Hello poets and poetry lovers,

As some of you know I wear another working hat. I am the Festival Director at Sydney Jewish Writers Festival and I am writing to you now to invite you to the Festival this year at the newly refurbished Bondi Pavilion. I will highlight below a few sessions that I think will be of interest to the community. There are more details for each session in the full program here. I’m also thrilled to report that fellow poet and Poetica feature Magdalena Ball will moderating two sessions. It’s a brilliant program and the theme is identity – a meaty prompt to ignite the senses and encourage some writing.

Here are the sessions I think might be of special interest to the Poetica community. There’s also two kids sessions so check that out in the program. All tickets can be purchased here. I look forward to seeing some of you there.

7-9pm, Thursday, 24 August – WHO BY FIRE – LEONARD COHEN IN THE SINAI INTERVIEW & CONCERT – Theatre

“A fascinating and intense account of Leonard Cohen’s time in Israel during the Yom Kippur War of 1973. A must for any Leonard Cohen completist, with excerpts from his unpublished manuscripts from that time. Soulful and thoughtfully done.”— Suzanne Vega

To celebrate the release of ‘Who By Fire – Leonard Cohen in the Sinai’, author Matti Friedman joins us live from Jerusalem in conversation with journalist David Leser. In October 1973, poet and singer Leonard Cohen travelled from Hydra to the Sinai desert when Egypt attacked Israel on Yom Kippur. In his book, Friedman gives us a riveting account of those weeks in the Sinai, drawing on Leonard Cohen’s previously unpublished writing and original reporting to create a kaleidoscopic depiction of a harrowing, formative moment for both a young country at war and a singer at a crossroads. Following the interview, musicians Jessica Chapnik Kahn and Nadav Kahn have curated a Leonard Cohen night of song reminiscent of the singer’s time in Sinai.

8:30-9:30am – Sunday, 27 August- MORNING YOGA – POETRY AND THE BODY – Seagull Room

‘I am out with lanterns looking for myself’ – Emily Dickinson.
Engage viscerally with this year’s festival theme – Identity – in its widest context. This
session will be a metaphorical lantern, combining meditation, breath, yoga flow, and
poetry. Join poet Magdalena Ball and yoga instructor Idit Hefer Tamir from Sukha Mukha Yoga to find new avenues of self-discovery – all levels of yoga and poetic practice welcome.

11:30am-1:30pm – Sunday, 27 August- DEVELOPING WRITER’S VOICE – Yalagang Room

Join author Lee Kofman to explore your inner world, thoughts and emotions, and learn how to make use of them for your literary project. 2 hour workshop.

2:30-3:30pm – Sunday, 27 August- WOMEN ON THE VERGE – Seagull Room

On the cusp. On the precipice. How do we step into change? How do we make life
decisions that may alter our perceived identity and take us on a new path. Crisscrossing fiction and memoir, authors Katia Ariel, Elise Esther Hearst and Kerri Sackville pave new paths. Moderated by author Magdalena Ball.

6-7pm – Sunday, 27 August – FOURPLAY STRING QUARTET ALBUM LAUNCH – Theatre

Beloved Australian band FourPlay String Quartet celebrate the release of their first vinyl album, a compilation titled “A Taste Of…” They will also perform pieces from their collaborative album “Signs of Life”, written and recorded with award-winning author, Neil Gaiman.