Mark the date / This week in Israel

The clash of architectures, Tel Aviv, June 9

The tension between Jaffa and Tel Aviv - two entities that are united in the municipal sense but separated culturally, socially and economically - will be at the center of a symposium held today at the Land of Israel Museum in Ramat Aviv. The symposium, which will begin at 9 A.M. and end at 7 P.M., is part of Tel Aviv's centenary celebrations and is being held under the auspices of the European Union, together with the Shenkar School of Engineering and Design and the Israeli Association of United Architects. The conference will be divided into three sessions: on strategic and design aspects using new technology, taking into account ethnic and cultural considerations; on the relationship between tradition and history in various cities; and on case studies from around the world to define a contemporary approach to combining architecture and urban design with broad socio-political aims. Admission free. (Noam Dvir)

Hebrew Book Week, June 10

b Tonight between 7:30 P.M. and 9:30 P.M., the College of Management in Rishon Lezion (7 Yitzhak Rabin Boulevard) will hold a symposium on Israeli cookery literature. Gil Hovav will speak about the stories behind the recipes, "popular" cookbooks and the effect of television programs on cookbooks. Benny Saida will tell how a cookbook is born; Tami Sirkis-Ackerman will give a personal perspective from between the pots and the books. Ofra Tene, a sociologist from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, will talk about "Recipes for Identity: How Israeli Society is Depicted in Cookbooks." Admission free.

b Tomorrow, Tel Aviv City Hall will mark the opening of Hebrew Book Week with a series of events in cafes throughout town, organized by Nissim Calderon, Yuval Meskin and Haya Arami. At Cafe Yaffo several artists - including Hannah Meron, Sari Guttman, Ori Bernstein, Michal Rovner, Yehoshua Sobol and Shlomi Shaban - will talk about their literary and musical loves. Cafe Xray will host an event in the tradition of Cafe Cassit, in which Sinilga Eisenschreiber Penn, daughter of poet Alexander Penn, and Shlomo Bar-Shavit will participate. Sucar Cafe will feature an event called "Poets on Tel Aviv," with Dori Manor, Sivan Baskin, Uri Hollander and Eran Tzur. Additional literary events will be held at Cafe Bialik, Meshuga'at, Scuola, Sonia Getzl Shapira, Tazza d'Oro, Cafe Arlosorov and Cafe Niko.

b Starting tomorrow, the Holon Cinematheque will showcase a special project allowing Israeli writers to choose their favorite films. The films will then be screened at the Cinematheque throughout he month. Among the movies set to be screened are "Cinema Paradisio" (chosen by Ron Leshem), "Before Sunrise" and "Before Sunset" (chosen by Eshkol Nevo and others).

b On Thursday the Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel will hold a walking tour of Jerusalem's Yemin Moshe neighborhood, where poet Yehuda Amichai lived for many years. The tour, subject to a fee, will also include acting and singing. On Saturday, on the banks of the Yarkon in the Rosh Hatzippur Forest, a writing and illustrating workshop inspired by nature will be held by Miri Leshem-Pelly, an author and illustrator of children's books. Entry fee. Details and registration: The Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel, 03-638-8688, www.teva.org.il.

(Maya Sela, Itamar Zohar, Dana Schweppe and Irit Rosenblum

City of light, Jerusalem, June 10

The Festival of Light will kick off in Jerusalem's Old City tomorrow. The event will feature light installations, a display of art sculptures, outdoor musical performances, a floral installation and a performance by the Pyromania band. Thus, Jerusalem will join the list of cities that hold festivals of light, including Glasgow, Lyons, Lisbon and others.

During the festival, which will end June 16, dozens of buildings throughout the city will be illuminated - including at Safra Square, Tzahal Square, Jaffa Gate, the shaft of David's Tower, the Habonim Garden, the Walls Promenade, Zion Gate, the David's Tomb courtyard, Gan Hatkumah and elsewhere.

The festival will showcase both local and foreign artists, such as Paul Friedland, a physicist and kinetic light sculptor from Britain, who will show a gigantic work at the Davidson Center, symbolizing the past, the present and the future; as well as Spain's Daniel Canoger, who will display a collage on which flashes of light are screened in the German Church compound.

Festival activity hours: 7:30 P.M. to 11 P.M. on weekdays and on Saturday evening one hour after the end of the Sabbath. For additional information call the Jerusalem hotline at 106 or visit www.lightinjerusalem.org.il (in Hebrew). (Irit Rosenblum)

The sound of Shakespeare, Tel Aviv, June 13

William Shakespeare is the focus of an event that will be held at the Israel Opera House in Tel Aviv on June 13, when extracts from operas and arias from operas based on Shakespeare plays will be performed. The event will be moderated by Michael Eisenstadt, the Israel Opera's artistic coordinator.

Extracts from "Romeo and Juliet," "Othello" and "Hamlet" will be performed. Pianist Eitan Schmeisser will accompany Israel Opera soloists, including sopranos Ira Bertman, Hila Baggio, Lila Gretsova and Noa Danon, as well as mezzo-sopranos Rachel Frankel and Ayala Zimbler, tenor Guy Mannheim and baritone Vladimir Braun. (Zipi Shohat)

Let the Mitches rock you, Tel Aviv

June 10

A nonsense rock and roll band has to work harder than a plain old rock and roll band. It's not enough for it to be good but not funny. On the other hand, if it is funny but not good, it is a disaster. But if it is both good and funny, it is a delight.

Such was the last performance by the Polish band Mitch & Mitch about six months ago in Tel Aviv. The soloist, adorned with the sideburns of a 19th-century Polish noble, bantered amusingly and not tiresomely with the audience and the five "Mitches" (all the band's members are of course called Mitch) played light rock and roll, with segues into easy listening and music from westerns. Mitch & Mitch will return to Tel Aviv and will appear tomorrow at the Levontin 7 Club at 10 P.M. The event will be hosted by the wonderful Igor Krutogolov of the Kruzenshtern & Parohod band. (Ben Shalev)