AGP Executive Report

Hanukkah TV wars: Festigal and Motek Forever kick off competing 2026 lineups, with Festigal’s “Top Secret Festigal” going spy-vs-K-pop (Noa Kirel, Ran Danker) and Motek leaning into childhood nostalgia for family audiences. Europa League heartbreak: Hapoel Tel Aviv were eliminated after a 1-0 loss to Atalanta, leaving Hapoel Beersheba as the lone Israeli club in continental play. Venice backlash turns into a win: The Venice Film Festival reversed its plan to skip a jury press conference after online outcry, scheduling a panel on opening day. EU vs Israel over E1: Netanyahu blasted the EU for “double standards,” citing its opposition to West Bank E1 housing while Turkey’s Cyprus occupation goes unchallenged. Culture & identity in the spotlight: A Jerusalem-set film project, “Palestine 36,” highlights how production plans were reshaped by the Oct. 7 war. Sports + chess: Ilya Smirin won the Israeli blitz chess title in Afula, edging rivals on tiebreaks. Arts history: Israel Makov’s new book “Viewpoints” spotlights six decades of collecting Israeli art. Local spotlight: Shabbat wars move online as an Israeli fashion brand halts sales for the holiday.

Venice Film Festival Spotlight: Doha Film Institute says eight DFI-supported films are heading to the 83rd Venice International Film Festival, running Sept. 2–12, with titles across Orizzonti, Venice Spotlight and market programs. Culture & Activism: Prominent cinema figures are urging Venice to fly a Palestinian flag, pointing to two Palestinian films in the official selection. Viral Food Moment: Israeli chef Eyal Shani’s bare-hands hummus stunt at his new Beverly Hills kosher Malka restaurant has gone viral—sparking backlash over hygiene and defenders arguing chefs’ hands are part of the craft. Art in Focus: A new exhibition at Jerusalem’s Museum for Islamic Art examines Shabtai Zvi, the 17th-century “false Messiah,” marking 400 years since his birth. Local Security & Youth: Israeli police charged two Haifa-area teens with spying for Iran for cryptocurrency payments, including tasks like photographing sites and trying to recruit other minors. International Arts Calendar: Sno-King International Folk Dance Club announces September sessions, including a Back-to-School party and an Oktoberfest night with live music.

Venice Film Festival: Prominent cinema figures and Venice4Palestine are pushing the festival to fly the Palestinian flag and add it to the event’s national-flag lineup, citing Palestinian films in the official selection and calling for cultural pressure on Israel-Gaza. Fashion & Shabbat: Israeli singer Odeya Azoulay says Adika should shut its relaunched website on Saturdays; the retailer instead posts “Tzadikot, see you after Shabbat,” reigniting Israel’s ongoing debate over religion, commerce, and online shopping. Arts & Memory: A new exhibition at the Museum for Islamic Art spotlights Shabtai Zvi—“Truth or Lie”—marking 400 years since his birth, revisiting one of Judaism’s most famous messianic claimants. Human Stories in Israel: A wellness retreat in Ein Kerem leans into community healing, with visitors meeting people who’ve built their own philosophies of recovery. Sports & Inspiration: IDF officer Tamir Dudi, now an amputee after 17 surgeries, is aiming for a surfing world-championship podium in California.

Arts & Culture: Israeli blacksmith Yaron Bob turns Iranian ballistic missiles into “rocket roses” and Judaica, using craft to process trauma after a Gaza rocket hit his school. Film & TV: Lebanon’s Wet Silhouette drop “The Virgin’s Ballade,” an avant-rock single built from improvisation and rage, grief and love. Music & Celebrity: Dolly Parton’s death at 80 sparks grief across a divided America, while Israeli pop star Nunu talks about five years of war and music. Sports (Israel in the mix): A 17-year-old from Kfar Saba, Dan Brand, is climbing junior tennis ranks and heads to the US Open. Sports (global, with Israeli link): In Lagos badminton, unseeded Laithazuala stuns Israeli Misha Zilberman to reach the final. Science/Design: A new Israeli study finds a “sweet spot” for how much to reveal on dating profiles. Crime & Society: Japanika’s Givatayim branch was set on fire in a wave of attacks tied to organized-crime disputes.

Nepal Flood Aftermath: Drone footage at 7,200 meters captured the glacier collapse that triggered the deadly Nepal-Tibet floods, as rescue teams resume and the missing count nears 2,000. Israel Arts & Culture: Israeli pop star Nunu marks five years in the spotlight, reflecting on how wartime reality reshaped her music journey. Community & Education: LA Jewish educators return from a JNF-USA mission to Israel, bringing new tools for Israel education and youth engagement. Film & TV: Netflix’s upcoming Fauda season is framed alongside a classic Israeli director Menahem Golan action pick, while Sacha Baron Cohen’s Ali G return faces a UK screening boycott push. Sports & Society: Sydney Marathon protest fears grow over alleged IDF-linked participation, with police and organizers bracing for disruption. Israel-Region Security: Israeli forces raid homes in Syria’s Quneitra province, questioning residents amid broader cross-border tensions. Faith & Life: A Tel Aviv wedding celebrates former hostage Emily Damari’s new chapter, adding a human note amid ongoing conflict.

Gaza’s Kites, Reframed: A new look at “kite warfare” argues the toys of childhood have become a weapon—more than 10 incendiary kites landing in southern Israel in recent weeks, tied to earlier Hamas tactics. Iran War Diplomacy: Mediators are pushing to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, with Qatar pressing Tehran on freedom of navigation as the U.S. leans on economic pressure. Kosher, Not Just a Cake: Michal Epstein faces backlash after making her pastry kitchen kosher—showing how even small business choices can spark culture-war boycotts. Film Festival Politics: Venice4Palestine urges organizers to fly a Palestinian flag at the Venice Film Festival, spotlighting two Palestinian selections and demanding industry transparency. Israeli Screen Spotlight: Lior Raz says “Fauda” season 5 is shaped by October 7 trauma, returning to the day’s events with graphic scenes. Arts & Entertainment Picks: A roundup of new TV to stream in September and a preview of Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2026 images. Personal Joy in the Spotlight: Former hostage Emily Damari marries Danielle Amit in Tel Aviv, with other ex-hostages attending.

Arts & Culture: STARMUS Festival honored filmmaker Sir Ridley Scott with the 2026 Stephen Hawking Medal for Science Communication, praising how films like Alien and Dog Stars bring big scientific questions to mainstream audiences. Entertainment & TV: The Edinburgh TV Festival Awards 2026 crowned the BBC as broadcaster of the year and public service broadcaster of the year, with What It Feels Like for a Girl winning best drama and The Celebrity Traitors taking top entertainment/reality honors. Film & Community: A new Jewish summer camp movie, Tiny Fugitives, hits theaters this September, starring Johnny Knoxville and set around a camp that kids refuse to leave. Local Life (Israel): In Tel Aviv, British-Israeli hostage survivor Emily Damari married her partner in an emotional “celebration of life,” attended by fellow former hostages. Music & Food: Reno’s Milk & Honey Jewish Cultural Festival returns with live music, Israeli-inspired cooking demos, and family-friendly vendors. Sports (Israel-linked): Hapoel Tel Aviv advanced in the UEFA Conference League after a win that keeps their hopes alive.

Teen Safety Crackdown: Meta agreed to sweeping changes to Instagram and Facebook for teens, including default daily limits and night-time blocks, after a major US states lawsuit over addictive design. Arts & Culture Spotlight: Jerusalem’s Museum for Islamic Art opens a new exhibition reexamining Sabbatai Zevi through centuries of Jewish, Christian, and Muslim interpretations. Palestinian Art Loss: Tributes and a funeral procession marked the death of painter Sliman Mansour, with mourners gathering in Birzeit and beyond. Media & Politics in Hollywood: Jane Fonda defended Mark Ruffalo in the Paramount-Warner merger fight, rejecting claims that his Gaza-related remarks are antisemitic and framing it as a distraction from media consolidation. Israel-Gaza Flashpoint: Israel warns Hamas over Gaza kite launches, as the kites become a flashpoint for border violence. Global Arts News: Yayoi Kusama, the infinity-room icon, dies at 97, leaving a lasting mark on contemporary art. Sports Calendar: UEFA Conference League league-phase draw details are set for Friday, with pots and qualification rules confirmed.

Israeli TV & streaming: The Jerusalem Playlist looks at how Fauda season 5 is being reshaped by October 7, while producers worry about tighter budgets, uncertainty around public broadcaster Kan, and weaker international co-production funding. Culture & faith in the city: Haifa is unveiling a multibillion-shekel “strip”-style waterfront plan to link the convention center, hotels, entertainment and a new arena with seamless pedestrian access from Hof HaCarmel station. Arts & community abroad: Andrew Callaghan’s new documentary Finding Orson lands in Berlin, with the filmmaker framed as radically empathetic rather than “villain”-driven. Music & Jewish life: A Rhythm ‘N’ Ruach early-childhood music program is coming to Phoenix, letting families start Jewish education through music at any age. Sports & entertainment: Gustavo Dudamel closes his Los Angeles Philharmonic era and heads to lead the New York Philharmonic, with a Venezuela benefit featuring major guest stars. Local headlines: A Reform synagogue in Ramat Hasharon has windows broken in what leaders call a hate crime, echoing a similar Jerusalem incident.

Israeli Basketball: Maccabi Ironi Ramat Gan is merging its men’s and women’s basketball programs under one club-wide umbrella, aiming for “one club with one community” after the women’s team’s recent trophy haul. Champions League: Sabah FK of Azerbaijan qualified for the main phase after beating Hapoel Be’er Sheva on aggregate, with extra-time drama sealing the ticket. Sports & Travel: Thailand revoked an Israeli visitor’s visa after a zoo dispute on Koh Samui escalated into a confrontation involving a Palestinian flag and allegations of threats. Arts & Culture: Dolly Parton died at 80, prompting fresh tributes and renewed attention to her music’s Jewish imagery and the philanthropic reach of her Imagination Library. Human Stories: A former Israeli hostage, Rom Braslavski, described how he hid his identity during Hamas captivity before being forced to confess. Regional Watch: Iran and Oman discussed a temporary Strait of Hormuz shipping corridor while Israel’s Gaza strikes continue to test a fragile ceasefire.

Arts & Community: Bazaar47 has taken over Gainesville’s former How Bazaar space, rebranded under Palestinian owner Laila Fakhoury as a culture-and-creativity hub for concerts, markets and gatherings. Gaza on Screen: Israeli filmmakers Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor’s documentary NAZA—about Gaza civilian casualties and Israeli military systems—has been added to Venice’s main competition, premiering Sept. 10. Film & TV Industry: More than 20 Marvel-linked actors have joined a “Free Marwan Now” push for Marwan Barghouti’s release, while the Mark Ruffalo/Paramount-Warner dispute over “antisemitic tropes” keeps escalating. Sports: The Israeli Premier League kicks off with goals and off-field trouble, and Champions League qualifiers see Bodø/Glimt return and Sabah debut after dramatic playoffs. Culture & Sports Diplomacy: A Scottsdale Jewish educator brings fresh Israel insights home after a JNF-USA mission. Regional Watch: Iran and Oman discuss a temporary Hormuz corridor as tensions and sanctions bite, with shipping risks still front and center.

Venice Film Festival: MK2 Films has boarded “NAZA,” the new documentary by Israeli directors Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor, added to Venice’s competition lineup; shot at night on Tel Aviv rooftops, it claims to reveal “the systems behind Israel’s calculated mass killing” in Gaza, with the film premiering Sept. 10. Arts & Culture: Palestinian art icon Sliman Mansour, a founding figure of contemporary Palestinian art, has died at 79; tributes highlight works like “Camel of Hardship,” and his lifelong focus on land, memory, and resistance. Local Arts/TV: Mark Gatiss’s detective drama “Bookish” returns for season 2, bringing back the core cast and a new wave of guest stars. International Spotlight: Israel has seized the UNRWA Qalandia Training Center in occupied East Jerusalem, saying it will replace it with a municipal education complex, while UNRWA insists it’s a protected UN facility. Pop Culture & Politics: The Netherlands says it will skip Eurovision 2027, arguing the contest is no longer neutral amid Gaza-related divisions. Security/Media: Iran aired a video targeting Barron Trump and offering a $10 million bounty; the US Secret Service says it’s investigating.

Venice Film Festival: The festival added the Gaza-focused investigative documentary NAZA to its main competition, spotlighting allegations of “calculated” killings in Gaza just as the UK, Australia and Canada criticize Israel’s decision not to pursue criminal charges over the World Central Kitchen probe. Iran Pressure: The US unveiled a new round of “economic D-Day” sanctions on Iran, targeting oil-adjacent revenue channels and sectors like aviation, digital assets, gold, tech and shipping, while warning partners of secondary penalties. Israel-Iran Tensions: Netanyahu claimed Iran tried to assassinate one of his sons, amid escalating rhetoric and reports of bounties tied to Barron Trump. Cultural Loss: Palestinian art pioneer Sliman Mansour (79) died in East Jerusalem, leaving a legacy of resistance-themed work rooted in memory and Jerusalem symbolism. Eurovision Politics: The Netherlands will boycott Eurovision 2027, saying the contest is no longer neutral amid Gaza-linked withdrawals and Israel’s participation. Local Crime: A report says Israeli minors are being increasingly recruited into criminal organizations, with rising arrests and indictments.

Syria-Israel Escalation: Israeli forces entered southern Syria’s Daraa countryside, moving into Maariya after U.S.-mediated de-escalation talks in Jordan, as raids and arrests continue in Quneitra and Daraa. Hollywood & Antisemitism Row: Mark Ruffalo fired back at Paramount Skydance after the studio accused him of using antisemitic tropes in a dispute tied to Israel-linked comments. Eurovision Fallout: The Netherlands’ AVROTROS says it will boycott Eurovision because it can “no longer be considered neutral” amid Gaza-war divisions. Venice Film Festival: “Naza,” a new documentary by Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor (No Other Land team), was added to Venice’s competition, with a synopsis alleging “systems” behind Israel’s mass killing of Palestinian civilians. Israeli Sports Pride: Gymnast Artem Dolgopyat won European gold again, cementing his status as one of Israel’s all-time greats. Entertainment Legacy: Festigal founder Miki Peled, a pillar of Israeli family entertainment, died at 87.

Gaza Kite Warning: Israel’s PM office and Defense Minister Israel Katz warn Hamas that if kite, balloon and drone launches toward southern Israel continue, the IDF will intensify targeted killings and evacuate/clear launch areas—after about 10 kites crossed since Friday and one was intercepted Sunday. West Bank Raids: Israeli forces arrested 13 Palestinians in raids across the West Bank, with reports of property burning, damaged irrigation and uprooted trees. Mossad-Syria De-escalation: Israeli media say Mossad chief Roman Gofman met Syria’s foreign chief Asaad al-Shaibani to calm tensions after an Israeli strike on a Syrian airport. IDF Training Overhaul: The Defense Ministry plans six new brigade training bases nationwide, built with Oct. 7 lessons and updated simulators, with the first recruits slated for 2028. Diaspora Antisemitism: An Israeli-Jewish expat in Athens says he was removed from a public digital-nomads event after organizers learned he was Jewish and Israeli, citing a “security risk.” Arts & Culture: Hungary’s CineFest will premiere Bernadette Mayer’s “Mommy Blue,” a new film about a mother’s failing eyesight and family strain. Sports: Hapoel Tel Aviv held Atalanta 0-0 in the UEFA Conference League playoff first leg, keeping their hopes alive ahead of the second leg in Hungary. Fashion Buzz: Taylor Swift wedding-dress fever is already influencing bridal designers, with Tel Aviv’s Galia Lahav noting how a single aesthetic detail can ripple through collections.

Stage Spotlight: Rising Star runner-up Gal De Paz is stepping into theater as Israeli music legend Shoshana Damari in the new biographical musical “Shoshana,” premiering in late October at the Hebrew Theater, with a live orchestra and Damari’s classic hits. Arts & Culture: Mixed-media artist Risa Brooke Oze brings wartime-life satire to Tel Aviv with “Kat World,” a pop-art series narrated entirely by cats at Zielinski & Rozen. Film & TV Buzz: Hollywood heavyweights including Marvel stars have signed a petition urging the release of convicted Palestinian terrorist Marwan Barghouti, reigniting debate over celebrity activism. Sports: Gymnast Artem Dolgopyat wins his third European floor-exercise title, adding another milestone to Israel’s elite gymnastics run. Health & Accountability: Médecins Sans Frontières condemns Israel’s closure of two Gaza-related cases without criminal investigations, calling it a failure of accountability. War Update: Gaza’s health authorities report 73,420 Palestinians killed since Oct. 7, 2023, with hospitals receiving new casualties over the past 48 hours.