I attended a performance of the Haifa Symphony Orchestra with a friend on Sunday evening.  I was looking forward to a concert and seeing what the classical music scene is like here.  I called last week to see if there were tickets remaining, then when I went to all back and place my order the next day, no one answered the phone.  So I drove to French Carmel to the ticket office to purchase.  There were three people manning desks and phones, but apparently when they are busy, the phones just keep ringing.  So purchasing in person was the only option.

The concert was held at the Haifa Auditorium, very close to my home.  I wanted to get there a bit early for the 8:30 PM performance, as I like to watch the musicians warming up and watch as the audience arrives.  We got there a bit after 8 PM.  I was immediately struck by the age of the audience, all waiting in the foyer of the auditorium, as the entrance was closed.  As in Boston, most classical music attendees tend to be on the other side of “middle age”, closer to “golden age”.  Finally at about 8:25 they let us enter.  The stage was set for the orchestra, but no musicians.  Around 8:40, the musicians slowly walked onto the stage, quickly tuned to the oboe’s note, and sat ready to play.  The conductor came out to applause, the musicians and audience all stood, and Hatikva (the Israeli national anthem) was played.  The conductor left the stage, the musicians now regrouped for the actual concert (no brass in the first piece, for example, so they left the stage too).  Finally the conductor and the first soloist came out to applause. 

The first piece was a contemporary flute concerto by Partos, from around 1957.  The soloist was a woman from New Jersey.  She may have been good, but it was hard to tell, since the piece was of the modern genre that I find difficult to listen to.  I also noted that throughout the first piece, late arriving audience members just walked down to their seats, climbing over those already in place.

The second piece was Chopin’s Piano Concerto No. 1.  The soloist was a 15-year old Chinese girl, a real child prodigy.  Both her technical mastery and the emotion with which she carried the piece was outstanding.  She received several curtain calls and finally sat down to play a small piece on her own to satisfy the appreciative audience.

After  intermission, the full orchestra performed Prokofiev’s Symphony No. 5.  It is certainly not my favorite piece and it appeared to me that the orchestra’s balance was quite off, if I must be critical.  I can also note that the principal French horn player did a mediocre job on his prominent parts.  Another observation, from reading the program, is that all three trombonists have the same last name (Vull), a real trombone family! Also, it is the first time that I have ever seen an Orthodox tympani player, complete with black kippa and tsitsis hanging out of his pants.  I wonder if he changed he black Orthodox suit for his black symphony suit, or are they one in the same?

The concert lasted well over three hours.  As soon as the orchestra finished the final symphony, amidst applause, a large number of audience members just got up and started to leave the concert hall.  The orchestra seemed oblivious, as they continued to behave as if the audience was just applauding in praise.  I am sure they are used to this kind of reception. 

So I think I now have a sense of the scene here.

Israel has always been a place of huge contrasts – old and new, modern and ancient, hip and traditional, secular and spiritual.  That will never change.  As I finish my first week in Haifa, I am struck by these contrasts as I get my first impressions of what has changed since I left in 1976 and what has not. 

The changes are certainly significant.  Superficially I am struck by the Western influences that abound.  There are now shopping malls that compare with those in the US.  Everyone is carrying at least one cell phone and it appears that everyone is constantly using one, while walking, while sitting at a cafe or restaurant, while driving.  I’m also struck by some of the demographic changes that have taken place over the past thirty years.  It’s as if Russian is now competing with Arabic and English as the second language here.  Automated customer service calls give choices in Hebrew (press 1) or Russian (press 2).  I’m generally opting for Hebrew and getting by fine.  Most of the shops in the bustling Hadar commercial district of Haifa are run by Russians and signage reflects this.  And I have done a couple of double-takes as I see African faces in uniform and at the university, reflecting the successful absorption of the Ethiopian Jewish community two decades ago.

However, much of what I remember and love about this country and its people has not changed.  The mix of people, the bustle of the aliveness of this place remain.  The open-air markets look the same to me, both Arab and Jewish.  Egged buses and shared taxis (sherot) remain the same - efficient, affordable, and reliable.  The beauracracy hasn’t seemed to change, at least from my preliminary dealings with the phone and gas companies.  I’m sure I’ll get to experience plenty more of that!  The food is still awesome.  I took the Carmelite (underground light rail system) down to the port area yesterday and ate some amazing humus and fool (a bean stew) at a little Arab hole-in-the-wall restaurant that put a smile on my face and satisfied my need for food for the rest of the day.  Cheap, healthy, and charming.  And since today is Friday, one feels the early afternoon bustle as people do their last-minute shopping (including obligatory flower bouquets) in anticipation of Shabbat.  Shabbat Shaloms abound!

Obviously I haven’t been here long enough (or traveled outside of Haifa yet) to get any real sense of the changes - culturally, politically, socially.  Within the next few months I am sure that will take care of itself.

I’ve already made contact with my colleagues at the University of Haifa.  Opportunities for research collaboration, in addition to my contracted teaching, seem to be plentiful.  And on top of that, the marine science department at the university is seeking volunteers for an underwater archeological project (a recently discovered Byzantine-era wreck nearby).  So I’ll probably help out in October and do some scientific diving. 

I’ve been invited to Rani Hoitash’s parents’ home for dinner tonight.  Tomorrow I am planning to drive to Alonei Abba, a small moshav where I lived for a few of years in the early 1970’s.  I assume someone there will remember me.  Next week I may go to Jerusalem for a couple of days.  It is much too hot to go to Tel Aviv in August, but Jerusalem typically is a little cooler.  I’ll intersperse my wanderings with a very nice daily routine in my home in Mercaz HaCarmel.  I am enjoying sitting in my garden with Turkish coffee and yogurt in the morning, while checking e-mail, reading the US newspapers on-line, and listening to NPR.  Then I either swim laps at the local pool or attend a yoga class around the corner.  Afternoons are perfect for writing and a bit of exploring.  Evenings are for reading and even watching a little TV (many more channels than I remember!).  I don’t start teaching for a while.

Shabbat Shalom from Haifa.