"Juggle 3000" Makes a first in Israel

by Raphael Harris

 

Why was this festival in Jerusalem last summer different from all others? Not because everyone had a great time. Not because everyone learned a new trick at a workshop or enjoyed or participated in a dynamic show. Rather, because almost no one there had ever been to a juggling festival before! More than 100 jugglers from all over Israel converged upon Jerusalem, but only about five had been to a festival before.

 

That "first festival" thrill was the dominant emotion of the day, and we heard plenty of "This is amazing!" "Where'd all these jugglers come from?" "Let's do this every year!" etc.

 

The festival came together through a series of seemingly unrelated events. The first juggling shop recently opened in Tel Aviv, sparking an interest in juggling among the young and young at heart. Add this group to a small number of jugglers who've been around for many years, and the recent immigration to Israel of several world-class jugglers from Russia and the United States (including IJA Junior gold medalist Yosef Rosenberg). Finally, all manner of celebrations and events have been taking place to mark the 3,000th anniversary of King David naming Jerusalem as Israel's capital city, and the name "Juggle 3000" was irresistible!

 

I had attended the IJA's Burlington festival in 1995, and patterned "Juggle 3000" after that. A number of generous sponsors made it possible to keep all events free of indoor workshops and open juggling in a lovely park in perfect weather. Hillel Mogle gave a popular workshop on auxiliary equipment manipulation, including hats and lasso. Hillel gained much experience as a performer during three years in the Israeli army entertainment corps. He told stories of being escorted to performances in armored military personnel carriers, and of entertaining in tents that were only six feet high. The latter prompted him to quickly master head rolls!

 

Other workshops included club passing, diabolo, club swinging, balloon animal sculpture, devil sticks, and advanced ball patterns. Fest-goers were thrilled with the opportunity to learn and share so much. Workshops ceased at the beginning of the games, which included diabolo high-toss, five ball endurance, three balls blind and combat.

 

The park where the games were held crackled with energy as jugglers enjoyed this new and exciting facet of our art. Passersby gazed and asked each other "What's going on here?" Night fell and the festival finale, an informal variety show, began. Twenty-one participants performed, resulting in almost three hours of superb entertainment.

 

Notables included Uri Weiss, a graduate of the Jaques Lecoq International Theater School in Paris, who combined juggling, acrobatics and clowning. He placed balls under his neck, under his arms, etc., and developed this premise to hilarious extremes! Shai Engbar combined diabolo and mime, imbuing his prop with a mischievous mind of its own. Eitai Avigdor spun a soccer ball on a mouth stick while on a rola bola, then used a volunteer in a beautiful act combining card manipulation with mock ESP tricks. Scott Seltzer and Milan de Vries did three and four club takeaways and runarounds while playing kazoo and harmonica. The show also showcased young talent, including nine-year-old Yotam Goldman who gave an excellent showing with up to four clubs.

 

Philip Heuza from Germany showed some sophisticated work with numerous club

patterns. The penultimate performer, Yoav Elihau, astounded the crowd with whip-cracking. He used a just ­ reluctant - enough volunteer, and turned up the heat in the darkened room with a "human dragon" fire spitting act.