BALABASTA Festival 2012: "How to draw a Picture"

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It seems that most Haredim actually do keep away from the BALABASTA Fair taking place at the Machane Yehudah Market in Jerusalem this month. The Edah HaCharedit had placed a ban but my guess is that most Haredim keep away because there is nothing interesting to watch. 

The annual August BALABASTA is nice but you won't too much going on. However, it gives you a different perspective of Jerusalem's Machane Yehudah Market but I also must say that the sellers at the market show a real hostile behaviour towards visitors from Tel Aviv. I have never seen this before but I was actually yelled at by a few sellers while making the videos. They accused me of being from Tel Aviv and only coming to film but not to buy their fruit and vegetable. 

I am not from Tel Aviv anymore but moved back to Jerusalem three months ago. However, I have never experienced such behaviour at the Carmel Market in Tel Aviv.

Picture of the Day

Seen in Tel Aviv

Photo: Miriam Woelke

Jewish News 1: "The LEGO - Concentration Camp"

Mika Drimer and her ceramic art work

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I met the Israeli artist MIKA DRIMER at her exhibition at the "Beth HaTefuzot - Diaspora Museum" in Tel Aviv during Pessach last April. What she was showing us was a set Shabbat table and everything on it was made of ceramics. Even the napkins !
However, she didn't want to tell me her secret of how she creates all her art pieces and what kind of ingredients she uses.


If you ever meet her at one of her exhibitions in Israel or abroad, it is worth seeing her art and getting an explanation from the artist.

Old and New

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At the Jerusalem Light Festival:

Art Installation in front of ancient Old City Wall

Photo: Miriam Woelke

Basya Schechter and Pharaoh's Daughter

 

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Just recently, I published the link to the movie "Leaving the Fold" which was broadcasted in Israel about three weeks ago. The movie is about five religious Jews who left haredi world. One of the participants is a young woman from Williamsburgh / New York. She left haredi society in order to become a singer. Her name is Basya (Batya) Schechter and she performs with her band "Pharao's Daughter" in English, Yiddish and even Aramaic.

Here is an interview with Basya where she explains her art:

Basya is singing "Ih un Du (I and Thou)

If she had remained in real frum circles, she would not have made it as a singer, as a woman is not allowed to sing in public. Halacha says that a woman's voice may arouse the "Yetzer HaRah" of a man listening.

Other videos can be watched HERE !

Is Tel Aviv really that Cool ?

The local Tel Aviv magazine "Time Out" is asking.



Response: At least, Tel Aviv doesn't face a lack of artistic expressions !

Photos: Tel Aviv Street Art

Golda Holterman

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Israeli art students seem to have found a new field of interest. A few weeks ago, I heard about it in Tel Aviv and thought "Wow, something new. Sounds interesting".

Since last Friday, however, I am got the message that apparently many artists have discovered a new object: the local prostitutes.
Among those artists is also a young woman with the name Golda Holterman. What is so special about her and why is such a topic coming up on a religious blog ?

Until a few years ago, Golda Holterman studied in a litvishe seminary in Mea Shearim. During her third and last year of those studies, she signed up at the Israeli Bezalel Art University. She left religion and found her life in the world of photography.

Already a while ago, she started taking pictures of prostitutes in Tel Aviv.
Due to modesty reasons I am not putting any of those pictures into the blog. But last Friday, I read an interview with her in an Israeli newspaper where Golda Holterman claimed that she also took pictures of male Haredim from Mea Shearim. First I thought that this cannot be true. Now I found some of those pictures on the Internet and I am putting one picture into the blog.

Maybe you have an opinion on that !


I am just asking myself how any Haredim could possibly agree. What about the "Mishmeret HaZniut - Modesty Police", parents, etc. ?
Golda Holterman became quite famous and is running some national and international exhibitions.

Picture of the Day

Photo: Big Art Mob

You can find this graffiti on a wall in Hayarkon Street / Tel Aviv. Near the Dolphinarium.