“AICF’s nurturing support throughout the years of young and aspiring artists has been invaluable. We shall never forget it.” – Itzhak Perlman, Violinist and Conductor
“The contribution of the America-Israel Cultural Foundation to the lives of so many artists is unique. In the most fragile times of our lives as young artists, we found support, understanding, and caring that made a huge difference in our careers.” – Ohad Naharin, Artistic Director, Batsheva Dance Company
- AICF has funded more than 13,000 Israeli artists since 1939.
- Nearly all of the leading teachers in Israel’s top arts education institutions are past AICF recipients.
AICF has played a vital role in the development of top Israeli artists, funding them from as early as eight years old until 29 years old. With AICF’s help, the best artists, across the disciplines of music, art & design, dance, film & television, and theatre, are able to reach their full potential. AICF’s financial and spiritual support has nourished the careers of three generations of artists and teachers over the decades. Our recipients serve as Israel’s cultural ambassadors around the world, representing the finest talent Israel has to offer, showing the world that Israel has so much to offer.
Here are a few of our most prominent artists and the years they were funded:
Music
Itzhak Perlman, violin, 1956-1964
Pinchas Zukerman, violin, 1957-1967
Joseph Kalichstein, piano, 1958-1963
Yefim Bronfman, piano, 1973-1977
Miriam Fried, violin, 1956-1968 (now leading the Teacher’s Coaching Project which we also support)
Gil Shaham, violin, 1980-1983 and played on a Guadagnini violin from our Instrument Bank
Sharon Kam, clarinet, 1984-1993
Daniel Barenboim, conducting, 1954
Anat Cohen, latin music and jazz, 1992-1994
Avishai Cohen, jazz, 1992-2003
Jerusalem Trio: Yaron Rosenthal, piano, 1982-1995; Roi Shiloah, violin, 1979-1995; Ariel Tushinsky, cello, 1985-1995
Jerusalem Quartet: Alexander Pavlovsky, violin, 1992-1999; Sergei Bresler, violin, 1991-1999; Amihai Grosz, viola, 1993-1999; Kyril Zlotnikov, cello, 1991-1999
Art & Design
Menashe Kadishman, painting/sculpture, 1960-1962
Boaz Vaadia, painting/sculpture, 1968-1972
Michal Rovner, 1987-1993
Zigi Ben-Haim, painting, 1967-1971
Joshua Neustein, abroad fellowship
Sigalit Landau, multimedia, 1994-1996
Uri Tzaig, painting/sculpture, 1992-1996
Dance
Ohad Naharin, dance, 1975-1977
Rami Be’er, dance, 1977-1978
Margalit Oved, Inbal Dance Company (founded with AICF's help)
Yehudit Arnon, abroad fellowship
Ido Tadmor, dance, 1982-1985
Zvi Gotheiner, dance, 1971-1975
Film & Television
Nir Bergman, film, 1994-1999
Dover Kosashvili, film, 1995-1997
Eytan Fox, film, 1990-1991
Theatre
Hanna Azulai-Hasfari, acting, 1981-1982
Roni Pinkovitz, directing, 1986-1989
Mark Ivanir, acting, 1988-1990
Moshe Naor, directing, 1996-1997
Oded Teomi, acting, 1958-1959
Itay Tiran, theatre, 2000-2002