This is a poster advertising an oneg Shabbat (Shabbat celebration) that was held every Friday night at 9:00 pm at the ZOA House in Tel Aviv. The event was co-sponsored by the Zionist Organization of America (ZOA), the Ministry of Tourism, and the Organization for Tourism. The event featured Israeli songs and dances, quizzes and prizes, and performances by popular Israeli performers. The lettering on the poster is in a style that was popular in the 1960s, which might help to date the poster. The fact that the poster was written in English and that tickets could be obtained at hotels implies that these events were a way of introducing English-speaking tourists and new immigrants to Israeli culture. The event that this poster is promoting is an example of non-traditional ways of celebrating Shabbat.
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Oneg Shabbat – An oneg Shabbat is a Shabbat celebration, which often takes place on Friday night. The content varies depending on the group organizing the event and can include a lecture, singing, refreshments, or any other type of entertainment.
Celebrating Shabbat in Different Ways – Orthodox Jews who follow the halachah (laws originating from the traditional interpretation of the Torah) celebrate Shabbat according to traditional laws that focus on refraining from secular work, business, and study as a day of family, prayers, and rest. These laws include prohibitions on writing, driving, and using electricity and technology. However, Shabbat is also celebrated in many other ways. Many non-Orthodox families also have special Shabbat meals, often including Kiddush. People use the day to rest, take trips, visit family, etc. Either way, the Jewish people, who brought the day of rest to the Western world, still finds ways to change their life on the seventh day of the week.
Israeli Folk Dancing – Each Diaspora Jewish community developed its own style of dancing over the years, influenced by the countries where they were living. The style of dancing that developed in Israel from the end of the nineteenth century reflected all these different origins. The early haluzim (pioneers) introduced the Horah, an Israeli folk dance that was influenced by the European Polka, Rondo, and other styles. A Middle Eastern “flavour” was also added, and dance steps from Arab and Yemenite Jewish folklore were introduced, resulting in what is now known as Rikudei Am, Israeli folk dancing. Rikudei Am became an important feature of Israeli culture both before and after the establishment of the State, and it is still fairly popular among the general public.
