By Brenda Ganot, Partnership 2000

The 8th annual Beit Shemesh Festival took place this past Chol HaMoed Succot. This year's festival was the strongest ever attracting thousands of visitors from inside and outside of the city.
According to Musical Director, Jonty Zwebner "I feel that the festival has finally become established as THE main event representing original Jewish Rock and Soul music due to the fact that in addition to the grassroots "Anglo" crowd that have always frequented the festival, this year I noticed a much larger "native Israeli" crowd from outside of Bet Shemesh, which we've been aiming to attract from the start.…"

In addition to two spirited and successful nights of Jewish rock and soul music performances at the amphitheater,  there were also many other activities within the framework of the festival.
"Reports are still coming in from local residents" says Festival Activities Director, Orly Louk. Especially popular events were the nature activities run by Gil Karesenti at Beer HaTikva. Hundreds of people took place in the tiyul and workshops that he organized and many took bottles of olives home with them that they picked themselves. A special addition to this event was the music played by local musician Shir Vardi at entrance to the sukkah. Also highly successful was family tiyul prepared b y Midreshet Beit Shemesh and the bike tiyul organized by members of Rochvei Shimshon and the Beit Shemesh - Yehuda Bike forum.

At Matnas Psagot HaSheva there were several lively musical workshops running which kept many young children entertained, as did the arts and crafts workshops and concerts at the Ramat Beit Shemesh Mantas. The "music box" on wheels was an attraction that most local residents had never seen on experienced and it added a creative element to the festival.

Finishing up the festival was a night of learning for Hoshah Rabba organized by Rav. Eli Schenkolevsky of Beit Knesset Feigenson in Nofei Aviv and Deputy Mayor Shalom Lerner. The impressive line-up of rabbanim from all  over the country attracted many local residents to come and hear the divrei Torah.

The festival's main sponsors were the Municipality of Beit Shemesh, Partnership 2000 of the Jewish Agency, Mifal HaPayis, The Ministry of Education and The Ministry of Tourism.