Politically Correct Hebrew Ulpan

Yom shishi, 1 Sivan 5771, Rosh Chodesh Sivan.

I love efficiency.  It delights me when I can accomplish two things in one shopping trip.  Three practically gets me dancing.  I feel the same way about objects.  I have no use for pointless dustables, however lovely.  (It took the Dearly Beloved nearly half our marriage to figure this out.)  Ah!  But give me a thing of beauty that is a functional joy forever...  and I am ecstatic.

An objet d'art that is merely lovely is very nice to look at in a gallery, in other people's houses, or in a store.  (They can keep it, as it's usually too expensive.  I'll just enjoy it when I pop by.  That's why they call it a "store.")  Like everybody else who lives in our apartment, a piece of art will be more greatly appreciated if it earns its keep.

What follows, before I get to the point (yes, actually, there is a point) is a short visual excursion through Ruti's favorite functional art.

Art from the Armenian Quarter of the Old City.

Function.  This one can stay.

Art from an artist formerly-from-Gush-Katif.

After this challah is sliced, it will be so happy being passed around the table on this beautiful platter.

One of my few family heirlooms.  Quite a story.  Russian prince; sunken ship; Pekingese dog.  I'll tell it to you sometime.

Its functionality as a Shabbat salt cellar keeps it from being stored in the cellar.

Even technology and office supplies needn't be ugly.

Beautiful!

And spiritually functional.

Such fine lines!

AND she works for a living.  Definitely NOT stuck in a drawer.

Even cute is acceptable...

...when it has a purpose.

My favorite functional art.  Lovely, and made in Israel...

As I said, it took the Dearly Beloved a while to figure me out.  But he finally got it.

...and it guards my precious rings.  What more could a girl want?

Okay.  What does this have to do with ulpan?  Or political correctness?

There is a group I am going to research a little more later.  (It is Erev Shabbat, after all.)  The group is called "Artists 4 Israel."  These days, that is so much more than a refreshing group name, as an increasing number of the "creative enlightened" decide to share their political opinion that Israel is the greatest evil on the face of the Earth.  Artists 4 Israel will come to Israel, will perform or paint for people over the Green Line, will stand with Israel as she does her best to survive, while all about her are losing their heads.

So Artists 4 Israel led me to this very clever video, which explains in careful Hebrew (with Hebrew subtitles as well as English translation) exactly what "the territories" are, and to whom they belong.  Fancy that!  Entertainment, history, and ulpan.  And it's all politically correct.  (Or politically corrected.)  Art meets function.  And Ruti is very, very happy.



Chodesh tov, and Shabbat shalom!

Colorful Street People

Yom sheni, 9 Sivan 5769.

It's true that a really nice post could be written about the colorful street people you thought this post was going to be about.  One of these days, I'll be worthy of writing it.  The fact is that I am firmly convinced that the prayers and brachot of some of Yerushalayim's street people have kept my kids healthy, out of serious trouble, and on a Torah path.  (There is one holy lady in Meah Sha'arim whose prayers -- said with my children's names tucked between the pages of her Tehillim for over a decade -- have felt to me like the prayers of a beloved grandmother.  I believe that Hashem surely has counted them as pure love from a pure heart.)

But this post isn't about Leah and her holy ilk.

It is about the joyful metal artwork on Ha-Zehavit Street.  We are privileged to travel this street any time we drive or ride the bus from the Gush into Yerushalayim, via Gilo.  Delightful, colorful and playful characters people the grass strip between the lanes of traffic on this well-traveled road, reminding drivers that there's more to do in life than rush to the office.

 

Avi and I reminisced about the Alte Heimland.  How might such statuary fare in Baltimore, Maryland, or in Lusk, Wyoming?  In Baltimore, these colorful cutouts wouldn't have lasted a month before they were covered with crude graffiti and -- uh -- anatomically-correct Magic Marker appendages.  In Wyoming, the temptation to shoot the cast iron critters full of holes would have been irresistible.  But in Yerushalayim, at least thus far, the only additional artwork has been provided by an errant fowl.

Not bad for one of the most controversial cities on the face of the Earth.

Haveil Havalim #219, the Kakol Hevel Edition is up at DovBear's place.  Give it a read.  Some of my favorite writers pop by to share their opinions on politics in Israel and the US, and on Jewish life.