Haifa • The holiday of holidays and the International Film Festival are coming together

(haipo) - The month of December brings a festive and special atmosphere to Haifa. The city is decorated with the symbols of the holidays, colored lights twinkle in the streets, seeking to remind that despite the challenges and difficulties we experience during the long months of war, and despite the ongoing uncertainty that so characterizes the period, there are also things that do not change, anchors that are a kind of remnants of normality, that sometimes come just in time

This year, for the first time ever, the two most important festivals of Haifa - the Holiday of the Holidays and the International Film Festival - will be held together. Combined with each other, they will combine into one huge festival of rich and colorful culture from the entire local and international spectrum.

the human spirit

The "Holiday of the Holidays" festival is exactly that: being one of Haifa's significant and unique cultural events, many Haifa residents and people from all over the country come to feel the exciting connection between religions and cultures, as only Haifa can offer.

This year, as mentioned, the festival contains an additional meaning, as it provides the audience with an opportunity to stop for a moment and see with their own eyes the bright spots in our lives. Haifa, which itself suffered damage during the past months, continues this magical tradition, an example and example of living together, proof of the power of the human spirit.

Connecting, even when less synchronized

The "Holiday of the Holidays" festival was founded in order to emphasize the uniqueness of Haifa as a city where Jews, Muslims and Christians live together. During the month of December, the symbols of the three religions, the Christian fir tree, the Jewish menorah and the Muslim crescent, come together to form a central decoration in the city, even when the holidays themselves do not coincide in the calendars.

There were years when the three holidays were indeed celebrated together - Hanukkah, Christmas and Ramadan, or other Muslim holidays, such as the Feast of Sacrifice or Eid al-Fitr. The next time the three holidays will meet in December is expected in 2031. Either way the message is clear: there is no need to synchronize dates to celebrate the shared spirit of love, brotherhood and mutual respect.

Illuminate even in difficult times

Still, the celebrations will be a little more modest, in light of the difficult and complex year that the country is going through. And the prices it exacted and still exacts in souls, and the many wounds it inflicted on many in the Israeli public, in soul and body. Many of us are still dealing with the loss of loved ones, with trauma and post-trauma, families are still waiting for the return of their abducted loved ones... and yet, alongside the pain present at every step and in full force, the Haifa festival brings a message of love, brotherhood, joy and hope.

The colorful holiday lights that fill Haifa will remind us that even in this difficult reality, it is possible and necessary to find within ourselves the joy and peace that are necessary in order for us to keep our sanity and be able to continue with our faces forward.

Through the music, the shows and the unique atmosphere, the organizers of the festival wish to give residents and visitors a light respite, a return to a shared life, a life of compassion and love, which is the basis for continuing our journey.

Haifa's festivals are coming together

this year, The "Holiday of Holidays" festival will be celebrated for the first time in conjunction with the International Film Festival, which was postponed due to the war. The joint events offer a rich and varied program that will light up the city in the spirit of the holiday, with activities for the whole family: festive candle lighting throughout Haifa, magical Christmas tours, the "Beit Galim" art festival, Hanukkah plays for children, and a wide variety of cultural and colorful events.

The mayor of Haifa, Yona Yahav, said: "Haifa is a city that embodies the unique cultural mosaic of Israel. The month of December is an opportunity for all of us to celebrate together, to get closer and get to know the amazing cultural diversity of the city. I invite the residents of Haifa and visitors from all over the country to come and enjoy extraordinary events in a festive and special atmosphere, which only exists in Haifa ".

The festival will include plenty of events and attractions

• Candle lighting events for families: Hanukkah celebrations throughout the city with holiday songs, donuts and shared joy.
• Christmas tours for families: Fascinating tours following the symbols of Christmas in the neighborhoods of Wadi Nisnas and the German colony.
• "Beit Galim" festival: A local art event with exhibitions, performances and meetings with local artists.
• Plays and shows for children: A variety of Hanukkah shows that will delight young and old alike.
• Tribute shows to cultural icons: Galit Giat in a performance in memory of Umm Kulthum, and the singer Akram Odeh in a performance in memory of Farid al-Atrash.
• A visit to Santa Claus' house: A magical experience for the whole family.

Light, colors and unity

From December 15, 2024 until January 15, 2025, The streets of Haifa will wear a spectacular suit: decorated fir trees, lighted menorahs and Muslim symbols that will adorn the central squares, such as the German Colony, Ben Gurion Boulevard and Wadi Nisnas Market. The organizers say that the decision to expand the festival celebrations is intended to give every resident of the city - child, adult or outsider - a place to feel part of the special fabric of life in Haifa.

The message that emerges from the festival is clear: it is possible and necessary to live together, respect each other, and strive for love and peace. Haifa continues to be an example of a city where the connection between religions and cultures is not just a slogan, but a way of life.

So come and feel the magic, we will celebrate the difference and the common and create moments of joy and light in the city of Haifa, the city of everyone.