9.9.9

What is this day about?

9th of September

It's Saint Anne's Day

The day my beloved grandmother Ana died...

The day I saw again photographs in front of my eyes

The day I deciede to fight for my own ballance

I want to learn

I'm here to give

It's so simple

One day like this you just see

There is light

Life cycle

Exhibition in Cluj- Napoca, Humanitas Bookshop

by Simona O.M.

Water is the primary element in the forming life of the embryo.

During puberty, the physical body is yet undefined.

Later on, it becomes just a shadow in the midst of society.

During the years, the soul looks for it's partner, trusting there is another shadow similar to itself.
As years pass by, the ego shrinks, partners are closer to each other, together looking forward to the end.

In the final stage, the water leaves the body, which comes back to the earth.

As for the spirit – nobody knows where it is flying.

Embryo



Puberty



Society



Love



Reflection



Aging



Dissolution

Children between walls

by Simona O.M.


It's always amazing to see how children are so authentic. They try to copy the adults behavior but mostly they fail, because they can't hide their innocence. The environment where the Jewish and Arab children live is one surrounded by walls. Young human beings suffer directly from adult's actions. They are their role models. Still, children keep their joviality, their inner beauty and playful character. Parents are responsible for offering their children the best care possible, but sometimes the physical and mental conditions don't allow them to fulfill their responsibility. Struggling between the miraculous world and wild reality, the eyes and gestures are betraying their real face of purity.

Cardboard walls

Supermodel at a story telling festival in Harduf

Good friends

Hierarchy of smiles

Stone walls

Running for the army

"Commander" brother in the Old City of Jerusalem

Business between Arab boys




Father with his boys waiting at mother's work

Local children playing cards in the Old City of Akko

The friendly boy of the group




Jewish Orthodox brother and sister in Zfat




Where is the future?



Metal walls



Communication in the Orthodox neighbourhood




Balcony playground




Feminine vs Masculine




Closing the box

Wadi Siah Festival

by Simona O.M.



One of the most beautiful valleys (wadi) in Haifa leads to the spring "Ein Siah", meaning also the spring of communication.
Many pools are created from that water, that once belonged to the Arab family Khayat, called "The Garden of Khayat". Nowadays, Eyal Friedander is the focalizer of the Coaltion "Bustan Khayat".During the year he is taken care of the place and once a year he's organizing a big festival with music, food, street acrobats and other activities. It seams very natural to be there between Jews and Arabs, without politics. The City hall didn't support the event, so there was no security, no guns, no force.

Ein Siah

Overview

Children peeing from above


Busy organizer


Food from the local families


Their children

Michael, the acrobat

Capuera dance
`

Musicians


T-shirts with "Bustan Khayat"


Party in and around the pool

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Get your own

Exchange Party

by Simona O.M.

Tveria 15, Haifa

April 2009

Recently I was at a cool event in Haifa , where people exchanged different things and ideas. Many young people came, as well as older ones. There was a live jazz concert, food and drinks at student prices. But mostly you could find there clothes and books for free. The good purpose of the exchange party, to give old and take new, attracted many people (that found out about it). It really helped one to clean and renew his one storage , it created a social event that is friendly and with good atmosphere, and also remembered the citizens that Haifa has many lively sides.

Book Exchange

Concert

Audience enjoying

Office

Tasty food!

Inside atmosphere

Clothes Exchange

Look what I found!

Hmm...Nice belt on you!


Not me, I'm just sitting here!

Organizer's job


He's the one!

Friends

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Get your own

Passing through religion and security

by Simona O.M.

The following article tells a story of one day during Passover in the fascinating Old City of Jerusalem.




My Dhyan and baby Michael are caught between religious and security people at the Zion Gate.

Here is the famous Wailing Wall and behind it Al-Aqsa Mosque, a scene of an age long Jewish-Muslim tension. As you can see, the flag in the middle belongs to Israel, very proud of the power of the star of David (or of being a star of the world?!). Both are very sacred places for the two religions. The wooden bridge leads to one of the entrances to the Temple Mount with its Mosque and golden roofed Dome of the Rock.




At the beginning of the wooden bridge there are lots of security people. Here I got stuck, because I had the bag of my mother who visited the first time Jerusalem and bought souvenirs, like Christian candles and Jewish "menora" that are forbidden in the Muslim area! I had two options: either to leave outside the bag full of little things (not in a locker, just there where all the people queue up!!!) or remain outside. So I stayed out, because I was angry like a child that doesn't understand "why". Anyway, I saw the sacred places on another occasion, which could be the subject of another blog entry. On that occasion, I didn't come as a tourist, but was disguised as a Muslim and could actually enter the buildings.

It is worth noticing that women are separated from men, in Jewish and Muslim religious places ("Women Ntrance")!





"Pesach"! Jewish people going to pray at the Western Wall, where the Temple once was. The men section is the most important. Here they look more tired after "Leil HaSeder" (the long holiday dinner with the "Haggadah" reading, which was the origin of the Last Supper in Christianity). The two men in front are chatting and smoking (is it allowed on a holy day?) and the two children behind, yawning over the kippah table.

Before entering the Wailing Wall area everyone has to wash his hands.





The Jewish father (who is actually wearing normal clothes) with his little boys is coming back from the prayer at the Wall. The concept behind the large Jewish orthodox families is to increase the number and power of their nation and religion. Isn't it confusing that the nation and religion are both "Jewish"?! Also, the morning prayer "Thank you God for not making me a woman", is quite understandable, because the woman's job is merely to produce babies(which are lovely, but how can you take good care of so many?!), to cover her hair and mainly to be an obedient wife in the house, doesn't sound very interesting. Instead, the man has to study the religion every day of his life and is not obliged to serve in the army, and he gets some money for that too.

The little boy in the middle plays with guns. Toys for boys, but not only...





"Illegal" bread for Jewish Passover baked by the Arabs. During Passover anything that contains yeast is not allowed for seven days. In the time of Moses, when the Jewish people escaped from Egypt, they didn't have time to bake bread, so they ate only Matzah (flat bread).


It happened that in that Thursday the Christians Catholics celebrated the Maundy Thursday. It's one of the most intense liturgy during the year, before Easter. The Holy Sepulcher, where Jesus tomb supposed to be on the Gologota mountain, was packed with pilgrims.Security people were on guard, but more interested in their own thoughts.




Christians come all around the world to pray and touch the Holy place. The most influent Christian religions like greek/ russian orthodox, catholic, franciscan, armenian, ethiopian have their own space here and reasons for confrontation therefor.




One of the most popular jobs in Israel is security. Every place you enter has one or more security people guarding it. They check your bags and anything else they think is necessary. The guns they are wearing remind me of the metal chains punkists wear, hanging on them as a symbol of power.





What do children learn with all these weapons around them? And what do they teach their little brothers?




Even adults show children with enthusiasm how to deal with guns in order to be cool. The security people are their role models.





There it goes: BOOOOM!

I'm an alien in this country

by Simona O.M.

The story begins with the nice Carnival of Purim, in Haifa last month. High up on the mountain of Carmel, on the promenade with the view to the Mediterranean Sea many children and adults walk in a parade to show their interesting costumes and roles allowed without restrains. Happily this goes only for one day!

I'm an alien, am I...?


Do we need magic wands to rule the world?

Or it's enough to have a stick to blow soap bubbles in the wind?


Children dressed as Indian and cowboy feel comfortable to walk with guns in the hand...


Sometimes I see the world from above, on high legs, getting annoyed by soldiers with real army clothes and guns over the whole back. That should be normal for Israel!

Where joke meets reality (carnival dressed people and the real "security")

Does army anything to do with human beings? The mark that this are female soldiers (dressed the same as males) is that at least they hide their guns on the street. Serving the State of Israel make young people proud. Is it the same when they go to the real war?


Very often you meet green people covered with guns and black people with magnetic sticks.In crowded places you can't avoid them, because they sit next to you in the bus or check you every day in each public building you want to enter. Is this NORMALITY? What is this game for?

The answer is: SECURITY!
Actually we don't care to clean the dog poo from the street, because we are protected...