Board Reflections: Gathering in Celebration, Mobilizing in Support

As I sit down to write this column, I’m still thinking about the extraordinary warmth, emotion, and sense of connection we all felt at American Friends of Batsheva’s Gala this spring.

More than 260 people gathered at City Winery New York City, helping us raise over $650,000 in support of Batsheva. We extend our heartfelt thanks to the many generous donors whose support of the Gala made the evening such a success and whose commitment helps sustain and strengthen our work throughout the year.

Although we reached our gala fundraising goal, the reality is that each time Batsheva comes up for air, another crisis emerges. The ongoing situation in Israel has created tour disruptions, and continue to create significant financial pressure on the company. For that reason, we have relaunched an emergency campaign and remain actively fundraising, with a goal of raising an additional $360,000 by the end of the summer.

Insights from Sharon

Dear Friends,

Over the past few weeks, I have found myself spending less time in meetings and more time with our dancers, audiences, and communities across Israel. Those experiences have reminded me why Batsheva's work matters so deeply.

Recently, the company completed a tour to communities along the Gaza border. What began as a series of performances quickly became something much larger.

Our dancers and artistic team engaged with the local community, which continues to recover from the atrocities of October 7 and the ongoing war in Gaza. They held post-performance discussions with audiences, visited local artists and students, and offered Gaga classes, creating meaningful opportunities for dialogue, connection, and artistic exchange, along with meeting families whose lives have been profoundly affected since October 7.

Watching Kamuyot in this context was especially moving. The work has always had a unique ability to dissolve the distance between performers and audiences, but here the experience felt particularly powerful. Children who arrived with curiosity left fully immersed, as well as their parents. The encounters were joyful, emotional, and often unexpected.

A body that refuses style: Ohad Naharin and the Engine of Gaga

Batsheva's House Choreographer, Ohad Naharin, sat down with art advisor and curator, Jemma Elliot-Israelson, to discuss Gaga, Batsheva Dance Company and movement.

Click Here to Read More

Help Us Preserve a Home for Art and Hope

In these complex days, amid an ongoing and challenging reality, Batsheva is more than a dance company. It is a home for dancers, artists, creators, dedicated staff, and a global community that believes in the power of art to create meaning, connection, and hope.

Today, we ask you to stand with us.

Your gift today will help Batsheva continue creating new work, caring for our dancers and staff, maintaining safe working conditions, and bringing transformative artistic experiences to audiences in Israel and around the world. At a time of profound uncertainty, your support ensures that this vital artistic home remains strong.

Just one week after the outbreak of war, Batsheva's dancers and artistic team returned to the studio. They understood that artistic practice is not only a profession, it is an anchor. Since then, the Company has continued to create, perform, and engage communities despite extraordinary challenges and the realities of operating in an ongoing state of emergency for more than two and a half years.

The decision to keep creating is a statement of resilience, but it comes with significant financial challenges. We cannot do it alone.

Please make a gift today and help ensure that Batsheva remains a living, breathing home for artistic excellence, creativity, and hope.

We are deeply grateful for your support and belief in our mission. Thank you!