Reflections on the Litvak Gallery

For a fixed price of 48 shekels, visitors are granted full access to the gallery space at Galleria Litvak. A constantly changing exhibition space of predominantly glass works - the current featured artist on display is Czech artist, Vaclav Ciglar.

Ciglar known as the "Father of Contemporary Slovak Glass Art" has described his personal objective as such, " I use glass as a mediator for observation and meditation." Ultimately though, Ciglar hopes that his work will aid people to live in harmony with their surroundings and utilizes the reflective nature of glass to shed light on this concept.

Some of Ciglar's pieces that stuck out in my mind were "Convex and Concave." Like much of the exhibition, this work drew attention to reflection and distortion. It also requires viewers to slow down and question sight and perception as they become incorporated in the piece (via reflection). His work,"Flower," is a straightforward geometrical form, defined by reflective sheet metal petals and a yellow cylindrical center. Though simple, it is still an illuminating and whimsical sculpture.

In a set of water pieces,"Rippled Surface," water corresponds with an electric mechanism creating soft rippling waves. The waves are reflected in the sheet glass directly above. According to the artist's statement, this effect demonstrates the temporary condition of everything in the world, including us.

I particularly enjoyed "Jacob's Ladder," composed of optic glass and cables. The work is representative of the masterful biblical narrative in which G-d show's Jacob the path to heaven.

The outside exhibition shows reflections of the outdoor scenery - primarily the cityscape of high risers. Additionally, circular fragmented segments of glass breakdown the mechanics of sight for the viewer - offering assorted perspectives. These environmental sculptures capture light and the immediate surroundings of the viewer. Placing the viewer in the cityscape.

The standout piece of the exhibit is certainly Ciglar's "Star of David." The Star commissioned by the gallery owner specifically for this show is presented in the front window of the gallery - facing out towards the street. The pure glass without any imperfections (i.e. bubbles) takes 6 weeks to make. Disjointed geometric forms are sparsely arranged on the glass surface of the window creating a superimposed reflective optical glass illusion.

Beyond Ciglar's glass exhibition, there are also the works of Richard Jolly, Dale Chihuly, Peter Bremers and Davide Salvadore in the adjoining room. A dynamic sculptural medley of carved and blown glass. Chihuly, the glass blowing legend had some of his vases on view, (among other pieces)"Cerulian Blue Venetian #173" and "Silver Blue Venetian."

Also, lesser known artist, Peter Bremers' "Iceberg and Paraphernalia," an icy blue transparent sculpture served as a sample of his glass style.

David Salvadore, a Venetian artist from Murano - the glass blowing capital of Italy (and the World)- displayed remarkable glass instruments at the exhibit. "Tiraboson 2" and "Tiraboson 3" are two African tribal string instruments made from blown and carved glass. I was in awe of the craftsmanship and attention to detail with Salvadore's work and a bit disappointed and chagrined that there weren't more of his pieces in the space.

My favorite aspect of the Litvak Gallery does not actually lie within the Gallery space walls. In fact, before entering the gallery on the bottom entrance level of the tower (the Gallery is on the second floor) on Berkovich St. there is another open display space. On this ground level, Naama Aharonson's sensational papier mache creations are on view. Aharonson created several human sculptures of varying ages and in different settings. The exhibition is titled, "Speaking of People" (rough translation from the Hebrew,"Madoobar BaAnashim"). These life sized statues are sprawled across the ground level. It is an interactive exhibition space of sorts. The guard on duty recommended we strike a pose with the papier mache sculptures and become part of the display. Obviously, I couldn't disappoint this guard.

Afternoon in Florentin, Night for the Book(ing)s

Florentin -the artsy bohemian neighborhood of Tel-Aviv - has a slumish facade that endears its residential clientele. Once you delve into the heart of the neighborhood, you find some hip restaurants, nice original designer clothing stores and a few clubs/music venues scattered around. Wandering the rambling dirty streets - I finally found the 'charm' of Florentin that I had been told about. In a crevice near the center of the area you will find Florentin and Vital St. There are restaurants/bars on each corner of this street intersection and a little clothing boutique called "Old News" down the street.

"Florentin 10," a restaurant on the aforementioned street corner seemed bustling with customers. Always a good sign of a successful eatery; I entered. A 24/7 Cafe/Restaurant/Bar, I sat outside and did some people watching. I wasn't really sure what to order and the waitress seemed to sense it. As I opened my mouth to ask her for a salad suggestion. She smiled and said I should check out the business menu - common at restaurants in Israel. The business menu offers a first course (usually soup or salad) and a main course and drink for a reduced price (between $10-$15). Equivalent to a lunch menu in certain restaurants in the U.S., yet with healthier options and fresh ingredients here (also includes a drink). I ordered a warm and hearty bowl of vegetable soup - that came recommended - and a Greek salad. Both delicious. A refreshing glass of apple juice was a perfect topper to my meal

After roaming the area a little bit and not finding a lot more to do, beyond eat and drink I left Florentin for an event in Jerusalem. I get the sense that Florentin is more of a vibrant night scene than afternoon. For example, the clothing store -"Old News"- didn't open until 5 p.m. The event in Jerusalem was a social entrepreneur launch of 16 non profit organizations. The NGO's introduced their work to a room full of supporters. After spending a few hours there and getting my story I returned to Tel-Aviv. This is where the real story begins...

From Jerusalem to Tel-Aviv I embarked on my journey home- taking the Sherut (taxi service). I ask the driver if he can take me to another stop other than the Central Bus Station by Levinsky St. He says, "No, I don't stop anywhere else. Don't worry about it you can take a bus or taxi from there." I ask him again, politely explaining that Levinsky's not the nicest area to go at night. He ignores this comment and starts driving. Peeved and nursing a migraine, I sat in my seat and held my head. The Sherut arrived at Levinsky at around 10:30 p.m. As I walked to my bus stop (#5), the street was well lit and a bunch of people were loitering in the nearby park and street. Since, there were so many people on the street I felt fairly comfortable. Now, I only dreamed of an Asprin and resting my head on my pillow. If only this is where the story ended.

I get to the bus stop to find two men waiting there. One is an Israeli man and the other is Ethiopian. The Ethiopian man asks me for the time in English, I respond in Hebrew - to his confusion - and then in English. He goes and sits on a bench. Also waiting beside me, sitting on another bench was a Filipino woman. The woman flags down the Sherut service and gets in - as she enters, a woman wearing short shorts and a zip up shirt drunkenly waddles over to the Sherut cab and jumps in after her. The driver recognizes that there is something wrong with this woman as she maniacally laughs and shouts profanities among other things. He somehow manages to eject her from the vehicle. The Ethiopian guy and I are fully entranced watching this woman stroll/stumble down the street towards us. At this point I notice the severe gashes all over her legs, arms and on her face and realize that she is completely drugged up.

Unfortunately for me, I am fascinated by this and keep watching her. She notices. She locks eyes with me and walks over in my direction. I look down and firmly clasp my purse. When I look up again, she's standing in front of me yelling something about Satan and G-d and something about my future with one or the other. It's all very hazy what she was actually saying and can mostly be described as crazy dribble. Nonetheless, she decides to grab my hair and pull at it and then proceeded to grab my wrists and twist them (at least she tried - I resisted). At this point I get up , which moves her off me for a bit. She continues following me and yelling something while laughing. I tell her I'm with the Israeli and Ethiopian men and to please leave me alone. I promptly go over and sit by the Ethiopian man on the adjacent bench. The woman detects the undercurrent of my American accent in Hebrew and begins harassing me in English. At least her limited grasp of the language, "Oh you're American," [insert incoherent English here] and then a countdown from the number 6 to 0 in English.

At this point, I am sitting on the bench next to the Ethiopian man, who couldn't have been more than 25 years old, the crazy woman sits beside me on the opposite side. She then puts her arm over my shoulder and grabs on to the strap of my purse and the bench. Pinning me down to the bench so that I can't get up and escape. The tears are streaming down my face and I am signaling at the standing Israeli man and asking for help. He walks away. The Ethiopian man beside me tells her to leave me alone. She lets go of my purse strap and moves down the bench a bit and proceeds to unzip her shirt and expose her breasts - to our disgust. She then fondles herself and I edge further away.

At some point before this happened, she took my sunglasses off of my head and started wearing them and prancing around. My glasses may say "Prada" on the side, but I assure you they are the biggest knock offs in the world. In fact on the lenses it used to say 'Prada', but my friend and I scratched it out so that it now only says "ra" - to further emphasize their illegitimacy. Basically, I didn't care enough for the shades to fight her over them. I see a taxi peel around the corner leap up and flag him down. Distressed - mind you my migraine is throbbing - profusely crying, angry and a bit frightened, I explain the whole story to the cab driver before entering the car.

He looks at me in utter shock and says, "Wait, she stole your glasses." I respond, "Don't worry about it they're not worth it, please drive me home." He doesn't stand for this behavior though, and exits the cab, goes up to the woman and tries to retrieve them for me. While he futilely attempts this, I look up at the Israeli man and ask him "Why didn't you help me?" He responds, "I thought you were associated with the woman." I roll my tear filled eyes at him, scoff and enter the cab. The driver now safely back in his cab - sans shades - says, "She's crazy, we need to find the police." Right there at the traffic light stands a police car, waiting for the light to turn. My altruistic driver or as I'd prefer to refer to him, my savior, gets out of the car again and the next thing I know the police are talking to me about the incident. The taxi driver volunteers to take me to the station to offer my accuser/witness statement.The police tell the driver that is not necessary and that they will take me to the station in their car.

Next thing I know, I'm in the front of a police car. The cops arrested the woman and asked me to I.D. her on the street. I affirmed that that was in fact the woman who attacked me. Evidently, she was actually Russian as a policewoman began conversing with her (and detected HER accent). The crazy woman began crying a bit and pleaded with me to not give a statement. I responded, well, you should have thought about that before attacking and stealing from me.

I chatted with the very friendly policeman about the situation and my background. He smiled and said jokingly something to the effect, "so are you considering making Aliyah (immigrating to Israel) now." This back and forth rapport of joking and laughing continued for a bit, until we were joined by the two policeman who squished in the backseat with an Eritrean young woman (who sat there when I entered the car).

The Eritrean (as I found out later) woman sat there in silence. I was pondering the entire time whether she was the attacker or the victim. Sadly, I would come to find out it was the later. The drive was fairly quiet - beyond the obnoxious police receiver calling for dispatches. My head was pounding now and to my dismay the police didn't have aspirin readily available. We arrived at the station and the policewoman led us into the hallway, where we sat on chairs awaiting the investigator.

While waiting for the investigator (for 30-40 minutes) in this cold stark white hallway with bright overly luminous lights beaming down on us, the young woman and I struck a non-verbal line of communication. Evidently, she moved with her husband of 3 years from Eritrea to Israel only 30 days ago. Neither she or her husband speak any Hebrew and little to no English. She explained with a lot of hand gestures and a few blurbs of English that her husband had tried to kill her. He put a knife to her neck and threatened her. A few days later I saw the story on the news. A neighbor had apparently called the police after hearing a lot of screaming.

This is just an incident but it is symptomatic of a larger issue that has taken precedence in Israel (and not only Israel, but everywhere in the world) - and that is apathy. And honestly, a plain disconnect for your fellow human. One would think that the Jewish people of all people would see random acts of violence and injustices and stand up against them. Unfortunately, rarely have I seen this be the case. A few days later, I watched a video on the news that confirmed these beliefs. When a man randomly attacked one of the peaceful homeless men that sits on Allenby St, right outside Tel-Aviv's Carmel Market.

Article and Video of the attack:

http://www.ynet.co.il/english/articles/0,7340,L-3926871,00.html

Perhaps I'm asking the wrong question. Instead, of asking why don't people stand up for each other? Maybe, I should be asking what is wrong with the health care system, after all, we have a drug addict and seemingly a maniac attacking civilians? They need treatment, right? I hope you're sensing my tongue and cheek sarcastic rhetoric here.

Then on Israeli T.V. channel 10 last night I watched "Pay it Forward." One of the most idealistic movies of recent memory. The film starts out with teacher - Kevin Spacey - posing the question, "What does the world mean to you?" and "What does the world expect of you?" Haley Joel Osmond's character, Trevor responds "Nothing." After all, Spacey is addressing a room full of 7th grade students - 11 year olds. Osmond's character takes Spacey's class assignment of taking action in the community to mean that he must make a big difference. Trevor comes up with the idea of "Pay it Forward." One person does something good for three people and they pass it on to three more people - creating a chain reaction. Sustaining the philosophy that by impacting each other and helping each other out, we are changing the world.

In the film, the characters are initially dominated by their fears. Kevin Spacey fears an intimate relationship with Trevor's mother and is content with his manageable routine life - fearing change. Trevor is unable to defend his friend Adam from the bullies who beat him up -fearing they will turn on him. In sum, everyone is to some extent ruled by a fear that prevents them from fully "paying it forward." But, they in turn face these fears. Sadly, Trevor pays the ultimate price when he finally finds the courage to defend Adam.

Sometimes making a difference starts at home. If we changed the mentality of letting things go "unnoticed" or passively ignoring what we see happen on the streets - maybe, just maybe we could change the society in which we live. The taxi driver. The neighbor. Those are the people we must emulate. They are the heroes of this story.

I never got the name of the cab driver so I never had the chance to thank him for all he did for me. If hes reading, I would like to say Thank You from the bottom of my heart. Also a big thank you to the police and my relative who drove me home at 1 a.m. (you know who you are).

Comparative Politics - Football Style: Messied Up, and Adventures in Cairo

Argentinean soccer superstar Lionel Messi is apparently no stranger in the Middle East. Sporting his jersey in both Cairo and Tel-Aviv now has made me fully aware of his following. From chanting in the bazaar to offers of courtship (a bit confusing and disconcerting) to elongated walks with men down the street confessing their love of the Argentinean footballer (again confusing); Messi just might be the missing piece in the Middle East. A bit floored at first by the reception the Jersey got in Cairo, fans reactions eventually grew on me and with their immeasurable enthusiasm came my own. Revving up for the World Cup Final that night, the average pedestrian's response could not have been greater; short of Messi actually showing up and strolling the streets. Bright wide smiles lit up the unpaved roads and no one could turn a deaf ear to the chants and shouts.

Evidently, a female soccer fan was a rarity in the area. That is until I reached the airport and was greeted by the shining smiling faces of the El Al flight crew. As I arrived more than fashionably late to my flight, (on account of the game and the requisite post-game celebration – I mean coffee of course, I was in Egypt after all); two female security workers were elated to see the Jersey (3 a.m. flight - they were probably in reality very tired and were lured by the colors) and chanted "Messi" as I walked past for the questioning portion of pre-departure. With Spain clinching the title with a score of 1-0 against the Netherlands; they were enshrined in the World Cup hall of fame.
*Side note for non-soccer fans: Messi plays for Barcelona during the regular season. He played for his native Argentina for the World Cup*

This is a bit of a departure from the focus of my blog, which is Tel–Aviv. However, I found that many people that come to Israel often have an interest in visiting Egypt as well (if only to see the Pyramids at Giza). So this is what I would recommend for those interested. I took an early morning flight from Ben-Gurion (via El Al); I thought it was more time and cost effective (vs. a delay in Jordan). I also felt more comfortable in terms of security flying El Al over Royal Jordanian. Once I arrived (again in the wee hours of the early morning) my friends picked me up from the airport and from there we took a taxi to my friends' apartment. For traveling around Egypt it is best to take a taxi, just make sure that when you get in the cab the driver turns the meter on. Also for this reason take yellow or white cabs. The black cabs are generally taken by Egyptians because you haggle for the price of the ride (perhaps not the best idea for a tourist). Taxis are generally dirt cheap in Egypt and seem to be the most popular form of public transportation, at least in Cairo.

The Citadel

The Sites:

The Saladin Citadel of Cairo: A fortification commissioned by ruler Salah- Al Din during the Crusades, to protect and defend the city of Cairo and Fustat from the Crusaders. The Citadel offers a beautiful view of the city. The site closes at around 4 p.m. everyday.

The Pyramids at Giza: It's worth haggling for a camel ride around the pyramids. Unfortunately, when I went we couldn't enter the Great Pyramid because it was closed. I almost threw a "my ancestors built that pyramid, what do you mean it's closed" comment – but alas resisted.

The Nile: I recommend taking a night sail on a ship on the Nile. The ship we took (named Memphis) offered a buffet dinner and entertainment for its two hour voyage. Entertainment included belly dancing (which was not the best), singers (singing perhaps the most comical rendition of Lionel Richie's "Hello" I've ever heard) and a Whirling Dervish (Amazing!).

Sequoia Restaurant: A posh restaurant on the Nile. Stunning view and wonderfully set up; this restaurant offers everything from traditional Egyptian dishes (such as Molokheyah and for dessert Knafeh) to Sushi. Of course what's an Egyptian restaurant without Hookah/ Nargilah/ Sheesha (whatever you call it)? Recommended flavors: apple and honey, watermelon, and peach.

Bazaar (how bizarre) - Salesmanship at its finest? Bargaining is the game here. The prices are raised for tourists so in order to buy anything for a reasonable price you must haggle.

Pyramids at Giza /Sequoia Restaurant

Here's a list of Tips for Cairo:

1. Don't drink the water, unless it has a sealed top (buy water bottles - no tap water). With beverages in cans, make sure you wipe off the top of the can before drinking.

2. Generally avoid the vegetables unless they come from a reputable restaurant or are cooked. Fresh vegetables are often not washed properly and carry bacteria that may affect travelers who are unaccustomed to it. This may lead to a bad case of Pharoah's Revenge (I speak from experience).

3. Take Yellow or White Cabs - Yellow are a bit more expensive.

4. Don't ask anyone for anything - If you are at a popular tourist destination and someone comes up to you and asks you if you would like to see something special or offers information about the location, avoid them like the plague! I cannot stress this enough, seriously, all of these people earn pittance for salaries (probably equal to around $15 a month or so) and they will hound you until you tip them.

5. Women - cover your shoulders and knees. People will recognize you are a foreigner no matter what you do, but if you don't want the unwelcome attention from men it's best to cover up. They will most likely cat call you regardless, but perhaps less so if you respect this tip. This doesn't mean you should wear heavy clothing as it is an extremely hot and humid climate. Linen pants and a t-shirt or light long sleeved shirt should suffice.

6. Arrive early - many museums close around 2 p.m., so plan your trip accordingly.

A Little Oasis: Neve Tzedek - Shabazi

Architecture of Neve Tzedek

One of the hip hangouts of Tel-Aviv - young families and tourists alike wander the streets of Neve Tzedek milling through stylish cafes and chic stores. Neve Tzedek, which means "Abode or Oasis of justice" in Hebrew, is the first Jewish Neighborhood in Tel-Aviv. Established in 1887 (22 years before Tel-Aviv's establishment in 1909), by Aharon Shlush, who purchased the land to build a Jewish community outside the overpopulated Jaffa port. The residential neighborhood became a popular destination for artists and writers. It was home to future Noble Prize Laureate Shmuel Yosef Agnon and artist Nachum Gutman. Unfortunately, as time passed people began pulling out of the area and moving to the developing Northern Tel-Aviv. By the 1960s, Neve Tzedek was left in the dust - leaving behind dilapidated buildings, deeming it a slum. The 1980's brought about the revival of the area as efforts were made to renovate it. Ultimately, like many blighted and neglected spaces in major cities, gentrification saved the day - reviving the once vibrant community and creating a prosperous and expensive oasis for those who can afford its luxuries.

A quaint street in the heart of Neve Tzedek, Shabazi offers charming clothing and jewelry boutiques, an Italian gelataria and a neat bookstore. The vibe of the neighborhood of Neve Tzedek can best be described as the meeting place of hipster and yuppie. That pivotal turning point from being hip, trendy and young to being hip, trendy, young and professional – essentially you're gainfully employed now – Mazal Tov! As a result, in this neighborhood you'll see a lot of young couples and budding families with strollers in tow. Surprisingly, the area, only blocks away from the bustling Allenby, is quiet and calm - a slice of relaxation in the city.

In need of some new books, I entered Sipur Pashut (31 Shabazi) – a well designed two story bookstore, featuring titles in both Hebrew and English. There is a fairly comprehensive collection of English books ranging from classics to bestsellers to new arrivals. The staff is friendly and extremely helpful in both suggestions and assistance. Also a well ventilated space, which never hurts.

The heat was stifling outside that day so I stepped into the busy Anita Café "La Mamma del Gelato." I was welcomed by the warm smiles of toddlers sprawled on the steps, and their mothers coolly lounging at one of the circular tables discussing their children, husbands and the trivial chores and tasks of the day. Looking at the unique gelato options, I finally settled on banana with dates and grapefruit with campari. The grapefruit was mediocre, but the banana with dates was divine. The gelataria also offers such flavors as halva, limoncello and fruity flavors such as melon, watermelon, pear with wine, and fig. This gelateria has a variety of yogurt flavors, ice cream without sugar and ice cream with a goat milk base. Their gelato isn't quite as light as the Italian stuff, but given that it's a gelataria in Tel-Aviv it's pretty darn good and was winner of a 2008 Time Out award for Best Restaurant/Food in Israel.

Just a jete or foxtrot away is the "Suzanne Dellal Centre for Dance and Theatre," which is worth checking out. As is the restaurant/coffee shop in front of it - feel free to recline on their large white sofa couches and enjoy the summer breeze. Best to visit at night when lit by street lamps; relax and enjoy the soft strumming of the guitar from a street performer.

Shmuel Yosef Agnon's House

On Top of Rokach House

Saturday on the Beach

If you slightly adjust the lyrics to Chicago's "Saturday in the Park" to Saturday on the beach, then you have a fairly perfect description of the atmosphere in Tel-Aviv. I wasn't sure what to expect on a Saturday in the city, I'd heard that Tel-Aviv is different from most other cities in Israel in that there is a lot that stays open on this Sabbath day. However, I'd also heard that people mostly go to the beach on Saturday to either be seen or nurse their hangover from the night before. So I walked to the beach - just so you know there are no buses on Saturday until the evening after the Sabbath gets out [there are, however, taxis and Sherut (I believe)]. On my walk I noticed that mostly restaurants and Quick (Kwik)-E-Marts were open; all of the stores I passed were closed and there was some sort of plaster statue gallery open. Once I got to the walkway of the beach I was promptly asked if I had a cigarette. I've also heard cigarettes aren't sold on the Sabbath, not a 100% sure if this is true, but needless to say the man went on to ask others for a smoke.

"Saturday in the Park (on the Beach)

I think it was the Fourth of July (Third)

People talking, people laughing

A man selling ice cream."

My first destination was a refreshing drink at Yotvata, which is known for its dairy products. So I ordered a Strawberry Banana Milkshake (1/2 liter = 25 NIS). It did not disappoint. I then decided to hop over to Mike's Place to check out the soccer game of Argentina vs. Germany. I am personally a huge Messi fan and supported Argentina as a whole. So donning my Messi Barcelona jersey I walked down the street into the overly crowded tourist destination. I had heard of Mike's Place, but I had never entered it before.

Two years ago, I saw the film "Blues by the Beach" at my college presented by the film's producer Jack Baxter. An American, Baxter, was at Mike's Place when a homicide bomber entered the bar/restaurant on April 30,2003 (during the second Intifada) and blew himself up killing himself and 3 others and injuring around 50 people (including Baxter).

It has been several years since this tragic event and Mike's Place is still going strong. Today for instance, there had to have been about 200 people there, if not more. There were television screens everywhere and a huge projected screen. I was amazed at how many Germany supporters were in the crowd. Luckily, my jersey seemed to draw the Argentinian supporters around me, including the loudest and most obnoxious of the Argentinian fans who seemed to enjoy consistently yelling in my ear whenever Argentina messed up, which if you watched the game was a lot! With an end score of 4-0, unfortunately, in favor of Germany. I left in disappointment - to say the least.



























Somehow forgetting I was wearing my Messi jersey; I got approached by soccer enthusiasts on my walk back either asking me what the score was or discussing their own disheartened feelings on Argentina's incredible loss. Or my favorite the German fans, who I believe were actually German, coming up behind me and saying something to the effect of "Hey Messi, don't cry." Receiving my fair share of taunting at this point, I slipped in my Ipod headphones and ignored the nutty soccer fans. Until, I heard the soothing yet bizarre musical stylings of Hare Krishna. Alert again to my surroundings, I walked over to this hippie dippy going on, on the opposite side of the street. Like any person with a camera in hand I began filming the performance.
For your viewing pleasure, I give you the Hare Krishna band: (Video to be posted later)

"People dancing, really smiling

A man playing guitar (or in this case the accordion)

Singing for us all

Will you help him change the world..."

As I said it truly was a Saturday at the beach.