2021 Honorary Fellowship Recipients
Gesher Theater, Israel
After making Aliyah from Moscow in pursuit of artistic freedom, Yevgeny Arye, together with a group of Russian actors, founded Gesher Theater in 1991. Since then, under Arye’s masterful leadership as Artistic Director, Gesher has secured a prominent place in Israel’s cultural scene. It has produced over 60 productions, receiving diverse awards and being hailed as one of the world’s best theaters. Gesher, which means “bridge” in Hebrew, refers to the bridging between the diverse cultures and languages present in Israel, including Russian, Amharic and Yiddish, and Gesher performances are always accompanied by subtitles in many languages. The troupe’s unique theatrical language combines Russian stage tradition with an original, Israeli approach. Today, Gesher sees its sole task as presenting Jewish Israeli cultural heritage to the world.
Joseph Bar Natan, Israel
Joseph Bar Natan is the founder, owner and CEO of Shuval Insurance Agency Ltd. Bar Natan has served in a diverse range of public leadership and voluntary roles over the years, including in medical centers, the IDF Disabled Veterans Organization, and bodies supporting victims of trauma and sexual abuse, at-risk youth and many others. A Tel Aviv University Governor and board member of the Tel Aviv Foundation, Bar Natan currently serves as President of the Union of Boukharian Jews, which works to preserve Bucharian heritage and culture, provides vital assistance to disadvantaged individuals, awards scholarships to talented youngsters and runs social and cultural activities. A committed philanthropist, Bar Natan supports thousands of needy individuals in Tel Aviv, including via a scholarship fund to encourage youngsters of disadvantaged families to pursue higher education. Against this backdrop, the Tel Aviv Municipality granted him a special distinguished citizen award.
