Turning a Jerusalem Mental Health Facility Into A Cultural Hub

One of the things I love most about this country is that when you have an idea or a dream, with enough imagination, resourcefulness and gumption you can actualize both. There is something to say about big fish in small ponds. Growing up in America introduced me to big fish in big ponds. Here, every project I embark upon seems to have more weight than it did back in the US. In general, I believe that those who leave their lives overseas to move here must be visionaries. They must have the confidence to believe that they can begin a life in a new strange land with a strange language, a strange culture and a different way of life. Being a visionary requires a high level of confidence that things will just work out. My hat goes off to all of us who took that leap.

Keeping in mind the visionaries that have come home to Israel, there are of course many visionaries who were born here some who stick out more than the rest. One of these visionaries is Adam Yahin, the founder of the Dancing Ram Theater, creator of the largest puppets in Israel some stretching over 10 feet in the air and manipulated sometimes with many puppeteers. Adam’s puppets speak Hebrew, Arabic and English and perform in every type of neighborhood throughout the country. They have brought together communities in a way that only art and theater can.

Now on to his latest venture which includes me. Adam discovered a very unusual Mental Health facility in Har Nof that was once an Arab Village, transformed into a healing facility in 1951. This happened when over a year ago he came to visit a close friend who had recently been hospitalized there. Kfar Shaul is one of the largest and absolutely the most picturesque mental health facilities in the country. Patients can come for short periods of time to deal with an acute issue or can stay for months and even years until they are hopefully balanced enough to face the real world.  Adam’s vision was to take away the stigma of mental illness and of these hospital grounds that service this population where there is almost no family in Israel that has not been affected by some sort of trauma. And of course, the best way to lure people into uncharted and stigmatized grounds is through the Arts. With this in mind, Adam dreamed of bringing the Arts to them, which is exactly what he did and continues to do.

The Market Hedghogs performing at the Kfar Shaul in May. Photo taken by Tracey Shipley

Last summer Adam proved during his three-day 360 Theater Festival that he could bring multiple actors to a mental health facility and not only bring joy and excitement to the patients but also invite the population at large to join the fest. Hundreds of onlookers were allowed to enter the grounds of The Kvar Shaul Mental facility without a prior appointment for the first time since the hospital was opened decades before.

The results were magical and the funders of the project- The Jerusalem Foundation and The City of Jerusalem were thrilled over the results encouraging the continued support of the Jerusalem Foundation in an ongoing project featuring theater performances throughout the spring and summer open to the patients and audiences at large. I was thrilled when Adam gave me the opportunity to bring my music festivals into the fray as well. We quickly discovered that no matter what kind of music was being performed, the audience loved the experience.

Due to the great success of the first 360 festival, Adam is doing it once again. “Over thirty productions will occur on these very grounds” Adam explained pointing out the various places where the performances will happen. Starting this week, from the 16-18 of July performances will be scattered around the grounds again open to the patients and audiences at large.

This year I have the honor of hosting the final show of the festival featuring the best of the Folk Music of the 60s and 70s. Over nine talented musicians and musical groups, mostly homegrown in Jerusalem, will be performing the best of Peter, Paul and Mary, Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchel, Cat Stevens and more. Beginning promptly at 8pm the music will happen on the large grassy area in the center of the therapeutic village.

For me and my music production company, this is our third event. We began with a Beatles Festival where well over 200 people attended from all over Israel. We followed with a Grateful Dead Fest and now a Folk Festival. Upcoming festivals will include another folk fest, this time featuring the well-acclaimed Sandy Cash and other music folk acts, a Woodstock festival and a Country/ Bluegrass Festival.

Hats off to Adam and his crew and to all who chose to embark on a journey into the stunning grounds of Kfar Shaul and participate in yet another magical event.

To see the schedule of the events check out the website; 360° Maalot festival at Kfar Shaul.

More than 250 onlookers at our Beatles Festival – photo by Tracey Shipley