The seven heavenly virtues

Exhibition at "Humanitas" Bookshop, Cluj-Napoca, Romania

December 2009

For the welcoming of Jesus Birth, the Christian Fasting time started and the religious conscienceness is growing. The most important virtues that one should develop are the following seven :Purity, Temperance, Charity, Persistence, Patience, Kindness and Humility.

1. Purity

"Baby Mihael"

2. Persistence

"The Golden Ball"

3. Temperance
"The Sea of Galilee"

4. Patience

"Fisherman"

5. Generosity

"The wishing well in Cisnadioara"

6. Kindness

"Woman making wool in Ieud"

7. Humility
"Keep knocking on Heaven's Door!"

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

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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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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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!