The Grafidos Festival – the first Haredi graffiti funded in 2018 by the Jerusalem Foundation, the Mifal Hapayis Lottery and the Jerusalem Municipality, brought together seven artists, ultra-Orthodox and secular, and thousands of ultra-Orthodox children, who teamed up to paint a 12-meter-high wall in the heart of the Makor Baruch neighborhood. The project, curated by Dr. Naa Lea Cohen, is a unique artistic gem in the heart of the city of Jerusalem and an expression of the unusual life stories of various artists who collaborated for the first time for a joint project. The project’s success is also in its second edition in 2020 in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic leading to the creation of a wall in concert with events of the period in the ultra-orthodox sector and the formulation of an artistic-theatrical concept of telling what happens behind the scenes: the motivations, journeys and fascinating stories of conversion hidden behind the paintings and painters in the “The Shlter” (Miklat) Gallery. The gallery was established in 2003 by “Chozrim Be’Tshuva” (newly religious people) in Israel such as Rabbi Uri Zohar, Rabbi Ika Israeli and the late Rabbi Mordechai Arnon. Following their unique paths, the “Sprayback” performance will combine talented Nekuda Tova (Good Point) Theater and Or Hozer (Returning Light) playback actors responding to the artists’ stories and open up to the general audience.
Artistic Director: Noa Cohen
