JUNE 8 • 2023 | 49

S

ince her parents moved to Grand 
Blanc some 10 years ago, Flo Low 
has spent intermittent times visit-
ing them and attending Jewish activities 
scheduled in their community. That atten-
dance helped inspire her upcoming work 
responsibilities in Washington, D.C.
Last year, Low founded and became 
executive director of BAMAH, an orga-
nization established to bring artists from 
Israel to North America. This year, she has 
arranged for Studio Mela (Michal Evyatar 
and Carmel Bar) to bring their unique 
skills of combining culinary interests and 
artistry to the Flint locale in the summer 
and to Michigan State University in the 
fall.
The two performing artists specialize in 
large-scale, immersive public installations 
that incorporate tastes, smells and sounds 
with the goal of drawing out wonder and 
delight in their audiences. 
BAMAH, the Hebrew word for stage, is 
a nonprofit organization established by the 
Israel Institute, where Low had been asso-
ciate director of the organization’s Arts 
Program now established on its own. For 
10 years, the Israel Institute brought some 
130 acts from Israel to the United States.
“I personally have a long commitment 
to the Jewish community, Israel, arts and 
culture,” Low said. “I worked at national 
nonprofits in Jerusalem for over a decade 
before completing my MFA at the Yale 
School of Drama. 
“The Visiting Artists Program brings 
together my passions for cul-
tural dialogue and exchange, 
specifically between Israel and 
the United States, and so when 
granted the opportunity to 
expand arts-based program-
ming, cultural dialogue and 
exchange, I jumped at it.”
BAMAH is funded strictly by 
private donors. There is no gov-
ernment financing.
“Through the Visiting Artists Program 
in the past, I was very focused on the 
campus,” said Low, whose interest in 
entertainment has been immersed in pro-
duction assignments. “Now, our program 
focuses both on the campus and the com-
munity. 
“BAMAH partners with communities 

to design experiences that harness cul-
ture from Israel to inspire and connect to 
people elsewhere, and we’re really excited 
to be starting with a successful program 
expanding its impact to reach more people 
and more communities on and off cam-
pus.”
Low works across vast artistic fields, 
covering those reaching success in theater, 
TV, movies, dance, music, literature and 
visual arts. 
“
After speaking with host communi-
ties and gaining a deep understanding 
of their programmatic interests, needs 
and priorities, I identify and recommend 
candidates,” said Low, who keeps 
up with entertainment programs 
popular in Israel. 
“The board and I consider a 
variety of factors when approving 
and selecting participating art-
ists, including, of course, artistic 
achievement and proficiency in 
English, among other character-
istics.” 
Among Low’s many independent proj-
ects have been conceiving and producing 
Four Minutes From the Frontlines, a series 
of animated documentary shorts ampli-
fying the stories of emergency workers 
dealing with COVID. She also worked on 
a reading tour of Come My Beloved, a new 
play about the shared history and future of 
Jewish and Black communities.

“We are a startup nonprofit, so right 
now I’m the only full-time employee,” 
said Low, 42, the daughter of Steve Low, 
executive director of the Flint Jewish 
Federation, and Susan Low, director of 
the Senior Lunch Program of the Jewish 
Community Services of Flint. 
“I have an extremely supportive and 
involved board. We are engaged in fund-
raising and want to expand the team over 
the next three years to include another 
program manager, someone overseeing 
the educational content and fundraisers.”
Low earned two bachelor’s degrees 
before going on to Yale. At Barnard 
College, her focus was political science 
and women’s studies. At the Jewish 
Theological Seminary, her major resided 
in modern Jewish studies.
Low’s earlier work assignments have 
placed her as associate general manager of 
the La Jolla Playhouse, associate general 
manager of the Yale School of Drama and 
manager of strategic projects in the former 
Soviet Union Department of the Joint 
Distribution Committee based in Israel. 
“I’m a creative producer so my strength 
lies in dreaming up large-scale opportu-
nities to bring people of different back-
grounds together through cultural pre-
sentations and opportunities,” said Low, 
whose organization can be further under-
stood by going to its website at bamaharts.
org. 

ARTS&LIFE
ART

DOR KEDMI

Nonprofit BAMAH brings Israeli performing 
artists to North America.

SUZANNE CHESSLER CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Flo Low

Studio Mela 
(Michal Evyatar 
and Carmel Bar)

Cultural Exchange 

