Israel Festival 2026 Celebrates 65 Years With Ninet, Berry Sakharof, and Hostage Survivor Sagie Dekel-Han

The Israel Festival will open its 2026 edition on July 28 and run until August 20, marking 65 years since its founding. The festival will feature dozens of original productions with hundreds of artists, creators, and cultural figures, taking place primarily in Jerusalem alongside events in the western Negev and northern Israel.

Key performances include "Love Music," a collaboration between singer Dikla and choreographer Yasmin Goder, and "On a Tightrope," an aerial art piece above the Hinnom Valley honoring a historic 1987 tightrope walk by French artist Philippe Petit. The program also highlights "Talpiot Hip Hop," which brings together the Jerusalem street orchestra with prominent local rappers such as Tamir Muskat, Jimbo J, Teddy Neguse, Eden Derso, and Balkan Beat Box.

Another musical highlight is "Sonic Blue," an original show created for the festival by international musician and producer Rejoicer, featuring Gal Toren, Reef Cohen, and Shay Tzabari. In dance and theater, the festival will present "All the Winds," a joint work by seven choreographers exploring the theme of war; "Peter Leaves," centered on a lead character created and operated through artificial intelligence; and "Extras," where four actors portray film extras who repeatedly died on set and now take center stage.

The festival will also host VERSE, a two-day art event in collaboration with the Aner Shapira Association, featuring Ehud Banai, Ninet Tayeb, Berry Sakharof, Fala Ozen, Hasan MC, and other artists and social activists. A notable event will be held at Kibbutz Nir Oz, where hostage survivor Sagie Dekel-Han, freed after 498 days in Hamas captivity, will perform nine songs he wrote and composed during his imprisonment for the first time.

Additional projects include "Peace Demand 2026," a tribute to designer David Tartakover. The festival continues its tradition of blending innovative artistic expressions with significant cultural and historical reflections.