
Va r i e t y o f
cultural events
showing ItalianJewish culture
through music
and art,
including
performances of Italian theater of various kinds,
delicacies from the best Italian restaurants,
workshops for children, pasta-making on the
May 2007
Pantomime Festival in the Galilee
On April 18 Ambassador Sandro De
Bernardin inaugurated the third edition of
Shefa-amar (Shfar’am) Pantomime
Festival, organized by the Haifa branch of
the Italian Cultural Institute together with
the Zidan Salama Pantomime School, the
leading professional Arab institution of its
kind in Israel. Parts of the festival were also
presented in Haifa.
Present at the occasion were Mayor Anis
Michel, Knesset member Mohammad
Barakeh, Ministry of Education official
Mwafaq Khoury as well as a number of
foreign diplomatic personnel.
Italian performers invited to the event
included the ‘Dynamo3’ theater company,
established in Naples by Oscar Valsecchi,
Valentina Temussi and Arianna D’Angiò,
which presented a surrealistic show entitled
Voli Interrotti, a freely based adaptation in
music, dance and pantomime of Fellini’s
Viaggio di G. Mastorna. The performance,
first shown in Naples last year, had its foreign
premiere at the festival.
In his remarks the Ambassador outlined
the Embassy’s support for and efforts on
behalf of the many Arab-Israeli students who
choose to study at Italian universities, part
of a broader overall strategy aimed at
introducing Arab areas in the north of the
country to Italian language and culture. Shefaamer, population 35,000, is composed mainly
of Muslims, Christians and Druse. <>
Metamorphosis - Purim event in
Jerusalem
Thirty thousand
merrymakers
celebrated the
Purim holiday
on Hillel Street
in Jerusalem on
March 5. The
event, the first of its kind in Jerusalem and
designed to resemble the famous Venice
Carnival, was initiated and produced by the
Museum of Italian Jewish Art. The street was
lit with wonderful colors, the work of lighting
artist Gil Teichman, climaxing in a
performance by the renowned band Hadag
Nachash and a block party with thousands
of Jerusalem’s youth. <>
spot, and a breathtaking exhibition at the
museum. The old museum piazza will become
Italy in the heart of Jerusalem during three
summer days full of joy and beauty. <>
27, Hillel st., Jerusalem Tel: 02-6241610 Fax: 02-6253480 www.jija.org jija@netvision.net.il
7
NOTIZIE ITALIANE
May 2007
Events in Italy
I Macchiaioli: Sentimento del vero
Through June 10
An itinerary of more than 100 works which
trace and explain the original and rigorous
relationship of the Macchiaioli with the
‘principles of truth’. At Palazzo Bricherasio,
Turin.
www.palazzobricherasio.it
Kandinsky and Abstractionism in Italy
Through June 24
The influence of Kandinsky’s abstract Italian
art in the twenty years between 1930 and 1950
is clearly seen in this exhibition of about 170
works by 52 different artists, at Palazzo Reale,
Milan.
www.comune.milano.it
Maggio Musicale Fiorentino
Through 30 June
A rich variety of
opera, concerts and
ballet at the 70 th
edition of this world
famous music
festival, with the
participation of
Zubin Mehta,
Riccardo Muti,
Daniel Barenboim,
the Béjart Ballet
and a host of other
Italian and international musical personalities
and institutions
www.maggiofiorentino.com
Ardengo Soffici: 100 years since his
return to Italy
Through July 8
In 1907 the
painter, writer
and critic
Ardengo Soffici
returned from
Paris to Italy,
where his very
personal and
creative
adventure
b eg a n . T h i s
exhibition
celebrates the
centenary of his
return with original documents, books,
magazines, photographs, letters and 50 works
painted in 1907, some of which will constitute
the Ardengo Soffici Permanent Exhibition to be
opened by the end this year.
www.comune.poggio-a-caiano.po.it
Spoleto Festival
29 June - 15 July
Situated in the green
heart of Umbria,
Spoleto is taken over
by a whirlwind of
artistic activity
during its annual
Festival dei Due
Mondi: enjoy
quality classical
music, theatre,
ballet, visual arts
and cinema in a
beautiful, romantic city that invites leisurely
strolls at dusk.
www.spoletofestival.it
Italian Trade Fair Calendar
5- 8 June, Verona
PULIRE
Industrial cleaning expo
www.pulire-it.com
6-9 June, Milan
MILANOCHECKUP
www.fieramilanotech.it
9-17 June, Trieste
FIERA D'ESTATE
Handicrafts and Tourism
www.fiera.trieste.it
Piero della Francesca and the Italian
Courts
Through 22 July
More than
100 works by
t
h
e
Renaissance
painter loaned
from the
Brera of
Milan, the
Pinacoteca
Nazionale,
Bologna, the
Uffizi, the
Bodleian
L i b r t a r y,
Oxford, and
the Louvre.
Among the works on display is the Urbino Dukes
Diptych, 1465 (photo).
www.mostrapierodellafrancesca.it
Piero Manzoni
Through September 24
Manzoni had
a short but
very active
career
between
1956 and his
death in
1963 at the
age of 29.
This show
brings
together 250
works by Manzoni, including the white paintings
he called Achromes, and a series of works made
from materials such as plaster, raw cotton and
fiberglass.
Museo d’Arte Contemporanea Donna Regina,
Naples.
www.museomadre.it
June - July, 2007
15- 24 June, Naples
CAMPIONARIA
D'OLTREMARE
International trade fair
www.mostradoltremare.it
20- 23 June, Florence
PITTI IMMAGINE UOMO
Menswear
www.pittimmagine.com
24- 29, June, Milan
MILANO MODA UOMO
Menswear
www.cameramoda.it
16- 19 June, Riva del Garda
EXPO RIVA SHUH
Footwear and components
www.exporivaschuh.it
22- 25 June, Milan
SPOSAITALIA
COLLEZIONI
Bridal and ceremonial clothes
www.sposaitalia.com
29 June – 01 July, Florence
PITTI IMMAGINE BIMBO
Children's wear
www.pittimmagine.com
8