Events

What happens to the human psyche when the world no longer feels safe?  Where is God during times of war?  
Right before fleeing the Nazis with his daughter, and only a few weeks before his death, Sigmund Freud, the father of psychoanalysis, receives a visit from the British writer, philosopher, professor of literature, and Christian theologian C. S. Lewis (The Chronicles of Narnia). Their fictional conversation unfolds as a chamber drama, raising timely questions about the future of the world, the existence of God, human fragility, the effort to understand, the desire to believe, the fear of facing pain alone, and the possibility that even in the absence of agreement, a conversation can be a profound form of human connection. Anthony Hopkins delivers an astonishing portrayal of Freud alongside a fantastic performance by Matthew Goode. 

 
Directed by Matthew Brown.  

USA, 2023, English, 108 minutes 
 

A musical journey in the "Hundred Acre wood" - Pooh's forest, accompanied by the Philharmonic's string quintet and actor Gavriel Hadar.
We'll meet many bees and a lot of honey, visit the rabbit's den and celebrate a special birthday for Eeyore.
This magical forest calls you all to come whenever you want. It's not far away, it's easy to find and actually – it's exactly where you all are right now.
Works by Vivaldi, Leroy Anderson, Charlie Chaplin, Kodai and more.
 

For ages: 5-8

Musicians: Sivann Maayani, Violin | Yuki Ishizaka, Violin | Amir van der Hal, viola | Gal Nyska, cello | Nir Comforty, Bass

Writing, directing and acting: Gabriel Hadar
 

The second meeting in a series – dialogues with researchers who have written essays on various aspects of illusion in their fields of research, as appeared in the 2026 edition of ‘Poetry of Science’, a periodical published once a year concurrently with the Weizmann Institute’s annual Ofer Lider prize for encouraging creative writing among scientists award ceremony. The editor of ‘Poetry of Science’ is Idan Barir, a translator of poetry and prose from Portuguese, Arabic, English, and Turkish.

“Alongside science’s demand for precision, society’s need for resolutions, nationalist movements and identity politics, with media polarizing opinions, and language whittling away to exclamation points, a hushed renaissance of incertitude is emerging. Challenging certainty and blurring the boundaries between “fact” and “fiction”, this psychedelic renaissance reminds us of the value of wonder and astonishment, but especially the willingness to entertain the unknown.” (Prof. Shauli Lev-Ran)

The use of psychoactive substances - hallucinogens, hallucinogenic mushrooms, and additional ingredients - has, in recent years, returned to the world of science and medical treatment in what has been designated as the “Psychedelic Renaissance”. Science recognizes the medicinal properties of psychedelic materials, but it is not always prepared to accept the undefined and unquantifiable aspects of its treatments. Prof. Shauli Lev-Ran in a dialogue with Idan Barir on hallucinations and reality within the context of this psychedelic renaissance - both as an established and historically cogent cultural phenomenon and as a considerable (even though yet unsatisfied) reawakening in research and treatment.

Prof. Shauli Lev-Ran – Psychiatrist and addiction treatment specialist, Researcher of psychiatric effects of psychoactive substances, Associate Professor at the Psychiatric Department of Tel Aviv University’s Faculty for Medical & Health Science’s School for Medicine, Fellow at The Center for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Canada, Co-founder and Academic Director, Israel Center on Addiction.

sponsored by the Braginsky Center for the Interface between Science and Humanities
Free admission (based on availability)

Schedule:
16/2 Travels to the Past as Deceptive Illusion, with Prof. Avner Wishnitzer
29/6 The Placebo Effect, with Prof. Asya Rolls