Join us for a showing of the next episode of Heritage: Civilization and the Jews.  This award winning documentary series follows the history of the Jews from its earliest roots to modern times.

The episode we are seeing is called Roads from the Ghetto.  It covers the struggles for the enfranchisement of the Jews and other minorities.  In country after country for a brief time following the conquest of Napoleon – in Italy, Germany, Austria, Hungary – medieval restrictions were swept aside and political rights were granted to all.  For about a decade, until the collapse of napoleon’s empire, Jews were offered political equality and citizenship in the nations of Europe.  The program also documents the infamous Dreyfus case in France, which served as a springboard for “anti-Semitism”; the birth of Zionism and other modern expressions of Judaism; and the waves of Jewish emigration from Europe toward the end of the 19^th century.

We have a treat for you this month.  The Embassy of Israel invites you to an evening with Kobi Oshrat and Karin Shifrin.

Kobi Oshrat

Kobi Oshran is an award –winning composer, arranger and conductor of music who has gained widespread international acclaim during his 40 year career.  He has composed over 1000 compositions for orchestras, musicals, theater, film, television and commercials.

He has written for many leading Israeli artists. Among them Ofra Haza, Hava Alberstein, Shoshana Damari, Riki Gal, Shlomo Artsi, Gali Atari, Arik Lavie, Yehoram Gaon , Ilanit, Yizhar Cohen, Ninet along with many others and won the title of “Composer of the year” for three years in a row. In 1973 he wrote and produced musically and played in the mythological children TV show “Rosh Cruv” (mitt head)/ many of his children songs have become classics.

He is perhaps best  known as the composer of “Hallelujah”, the song which won him first prize at the 1979 Eurovision Song Contest. “Hallelujah” has since been recorded in more then 400 versions worldwide. The most famous of which is certainly the rendition performed by Eddie Gorme and Steave Lawrence. Mr. Oshrat represented Israel four more times in the Eurovision Song Contest. In 1985 in Norway with the song “Ole Ole”, in 1987 in Belgium with the song “Hupa Hole”, in 1991 in Italy with the song “Kaan” and in 1992 in Sweden with the song ” Ze Rak Sport”(it’s only sport).

Kobi Oshrat produced the work “The Paint Box” for the occasion of the 1994 Nobel Prize Ceremony honoring the late Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and President Shimon Peres (then the foreign Minister) with the world’s most prestigious humanitarian award, the Nobel Prize.

As an acknowledged leader within the Israeli cultural life, Mr Kobi Oshrat has undertaken a wide variety of other creative projects. He composed for the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra on the occasion of Jerusalem’s 3000th Anniversary Celebration, and served as the Musical Director for Israeli’s Holon Theater.

Karin Shifrin

Mezzo Soprano Karin Shifrin, is one of the leading classical singers in Israel. She regularly performs Opera, Lied and musical theater. She has been repeatedly praised for her remarkable musical characteristics, brilliant acting and her broad repertoire, as well as her versatile interpretation of contemporary work.

By the age of 25, Shifrin has performed under batons of Maestro Zubin Mehta, Violinist and conductor Shlomo Minz, Maestro Salvador Brotons and many great others.

Since that same year, she performs at The New Israeli Opera.

Her first role was the 2nd lady in The magic flute. She has performed several dramatic roles since, including contemporary opera’s by Israeli composers.

Shifrin has performed with some of the world’s great orchestras such as: The Victoria Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra del teatro comulale di bologna, The Israeli Philharmonic Orchestra, Kasakhstan philharmonic Oechestra and others.

She holds many notable prizes and achievements at the world’s greatest vocal and Opera competitions, among them:  The Hans Gabor belvedere competition in Vienna and Montserat Caballe international Opera competition in Spain.

Nowadays, she is performing regularly in The New Israeli Opera, the Opera Camera and the Opera fringe ensemble as well as performing classic and modern repertoire with orchestras in Israel. She is also recording her second CD.

7.00pm, Sunday 8 July 2012

Old St Paul’s Cathedral
Pipitea,
Wellington 6011

7.00pm, Tuesday 10 July 2012

Rangi Ruru Girls’ College
59 Hewitts Road, Merivale,
Christchurch 8014

Admission is free

RSVP to heb-sec@wellington.mfa.gov.il

We have a treat for you this month.  The Embassy of Israel invites you to an evening with Kobi Oshrat and Karin Shifrin.

Kobi Oshrat

Kobi Oshran is an award –winning composer, arranger and conductor of music who has gained widespread international acclaim during his 40 year career.  He has composed over 1000 compositions for orchestras, musicals, theater, film, television and commercials.

He has written for many leading Israeli artists. Among them Ofra Haza, Hava Alberstein, Shoshana Damari, Riki Gal, Shlomo Artsi, Gali Atari, Arik Lavie, Yehoram Gaon , Ilanit, Yizhar Cohen, Ninet along with many others and won the title of “Composer of the year” for three years in a row. In 1973 he wrote and produced musically and played in the mythological children TV show “Rosh Cruv” (mitt head)/ many of his children songs have become classics.

He is perhaps best  known as the composer of “Hallelujah”, the song which won him first prize at the 1979 Eurovision Song Contest. “Hallelujah” has since been recorded in more then 400 versions worldwide. The most famous of which is certainly the rendition performed by Eddie Gorme and Steave Lawrence. Mr. Oshrat represented Israel four more times in the Eurovision Song Contest. In 1985 in Norway with the song “Ole Ole”, in 1987 in Belgium with the song “Hupa Hole”, in 1991 in Italy with the song “Kaan” and in 1992 in Sweden with the song ” Ze Rak Sport”(it’s only sport).

Kobi Oshrat produced the work “The Paint Box” for the occasion of the 1994 Nobel Prize Ceremony honoring the late Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and President Shimon Peres (then the foreign Minister) with the world’s most prestigious humanitarian award, the Nobel Prize.

As an acknowledged leader within the Israeli cultural life, Mr Kobi Oshrat has undertaken a wide variety of other creative projects. He composed for the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra on the occasion of Jerusalem’s 3000th Anniversary Celebration, and served as the Musical Director for Israeli’s Holon Theater.

Karin Shifrin

Mezzo Soprano Karin Shifrin, is one of the leading classical singers in Israel. She regularly performs Opera, Lied and musical theater. She has been repeatedly praised for her remarkable musical characteristics, brilliant acting and her broad repertoire, as well as her versatile interpretation of contemporary work.

By the age of 25, Shifrin has performed under batons of Maestro Zubin Mehta, Violinist and conductor Shlomo Minz, Maestro Salvador Brotons and many great others.

Since that same year, she performs at The New Israeli Opera.

Her first role was the 2nd lady in The magic flute. She has performed several dramatic roles since, including contemporary opera’s by Israeli composers.

Shifrin has performed with some of the world’s great orchestras such as: The Victoria Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra del teatro comulale di bologna, The Israeli Philharmonic Orchestra, Kasakhstan philharmonic Oechestra and others.

She holds many notable prizes and achievements at the world’s greatest vocal and Opera competitions, among them:  The Hans Gabor belvedere competition in Vienna and Montserat Caballe international Opera competition in Spain.

Nowadays, she is performing regularly in The New Israeli Opera, the Opera Camera and the Opera fringe ensemble as well as performing classic and modern repertoire with orchestras in Israel. She is also recording her second CD.

7.00pm, Sunday 8 July 2012

Old St Paul’s Cathedral
Pipitea,
Wellington 6011

7.00pm, Tuesday 10 July 2012

Rangi Ruru Girls’ College
59 Hewitts Road, Merivale,
Christchurch 8014

Admission is free

RSVP to heb-sec@wellington.mfa.gov.il

Many of our members are Christians and Christians have been staunch advocates for Israel the Western World.

However opinions are divided even amongst Christians as to the continuing relevance of Israel, the land, to Christians and their identity.

A few weeks ago, Laidlaw College hosted Stephen Sizer a vocal critic of Israel’s human rights record and Christian who believes that Israel has no particular relevance to Christians anymore.

This month Laidlaw is hosting a public lecture from Bob Mendelssohn who’s views are different again.

ABOUT THE SPEAKER

Bob Mendelsohn was raised as an Orthodox Jew in Kansas City and came to faith in Jesus in 1971. After graduating from the University of Kansas with a Bachelor of Science in Education in 1971 Bob worked as a high school maths teacher and became the founding pastor of a local church. Bob and his wife Patty also have Masters Degrees in Missiology from the Fuller School of World Mission in Pasadena, California.

Since 1979, Bob has worked with Jews for Jesus (an organisation which proclaims Jesus is the Messiah of Israel and Saviour of the world) in San Francisco, Washington DC, New York City and Chicago. In 1998 he was appointed National Director of Jews for Jesus, Australia. He is a gifted speaker and serves on the boards of national and international societies involved in Christian causes.

DISCLAIMER

Bob’s views, though shared by many members of NZFOI are not the official view of the Association.

It’s that time of the year again.  We’ve had an eventful year and this meeting is a great opportunity to have your say in the future focus and activities of the Association.

Nominations are being invited from members for candidates to stand as members of the NZFOI committee.

Please consider who you would like to serve on the committee and if they are agreeable please submit your nomination by 10 June 2012.

It’s that time of the year again.  We’ve had an eventful year and this meeting is a great opportunity to have your say in the future focus and activities of the Association.

Nominations are being invited from members for candidates to stand as members of the NZFOI committee.

Please consider who you would like to serve on the committee and if they are agreeable please submit your nomination by 10 September 2014.

The annual report can be downloaded from here.