MONDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2013 5 free things to do in Istanbul 38

Photos by Sherif Ismail Minat Aishatah performs in Kuwait By Sherif Ismail

he National Council for Culture, Arts and Letters hosted a concert of the Minat Aishatah band of ‘Hassani’ art, which displayed elements of Moroccan culture and Tmixed Arabic music with African rhythms. The concert took place at Dasma Theater and came as part of activities held in preparation of the 3rd Arab-African Summit that takes place in Kuwait later this month. The band performed songs in the Hassani language that is spoken in some African countries as band members dressed in traditional costume gave performances which reflected Morocco’s Hassani culture. In an unusual sight for a traditional band perfor- mance, the keyboard was featured as a key instrument in Minat Aishatah’s songs. Lead vocalist Minat Aishatah said that her band tries to inject modern instruments into their performances “in a way that does not affect the traditional essence of the Hassani song”.

And they call this studio Moriah ne Hollywood film studio has commanded The dozen movies Moriah Films made since as a boy and remains a movie fan today. But only A-list talent since its inception - have attracted such stars as Kevin Costner, Whoopi Moriah Films aims to do more than entertain. OElizabeth Taylor, Morgan Freeman, Sandra Goldberg, Brooke Shields, Dustin Hoffman and “If you want to impact Jewish history, you have Bullock, Michael Douglas, Nicole Kidman - and Ben Kingsley. “I think they understand the Simon to say something to the world, the world out they all worked for free. What kind of studio head Wiesenthal Center is an organization dedicated to there,” he said. “We need friends in the non-Jewish has such pull? It’s Rabbi Marvin Hier, the mini- perpetuating the memory of the Holocaust and community. They need to know what happened mogul of Moriah Films, the movie division of the also to fighting anti-Semitism and the campaigns to the Jews; that 6 million were murdered in the Simon Wiesenthal Center. Founded by Hier in in the world to discredit Israel, so they want to Nazi Holocaust, and even after 6 million were 1981, Moriah Films has won two Academy Awards help in that manner,” Hier said. “And I think it murdered in the Holocaust, Israel doesn’t have a for its historical documentaries. Its latest effort, helps them that they’re following a long tradition peaceful month.” of what some of the greatest names in the That sense of social justice and fostering “The Prime Ministers: The Pioneers,” featuring entertainment community have done.” human understanding is also a draw for top talent, the voices of Bullock and Christoph Waltz, opens The Wiesenthal Center, a human-rights including those in “The Prime Ministers,” which is Wednesday in Los Angeles and expands to more organization that provides Holocaust education based on a book by former speechwriter Yehuda cities next month. and fights anti-Semitism, began its deep ties to Avner and focuses on Israeli prime ministers “We just finished our 13th film, and every top Hollywood when Frank Sinatra and Taylor were Golda Meir and Levi Eshkol and then-ambassador name in Hollywood that has recorded - and it’s on the original board of directors and made Yitzhak Rabin. Bullock, who voices Meir in “The an A list - has done it as a public service,” Hier said introductions throughout the entertainment Prime Ministers,” even mastered some Yiddish for during an interview at his office at the Wiesenthal industry. Today, movie moguls Jeffrey Katzenberg the role. “After that reading, she can come into Center. “We’ve never paid any one of them. That and Ron Meyer link the Wiesenthal Center to the any (synagogue) and people will really think she’s was a tradition set (early on) and it was quite Hollywood community. Jewish!” Hier said. remarkable.” It all started with Elizabeth Taylor. Hier said it’s important for the Wiesenthal Some stars, including Kingsley, Douglas and Hier established Moriah Films just a few years after Center to put Jewish history on film to reach Waltz, have volunteered their talents more than opening the Wiesenthal Center in 1977. He was worldwide audiences for years to come. “We’ve once. “I love narrating the material,” Kingsley planning a slide show about the Holocaust when been very lucky with all the celebrities, but the told The Associated Press. “It’s enlightening, Fay Kanin, then president of the film academy, reason why the rabbi started this and saw the passionate, mature and deals with the ravages suggested he consider making a movie instead. value of film early on wasn’t to meet celebrities,” of the 20th century in a very articulate way that US Senator John Warner was involved with the said Richard Trank, who has directed nine Moriah hopefully will reach the eyes and ears of young Wiesenthal Center at the time - and was married This March 2013 photo released by Moriah Films shows, from movies. “We wanted to have a reach to all walks of minds who will see the lessons of history and not left, Rabbi Marvin Hier, actress Sandra Bullock, and Moriah Films to Taylor - so she became the narrator of its life: young and old, Jews and non-Jews.” ignore them.”—AP inaugural film “Genocide,” which won the Oscar for director Richard Trank, during a recording session at DreamWorks Hier has fond memories of watching Roy Animation Studio in Burbank, Calif.—AP photos documentary feature. Rogers’ pictures at New York’s Palestine Theater