The
Mishkenot Sha'ananim conference center, founded by The
Jerusalem Foundation and situated across from the walls of the
Old City of Jerusalem, is an international cultural institution and conference center for writers, artists, and scholars. The center has hosted writers and literary events with guests specializing in music, film, theater, museums, architecture, and other cultural realms. Their programs try to focus on dialogue, tolerance, and diversity. The platform provides a forum for individuals to participate in cultural interaction in an inclusive setting. Mishkenot's residency programs, some of which operate in the framework of the International Writers Festival, host artists who spend significant periods of time at the center and draw inspiration from it. For example, in the mid-1970s,
Saul Bellow visited Israel and was the guest of Mishkenot. The author studied Israeli landscape and culture, gathering insights from individuals with diverse perspectives. He documented the opinions, passions, and dreams of many individuals, including
Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and novelist
Amos Oz among others. The resulting book,
To Jerusalem and Back, provides an account of his experiences. == 2022 ==