JULY 20 • 2023 | 25

Teaching throughout the fall at Michigan 
State University will carry the performers 
into the end of their yearlong visit to the 
United States. 
“Many of our presentations are going to 
be hands-on workshops for smaller groups 
and are mainly translations of Israeli paint-
ings into eating experiences,
” Bar said. “
A 

group looks at a painting by Israeli artists, 
and we make an interpretation into a dish. 
This is mainly going to be the activity in 
Michigan.
”
The duo met some 10 years ago in 
Jerusalem while Evyatar studied industrial 
design at Bezalel Academy, and Bar was 
studying different disciplines at the School 

of Visual Theatre, where students are 
taught to combine various aspects of stage 
disciplines as they establish their careers. 
For about eight years, the two have made 
presentations in Israel and have solicited 
responses from their audiences. 
“Most of the time, we don’t bring 
Judaism consciously into the performance,
” 
Evyatar said. “Judaism, though, is a con-
tinuing part of our culture. Because we are 
Jewish and Israeli, Judaism is present. 
“Sometimes, we like to take the Bible and 
use it as a storybook interpreted in a culi-
nary way. We use it almost as a cookbook.
”
The women, who also share family 
life with infant twins, have brought their 
children with them to the United States. 
A favorite activity is looking for farmers’ 
markets with the idea of expanding the chef 
aspects of what they do on stages.
“We like to go hiking by a lake or a river,
” 
Bar said. “In Israel, it’s rare to see so much 
water. We’re always amazed to see how 
much water we can find in this area. Of 
course, we also like good restaurants and 
good food.
” 
The two explained that they prepared for 
this stream of travel presentations by look-
ing around them and seeing lots of nature 
in different ecosystems prominent in every 
area of Israel. 
The different vegetation prompted them 
to focus on nature at the various events 
where they are being featured, and they 
traveled Israel from north to south, hiking 
and foraging and getting to have direct 
experiences for what grows in Israel. 
“BAMAH made all the connections for 
where we appear, and we couldn’t have it 
without them,
” Bar said. “They did a hard 
job and found great communities for us.
”
Other family members of the two women 
also are active in the Israeli entertainment 
industry, they have said. Two accept differ-
ent areas of directing and stage design.
“We have found that United States audi-
ences are very engaged with what we do,
” 
Evyatar said. “I feel Americans really want 
to know what we’re thinking about. They 
are curious and ask lots of questions.
”
The pair welcomes those questions.
“I want audiences to think of the ques-
tions of what is the flavor of their favorite 
place in the world, what is the flavor of 
their hometown and what is the flavor of 
Israel,
” Evyatar said. “I hope we help make 
people more aware of their many senses.
” 

Michal Evyatar 
and Carmel Bar

From “Soil Food,” an ongoing 
project started in 2020. Carmel 
Bar and Michal Evyatar.

