Getting to Know Us…An Interview with Donna Grushka

Thanks to volunteer, Irv Cantor, we present this second installment of our new “Getting to Know Us” blog series which began in December with an interview with Executive Director, David London. Watch this space for further articles acquainting you with the many members, employees, volunteers and donors who make AACI the place for English-Speakers in Israel.

 

Interview with Donna Grushka

The world-famous anthropologist Margaret Mead once said, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” The gentle force of her words can be heard in the  recollections and thoughts of Donna Grushka, an AACI volunteer. She has a  unique history with AACI, and we appreciate her taking the time to share her  insights with our blog readers.

Donna, thank you for agreeing to respond to our questions. Let’s start with how you came to AACI.

Let me start before that. In 1976, my husband Eli, who was born in Israel, was teaching chemistry at the State University of NY at Buffalo, when he received an invitation to be a visiting professor at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. We were here for nine months and I fell in love with the country, fell in love with being here. We went back to Buffalo, right into the Great Blizzard of 1977, which was a shock after being in Israel for nine months! We returned to Israel in the Spring of 1978. Eli is still teaching at Hebrew University, and is also busy with research and consulting.

I took an intensive ulpan and worked as a research assistant at Hebrew University and elsewhere. In the spring of 1983 I was looking for a new job. I had the idea that I wanted to do something with English-speaking olim, but I didn’t know exactly what. I saw an ad for a temporary job as a counselor at AACI. At the time, I knew very little about AACI.  My husband was an Israeli – if there was something to be done involving forms or procedures, my husband was my “in house” expert. But I responded to the ad, and even though I was not a social worker and had never been a direct service provider, AACI decided to take a chance with me. Luckily, the temporary job became permanent.  I was always grateful for that decision: working at AACI was the job of a lifetime for me!

I was intensively trained, which is important to note. AACI counselors are given in-depth training in order to accumulate the knowledge needed to be effective.

What is your academic background?

I have a Bachelor’s and Master’s from the School of Industrial and Labor Relations at Cornell University. But I knew already when I came to Israel that I did not want to work in the politically confrontational field of labor relations in Israel.

Although you’re not a counselor now, do you see a difference between being a counselor now and what you did as a counselor in the 1980’s?

Yes, there’s a definite difference. The organization was larger then, and there were more counselors. I became the third full-time counselor in the Jerusalem office. We were booked several weeks in advance with appointments. There were many new olim coming to the Jerusalem area. In the absorption center in Mevasseret Tzion, we had 50 families from North America. And in Beit Canada in East Talpiot, we also had about 50 singles and couples and young families. We were very busy, and, of course, there was no email or internet.

Visiting the absorption centers to greet olim and to provide counseling services was a very special part of AACI in those days. Volunteers went with the counselors to provide a personal connection. New neighborhoods were opening up, like Har Nof, and parts of Beit Shemesh, and AACI sent counselors to those areas to assist new immigrants.

Today, the counseling staff is much smaller. People have new resources, and sometimes rely on online information. However, when people have questions about their personal situation, they still need the individualized, specific hands-on advice and assistance that can only be provided by a real live person in a one-on-one setting. This is one of the most valuable benefits AACI provides to our members – to make an appointment and see a counselor in our offices (Sheila Bauman in Jerusalem, Miriam Green in the South Branch in Beer Sheva, Yanina Musnikow in the Central Branch in Tel Aviv, Netanya, and the North Branch in Haifa and other locations; and Helen Har Tal for employment counseling.)

None of us had computers in those days. We didn’t even have typewriters. I remember a counselors’ meeting where we were asked what our vision was for AACI. I responded that I had a dream that each counselor would have a computer on their desk. It seemed very far-fetched at the time.

Did your relationships with new olim extend beyond the initial weeks and months?

In many cases they did. People would come back months later, saying that they had accomplished certain goals and now wanted to move on to another set of goals. Education issues with children might not emerge until months later.

How long did you have this role? 

I began as a counselor in April 1983 and continued for about ten years. In 1993, I became the Assistant Director for the Jerusalem branch of AACI. There was a full time Director at the time just for the Jerusalem branch. The National office was separate. We shared the same building in the Talbieh neighborhood, with “downstairs” meaning National, and “upstairs” meaning the Jerusalem branch.

What were your responsibilities?

As Assistant Director, my main focus was on programs. I filled in for the Director when she was not around. I managed the production of the Jerusalem Voice magazine. I dealt with some outside organizations, and worked intensively with the Seniors group, as well as coordinating many of the volunteer activities such as the front desk.

What types of programs was AACI running back then?

We had presentations on the rights of olim, for example. The art class that is given today is a twenty-year-old program. There were music programs in the evenings. The old building was smaller, so we could not run many programs during the day. The Wednesday morning program for seniors (RAPS) is also one that has been in existence for a long time.

One of my most enjoyable activities at that time was working with the seniors. We had a nice garden outside our building. We had an end of season luncheon there every June.

Also, we held large yard sales in the garden area where we could accommodate 70 or 80 sellers and regularly attracted several thousand buyers.

The travel program started in the late 80’s and grew to the significant program that it is today.

For how long were you in this management role and what did you do after leaving?

I was in that role for about four or five years, and then at the end of 1997 I said I had to get out of the “ivory tower”. With some trepidation, I left AACI. I did a bunch of other things. I spent a year working for Birthright, when it was just a dream. It was a very small, modest role, similar to a secretary. The program was just being created, there was no real infrastructure. It was fun to support the dreamers.

After a short time working for Hadassah Women in Israel, I worked with Evie Weidenbaum, who had been the Director of the AACI Jerusalem office while I was at AACI, and who had become a close friend. We set up a small company which provided support services to families with elderly parents or spouses needing care. Then in 2004, I went to work, on a temporary basis that stretched into five years, for the Israel Government Coins and Medals Corporation. My job was to translate their public relations materials from Hebrew into English. I loved that job. The exposure to Jewish history and tradition was so interesting.  And after those five years, I retired.

When did you come back to AACI as a volunteer? How did that occur?

I have been active at AACI as a volunteer for about ten years, doing more and more as the years passed. Currently, I am Co-Chair of the Jerusalem Branch of AACI. Belle Fine-Cohen and I have just begun our second terms as Co-Chairs. We work closely with the AACI staff and other volunteers on programs and what goes on in this building. We sit on the National Board and also focus on cooperation with other organizations.

For almost ten years, I have also been the Co-Chair of the National Memorial Ceremony that takes place in the Fall. I think that we, as the North American community in Israel, owe a debt of gratitude to our fellow countrymen who have come here and fallen, as members of the IDF or in other positions of service, or as victims of terror. We owe it to them, to remember them, to honor their memory once a year. So I have helped organize the ceremony along with my Co-Chair, Rabbi Jay Karzen.

On a totally different note, for three years I have been in charge of the art gallery shows in our building. It’s been a fun part of my work here, because I love seeing the artwork on the walls around our offices.

Visit our facebook album to view the rest of the photos. This is just a sample.

And I must mention the Children & Teen Art Exhibition which has attracted entries from kids around the country – English speakers, Hebrew speakers, and even international students.

I have worked on the amutot, the independent funds associated with AACI. Perhaps you are not aware, but AACI has three independent funds, including one that gives very small scholarships to school children in Jerusalem.

What skills do you think are necessary to be successful in these types of roles?

I think the essential skill is being able to get along with people who are very different from one another, and to be able to convince them to do things that need to be done. As a volunteer, you do not have authority to compel cooperation, so you have to use skills that convince and persuade.

What do you value most about the work you do and what AACI represents?

What I have always felt about AACI, and it is now thirty years that I am associated with the organization, is that we bridge the gaps between individuals. What do I mean by that? I mean that in this organization we have people from almost every part of the spectrum – politically, religiously, or any dimension you can think of. We are a diverse group. AACI looks to what unites us, as English-speakers in Israel. This is aside from all of the good work that we do, the support to olim, and the outreach to the community.

Does anything stand out as particularly rewarding?

This is not my project, so I cannot claim credit for it, but it reflects how special AACI can be. There was a project that Murray Safran z”l began over 20 years ago when there was the large Russian aliyah. He began a tutoring project to match up English speakers with these olim who needed to learn English, mostly for work. It was a huge project, and he did it as a volunteer. He did not have a computer – he had index cards with hundreds of volunteers and hundreds of students. It was a beautiful example of how AACI members reached out to the community.

It is rewarding when things you did many years ago have become the standard way of doing things for many other organizations. For example, AACI initiated a “Yom Aliyah”, bringing representatives from different government offices, from banks, and from the kupot cholim to talk to new olim individually, in one place at one time. Today, other organizations now consider this activity as the default for providing olim with needed information. I remember organizing the first one, when people came to the old building – some representatives even sat outside in the garden.

In the early 90’s we were all searching for ways to reach out to the Ethiopian olim. We invited Ethiopian children from the absorption center to come to a Hannuka party at AACI. We thought perhaps 20 or 30 children would come. Close to 100 excited kids came, many of whom spoke little Hebrew and obviously no English. It was a bit chaotic! But they sat on the floor next to North American olim children – and we lit candles, and sang songs.  I was very proud to be part of AACI that day.

During the Gulf War, when people were staying in their apartments, AACI volunteers living near the office, on their own volition, came in to the office and made phone calls to members who were living alone, to make sure they were okay, if they needed training on their gas masks, if they needed windows sealed with tape, if they needed medications from their kupat cholim, or had other concerns.

Let’s turn to the challenges. What challenges confront AACI as it supports its community of English-speakers in Israel?

I think the biggest challenge is always the financial one. We simply need more money to do all of the good things we want to do.

With the appearance of new organizations over the years that are addressing aliyah and klitah, we need to address our position relative to those organizations and what makes us unique. We need to communicate what we offer that cannot be found elsewhere.

We don’t have a timeline for our services. We don’t walk away when a new oleh has become “settled”. Yet many of our members, after two or three years, when they feel comfortable, let their membership lapse. When we contact them, we try to let them know that there are still many opportunities to work together, and that we understand that Aliyah Never Stops.  Our message is:  “We need you. We need your input. We need your time as a volunteer. We need your financial support.” It is interesting that we hear from members years later, when their circumstances change or they become elderly. The issues surrounding growing old in Israel can be difficult ones. We need to maintain an interested and supportive membership during that gap between growing comfortable in Israel and growing old in Israel.

Another challenge is to grow the number of young people to our organization. The J-Town Playhouse Theater is an effort in that direction. There is tremendous potential for young people to make a major contribution to AACI and support English-Speakers in Israel. And they can have a lot of fun at the same time. We need to develop ideas that will attract more young olim to AACI.

Are there parts of your work and volunteering that you would describe as fun?

I am not sure I am going to answer that question directly, but there is an important point I want to make. I think one of the nicest parts of being at AACI has been the friendships that I have made over the years. Some of these friends are former colleagues, and some are people who were “my” olim when I was a counselor. It is very rewarding – personally – when people say to me “ I remember when you were my aliyah counselor and you helped me settle in Israel”. To have helped people fulfill a dream is a wonderful feeling.

In the last year there were two events that brought together people who have worked for AACI in different eras. One was a birthday party for the former director of klitah and national executive director, Olga Rachmilevitch. A group of about 25 former employees went up to Netanya, where Olga lives, to celebrate. It was a great reunion. Second, AACI recently honored two people who have been working for the organization for 25 years, Carole Kremer and Helen Har Tal. Again, people spanning many years came together in this building to honor them. AACI has been extremely lucky that, despite modest salaries, the people who work at AACI have always been dedicated, caring, serious professionals. It has been a privilege to have known and worked with them.

What about your life outside AACI? Hobbies, interests…can you describe them?

My husband and I have been blessed with three wonderful daughters. One lives in the States and teaches as the University of Virginia. The other two live in Tel Aviv. We have three grandchildren, two of them in the States. Family is very important to us.

My husband and I are antique enthusiasts. We are especially interested in Israeli antiques and Judaica. We have collections of different things, for example old chanukiot. Not the fancy silver ones that came out of Europe, but Israeli ones from the 50’s and 60’s. We have old newspapers, and some framed newspaper stories for particular milestones, like the morning of May 14, 1948 saying the country would be established.

And we love Israeli art. We go to auctions and enjoy them. We don’t buy the big, famous names, but enjoy what we have. We also like going to concerts, theater, and the opera.  One more thing: we love watching sports on television, especially winter sports such as skiing and ice skating, as well as tennis and baseball.

Donna, thank you for taking the time to share your rich history at AACI with our readers, along with your ideas and insights. You should be an inspiration to readers to become part of the AACI family, to be members, to be volunteers, and to sponsor the remarkable work of AACI. Thanks, again.

To our readers, below are links to the services and programs mentioned by Donna during the interview:

Employment Counseling
http://www.aaci.org.il/articlenav.php?id=47
Art Class
http://www.aaci.org.il/articlenav.php?id=132#marcia
Seniors
http://www.aaci.org.il/articlenav.php?id=132#seniors
National Memorial Ceremony
http://www.aaci.org.il/articlenav.php?id=298
Art Gallery Shows
http://www.aaci.org.il/articlenav.php?id=351

AACI is the home for English Speakers in Israel with offices in

Jerusalem, Netanya, Tel Aviv,  Beer Sheva and Haifa.

AACI Jerusalem – Dr. Max and Gianna Glassman Family Center

Pierre Koenig 37, corner of Poalei Tzedek 2 (across from Hadar Mall)  Talpiot, Jerusalem

MAP

Buses # 10, 21 & 49 stop on Pierre Koenig across from AACI; 71, 72, 74 & 75 stop at Tzomet Habankim, a 10-minute walk away.

(02) 566-1181 for more information about any programs or to register.

 

Sneak Preview of Photos from Children’s and Teen’s Art Show – With Brush and Pen – April 11 2013

Last Thursday, April 11th AACI hosted the premiere of the 3rd Annual Children’s and Teen’s Art Show, with “Brush and Pen” thanks to a generous contribution by former AACI President, Gordon Sugarman (Betsy Sugarman ז”ל Memorial Fund) in memory of his beloved wife, Betsy z’l.

Kol HaKavod to all the kids and teens who participated…and their families…and of course, our beloved staff and volunteers who made this event happen!

In addition, Dr. Max & Gianna Glassman, whose generous gift has allowed us to thrive in our new facility in Talpiot were present and Dr. Max addressed the assembled crowd and Gianna assisted in the presentation of awards.

To say it was an amazing night barely describes the excitement, joy, enthusiasm and talent that we witnessed in a standing room only crowd.

We shot lots of photographs and even some video. The photos are up on our facebook page (please like us if you have not already done so) and even if you do not use facebook ordinarily, you can view them here.
http://on.fb.me/YwxdAg

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Here are just a few of the beautiful examples of talent demonstrated by our young artists. Please come to AACI-Dr. Max & Gianna Glassman Family Center to view the art and prose that is on display. And visit us on facebook to tag your work and photos of you.

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Enjoy the photos and please tag them and share them with your friends and family, and if you have more photos to add, please let us know so we can include your photos too.

Stay tuned for more to come… video, and photos of the entries.

If you are not already getting the AACI e-newsletter, sign up here so that you will be informed about other great events for the whole family happening at AACI.

Plans are already in the works for a great July 4th/Canada Day Celebration and you will surely want to join in for lots of fun!

If you would like to share in the excitement by sponsoring an event like this, or one that would be meaningful to a person you would like to remember or honor, please contact Bryna Lee at 02-566-1181 ext. 324 or bjacobson at aacidotorgdotil.

AACI Jerusalem – Dr. Max and Gianna Glassman Family Center
Pierre Koenig 37, corner of Poalei Tzedek 2 (across from Hadar Mall)
Talpiot, Jerusalem
MAP
Buses # 10, 21 & 49 stop on Pierre Koenig across from AACI; 71, 72, 74 & 75 stop at Tzomet Habankim, a 10-minute walk away.
(02) 566-1181 for more information about any programs or to register.

Calling Children & Teens ages 5-18

If you live in Israel, and are age 5-18, you are eligible to participate in the AACI Children’s and Teens’ Juried Art Show, With Brush and Pen.

Your art, in any medium, or poetry/prose in English must be submitted this month (February 2013).

Click here to view all the details.

Don’t miss out! If you are an art teacher, please encourage your students to participate. No need to plan for a special project. Surely some of the work already completed is appropriate for the show.

Prizes to be awarding in categories by ages.

All participants will receive a certificate.

Opening night is April 11, 2013. Submit works by the end of February to AACI.

AACI Jerusalem – Dr. Max and Gianna Glassman Family Center
Pierre Koenig 37, corner of Poalei Tzedek 2 (across from Hadar Mall)
Talpiot, Jerusalem
MAP
Buses # 10, 21 & 49 stop on Pierre Koenig across from AACI; 71, 72, 74 & 75 stop at Tzomet Habankim, a 10-minute walk away.
(02) 566-1181 for more information about any programs or to register.

“I’m Already an Artist”: AACI’s Children’s and Teens’ Art Exhibition

Editors Note: Purim 2013

It’s the last week of February, 2013 as we prepare for the next AACI Children’s and Teens’ Art Show. We created a VLOG for you about it, and want to remind you to get your submissions to AACI this week! All the details and a form you need to submit with your art or prose is available here.

And now, we proudly present in honor of Purim and the upcoming Art Show:

Last years blog about the Show continues below:

Even as the tiniest toddler, my son Simcha loved to create. When he disappeared into his bedroom and was “too quiet” for too long, he would be found, not getting into mischief, but drawing with his crayons — on paper, not on the wall! — or molding shapes of Play-Doh. A bead-stringing kit seemed like the perfect present for him at age six. But instead of threading necklaces, he took the enclosed plastic cord and strung it from one end of his bedroom to the other, adorned with the beads, as well as a wildly beautiful array of seashells, shiny buttons and other unusual objects. An onlooker commented, “Wow! Maybe you’ll be an artist when you grow up.” Simcha’s very dignified reply was: “I’m already an artist.”

Now you can meet some other Israeli youngsters who are already artists.

“With Brush and Pen,” AACI’s Children’s and Teens’ Art Exhibition, is opening Sunday, April 22, 2012. The exhibition entries may be viewed starting from 6:00 PM.  At 6:45 PM, the formal program begins. Prizes will be awarded, and several of the talented young artists will offer musical performances and readings of their written works.

For this, the second annual exhibition of its kind,  AACI expanded the definition of artwork beyond drawing and painting, resulting in a large increase in submissions. I just had a sneak preview of the exhibition this morning, and was amazed at the creativity on display. Media ranged from simple pencil or  pen, through marker, crayon, acrylic paints and oils, to ceramic figures and multimedia combinations. The young artists captured scenes from everyday life, fantasy, landscapes, portraits and abstracts. Pictures and sculptures of animals were particularly popular.  The artwork showed an impressive maturity of technique, combined with exuberant use of color together with youthful freshness and imagination.

You are invited to enjoy a very entertaining evening, and to support our budding artists. For reservations, please call (02)566-1181. Admission is free of charge. The exhibition will continue until June 15, 2012.

We gratefully acknowledge the generous donation by Gordon Sugarman in memory of Betsy Sugarman ז”ל to support this program.

AACI hosts exhibitions of art by olim of all ages on an ongoing basis, with new exhibits approximately every 2 months. We would love to have your feedback and participation. Please contact us if you wish to:

• submit a review or photographs of an exhibition, or 
• request inclusion in an upcoming exhibit (please include information about training, experience, previous shows, etc, and samples of your work — links to websites, digital photos, etc.

AACI Jerusalem – Dr. Max and Gianna Glassman Family Center, Pierre Koenig 37, corner of Poalei Tzedek 2, Talpiot    MAP
Buses # 21 & 49 stop on Pierre Koenig across from AACI; 71, 72, 74 & 75 stop  at Tzomet Habankim, a 10-minute walk away.

Calling all Children and Teens in Israel!

With Brush & Pen: an Exhibition of Art by Children & Teens in Israel

Do you like to draw or paint … or sculpt … or embroider … or collage … or write … or … ???  Would you like your artwork or story to be seen by hundreds of people? Would you like the chance to win a prize? Then bring your creation to the AACI center to enter it in our Children’s and Teens’ Art Exhibit, “With Brush & Pen.”  But hurry – the deadline is next Sunday, March 11th!

We gratefully acknowledge the generous donation by Gordon Sugarman in memory of Betsy Sugarman   ז”ל to support this program.

Click here for more information about entering the art exhibit.

The exhibition will be open to the public April-May, 2012 at AACI.

The AACI-Dr. Max and Gianna Glassman Family Center is at 37 Pierre Koenig/2 Poalei Tzedek, in Talpiot, Jerusalem. Telephone (02)5661181.
Click here for a map.
Buses # 21 & 49 stop on Pierre Koenig across from AACI; 71, 72, 74 & 75 stop  at Tzomet Habankim, a 10-minute walk away.

Reverse Mask: an Art Project for Kids 

Here is a fun artistic activity to get you in the Purim spirit. Usually on Purim we wear masks to disguise our faces, but this reverse mask will show your face and disguise the rest of you.

On the largest sheet of paper you can find: lie down with your arms slightly stretched out and the top of your head at least 5 cm below the top edge of the paper. Have a friend or parent trace your silhouette (outline) with a pencil. Try not to wiggle!

Cut out a hole where the face would be, then decorate your silhouette with paint, markers, glitter, fabric scraps … whatever you want.  Use the decorations to show who you really are, or who you would like to be. Be as creative as you like.

When you are finished, have someone take a picture of you peeking out the face hole of your “self-portrait.” You can print small versions of the photo and use them to decorate your mishloach manos.

Have fun!

Chanan Mazal – Art Studio Update, February 2012

UPDATE: An Inside Look at the Exhibit

Opening night was an exciting event. Meeting the artists and hearing them speak about their inspiration and techniques helped me to look at the paintings more thoughtfully. Both Chanan and Ron use layering, for example, which creates texture and depth. I also appreciated the Israeli feeling evident in their art – Ron depicts the landscapes surrounding his home in Kibbutz Urim, while pomegranates, figs and other types of Israel’s Seven Species frequently appear in Chanan’s work.
All in all, a very enjoyable evening and an interesting exhibit.
The exhibit will continue through April 5 at AACI Jerusalem.

Thanks go to KJ Hannah Greenberg for her blog post at the jpost.com. Click here to read it.

Dear friends,

Please come to the opening of the new show in the AACI Gallery on Tuesday evening, February 21 at 6 pm and bring your family and friends.  The artists are Chanan Mazal and Ron Gang – the work looks great and it should be a wonderful show. 

 Instead of having a Gallery Talk on a different evening, both Chanan and Ron preferred to talk in depth about their work at the opening.  Chanan sent me the following blog – it is food for thought and gives us a taste (if you will pardon the pun) of what is in store for us on Tuesday.

 See you there!

Donna Grushka 

map to AACI

Chanan Mazal – Art Studio Update

February 2012

 

Dear Friends,

I would like to share some of my recent artwork with you.

Last May, at the opening of my show at the Jerusalem Theater, I spoke about the border between ornament and art, and about my exploration of ornament’s potential as a vehicle for emotional and artistic expression. I have found this subject to be even deeper and more gratifying than I had imagined. While applying more and more layers to each painting, I alternatively create denser layers of pattern, or masks to hide or mutate them. Like a toddler building a tower of blocks, building, knocking down, and building again. At the same time, my own levels of raw emotions vacillate with a desire to return to a well behaved and pretty aesthetic. Like the naughty child in Sendak’s “Where the Wild Things Are”.

My goal is to stop working at that enigmatic point in time when I feel that this tug of war has reached a perfect tie. The war is between impulsive, yet engaging, “bad taste” and refined, pleasing “good taste.” The moment when our tense concentration breaks into a humorous, joyous smile.

I use the power or delicacy of pattern, to counterbalance my deliberately coarse execution of earlier layers; to correct my deliberately imperfect compositions, and to make peace with warring colors. I prefer to initially attack the canvas as quickly as possible, from my gut. Then I patiently, thoughtfully and joyfully build up the painting to that moment of equilibrium. Perhaps we all get gratification from fixing broken things.

When artists paint portraits of others, in a sense they are always painting themselves. Likewise, I feel that even when I paint the most neutral of objects, these works reflect my own search for self identity. Our teenage self definitions get redefined over time, as we mature, change our family and work roles, and re clarify our values.

I find that self humor is a great tool. Perhaps that is why so many of my works contain either a well balanced, symmetrically placed object, over a joyfully chaotic undercoat, or impossibly off balanced bowls, about to roll off of the canvas.

If any of you folks are here in Jerusalem, please join me next Tuesday, Feb. 21, at the opening of my newest exhibition at the AACI. Details below.

Best regards,

Chanan

Chanan Mazal

C. Mazal Art Ltd.

11 Rivka St.

Jerusalem 93461

Israel

www.mazalart.com

www.mazalart.blogspot.com

Tel (972)2-6719715

Fax (972)2-6719779

Mobile 054-6374751

Reflections — Four Artists View Their Worlds

by guest contributor Laura Firszt

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Entering AACI’s new offices is a pleasant surprise – the premises feel bright and functional but not sterile. The walls are enhanced with the colorful works of four exciting Israeli artists. The impression is of visiting different areas of our country; the widely varied styles of the artists seem to reflect the variety of landscapes and people in Israel.

Shoshana Meerkin’s watercolors delicately depict light and shade. Many of her paintings embody a theme of Israeli doors and windows, often partly open, inviting the viewer to imagine what lies beyond. Similarly, in “Let’s Go There,” two elderly women sit on a seaside bench, backs to the viewer. Despite their relaxed pose, their attention to the sun-dappled boats in front of them creates a sense of forward motion and thought.

The rich bright colors of Ruth Gesser’s oil paintings portray the almost jungle-like exuberance of Israeli gardens. Her watercolors seem drenched in the intense sunlight that is so characteristic of summer in this country. A versatile artist, she also combines watercolors and watercolor pastels to create intriguing semi-abstract works.

Ruth Keusch uses oils to create paintings of human figures or flowers with strong, almost harsh lines. In true Israeli fashion, she is rigorously honest, yet sympathetic, in her interaction with her subjects. As well, she produces earthy sculptures. In the words of one of the viewers of her exhibit: “Exciting!”

Esther Weiser Kreisman combines her traditional art school background with modern technology to produce big bold “urban landscapes.” Photographs of a scene at various times of day are melded to create paintings that are alive with motion and energy, from the lighthearted, bright “Coca Cola Beach Tel Aviv,” to the fluid familiar/unfamiliar feeling given by “Jerusalem 2008.”

Many of the original paintings, as well as posters and giclee reproductions, are for sale. A percentage of all sales will be donated to the AACI.

The works will be on display until February 15, 2012 and are open to the public free of charge during AACI’s opening hours: Sunday-Thursday 8:30 am – 5:30 pm and some evenings.

A gallery talk from 6-8 pm this Sunday, January 22nd, will allow art lovers to hear the artists discuss their works and their creative process, followed by a question period.

Phone 02-5661181 for hours and directions or check our website: http://www.aaci.org.il.
A new exhibit is presented approximately every six weeks, making the works of contemporary Israeli artists easily accessible to the general public.

Welcome to our newest guest Blogger, Laura Firszt. We hope to be reading lots more from Laura on a regular basis.

Jewish Art – But Probably Not What You’d Expect!

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Many people relegate art with a strong Jewish connotation to a niche of works dealing with usually old-fashioned portraits of rabbis, the Kotel or texts involving the Hebrew scribal letters. But there are artists who have different intentions and aspirations. Among them are Dov Lederberg and his wife Yael Avi-Yonah who have been creating for over three decades in Jerusalem innovative, even cutting-edge, art works with a deep spiritual and meditational impact.

Each of the artists with his/her unique style attempts to render with their art an interactive and even surprisingly mystic experience.

Avi-Yonah uses metal plates as a base upon which she constructs hologramic collages and airbrush paintings which render a sensation of “movement” when the viewer passes by. Her paintings on canvas in combination with 3-D anaglypic glasses create outbursts of visual energy or enable the eye to discover different pictures (multiplexing) hidden in the painting, according to right brain or left brain configurations.

Lederberg’s work is influenced by modern “gestalt” theory in psychology and his airbrushed paintings invite the viewer to find images and forms “emerging” from the chaos. As an option he enables the viewer to use 3-D Avatar polaroid glasses to achieve an unusual sensation of depth.

Avi-Yonah, born in Jerusalem, is a graduate of Bezalel Art College. She is the Israeli representative of the World Kinetic Art association. Lederberg, originally an underground film-maker and video art creator, studied at Haverford College and Columbia University. Both are members of the Israel Artists Association and have made many exhibitions in galleries and museums in Israel and abroad.

The couple are currently exhibiting until the end of December their new work:

“3-D ART INSPIRED BY KABBALAH & SCIENCE” 

at the AACI (Association of Americans & Canadians in Israel) Max & Gianna Glassman Center at 37 Pierre Koenig, Talpiot.

Go Around the World in Photographs

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AACI-DR. MAX and GIANNA GLASSMAN FAMILY CENTER

PEOPLE AND PLACES: A PHOTOGRAPHIC TRIP AROUND THE WORLD

MAY 30 – JULY 21, 2011 

If you don’t have time or money to travel this summer – or even if you do! – here is your opportunity to view people and places that many of us will never see. Five talented photographers are sharing with us what they have viewed through the lens of their cameras –breathtaking landscapes, close-up views of nature’s miracles, familiar locations in Israel, exotic destinations that stimulate our imaginations. They lead us visually to China, Vietnam, Turkey, Peru, Czech Republic, Thailand, Italy and Portugal as well as the byways of the U.S. We view the innocence of children and the wisdom of old age, children at play, people at work, the encounter between cultures.

Our five photographers are:

Rick Blumsack made aliyah from Cambridge, Massachusetts in 2009.

Eddie Friedman was born in Czechoslovakia, the son of Holocaust survivors, moved to the U.S. as a child, and made aliyah in 2007 from Los Angeles.

Rebecca Kowalsky is a mother of 6 who made aliyah from Chicago in 1985.

Yonit Schiller, who made aliyah in 2006 from Buffalo, NY, received her first camera at age 11 from her father.

Meir Zarovsky a veteran oleh from Los Angeles also learned photography from his father.

 25% of all sales will be donated to AACI.

What unites them is passion – for exploring new places and cultures and sharing their discovered world with others, for capturing the essence and the emotion of their subjects, for recording and preserving memories, for translating beauty into an image, for finding meaning in every object, experience, and encounter. Some of these photographs show us people and places we’ve never seen, others help us discover unknown aspects of things we see all the time. And in discovering the hitherto unknown or unseen we discover new truths about ourselves and our world – the complex beauty of a flower, the serenity of a sunset, the refreshing joy of cold water on tired feet, the harsh reality of divisions between peoples – barbed wire, sadly, appears in more than one photograph. At the end – if we are lucky – we are in awe of what the camera has revealed and grateful to those who shared their visions with us.

So open your eyes and your heart – the journey is about to begin!

AACI-Dr. Max & Gianna Glassman Family Center
Corner of 37 Pierre Koenig/2 Poalei Tzedek, Talpiot
POB 53349, Jerusalem 91533

click here for map
 

Rick Blumsack

 

 

Rick Blumsack made aliyah from Cambridge,Massachusetts in 2009.

A serious photographer for over 10 years, he strives to capture poignant or humorous moments from simple encounters with people, wildlife and our surroundings.

 

His photographs have been exhibited in numerous and diverse venues in the Northeast United States, including:

The Vermont Center for Photography in Brattleboro, VT
The Stebbins Gallery in Cambridge, MA
Gallery 1581 in Brookline, MA
Johnny D’s Uptown in Somerville, MA
Harvard University

This is Rick’s first live exhibition in Israel. As a member of the media unit of the Israel (American) Football League, he is a frequent contributor to the sports pages of the Jerusalem Post.

 

Rick lives in Baka with his wife Debbie (Miller), their daughter Ilana, and their dog Sheleg.

More of Rick’s work can be seen at www.rickblumsack.com .

RICK’S PHOTOGRAPHS ARE FOR SALE –  PLEASE WRITE TO HIM AT rickblumsack@gmail.com

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT PRICES AND FORMATS.

EDDIE FRIEDMAN

I was born in Czechoslovakia to parents who survived the Holocaust. My parents had less than half a dozen photos left after World War II, a fact that had a strong impact on my life.

Photos are a vital documentation of our experiences, our culture, our history and most importantly our memories. Ever since I came to America in 1958, I have been intrigued by the capturing of memories and moments in time on film.

Freezing images in an artistic and expressive way, recording and preserving memories, telling a story and sharing it with others; all of these are a deep passion of mine. Beauty is all around me waiting to be captured. Translating this beauty into an image brings me much fulfillment and satisfaction.

As a result of what happened to the Jewish people in the past decades, I feel challenged to show others who my people are – their culture, their religion, their expressions.

My role as a group leader for students visiting the death camps of Poland gave me the opportunity to portray the Shoah through their eyes; I have also done exhibits reflecting Jewish life, observance, rituals and portraitures. My deep love for the land and people of Israel motivates me to look for ways to present both its ancient and modern images. In this current exhibit, I have chosen to focus on Israel’s landscape and natural beauty.

In order to view the full scope of my work, you are welcome to visit my website at www.eddiefriedman.com

Eddie’s photographs are for sale.  Please contact him at info@eddiefriedman.com

REBECCA KOWALSKY

Rebecca (Nathan) Kowalsky made Aliyah to Israel from Chicago, in 1985, with her husband Yossi.  They live in Efrat, in the Gush Etzion region.

Rebecca has loved photography ever since taking her first course in high school.  In recent years her involvement in professional photography has grown and deepened.  Throughout the years, Rebecca’s passion for photography has never ebbed, even while raising six children, and being a key player in the management of her husband’s full-time dental clinic.

Rebecca has pursued black and white photography (including doing her own darkroom development) as well as color and digital photography.

Rebecca is drawn to artistic landscape photography – specifically the human landscape as demonstrated in this exhibit of scenes from all over the world.  Rebecca is also a sought after photographer of events, projects, smachot, and portraiture in the greater Jerusalem area, and all of Israel.

Serving as staff photographer for the Gush Etzion “Raise Your Spirits Summer Stock Company” she has photographed all of their productions, including “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat,”  “Esther and the Secrets of the King’s Court,” “Noach, Ride the Wave,”  “Ruth,” “Courage”, and “Judge – The Song of Devora.”

Rebecca recently published a unique artistic Birkon: “The Land of Israel” Birkon –

עת כי אפתח פי which can be viewed and purchased online.

Whether she is dashing off to a workshop to hone her skills, or pulling off the road to capture that amazing sunset, Rebecca’s photography has evolved into a means to share her world with others.  Photography is Rebecca’s passion and profession as is exhibited in her love of and energy for what she does.

Please feel free to enjoy more of Rebecca’s photography at her website, www.imagesthroughtime.com

Rebecca’s photographs are for sale.  Please contact her at 054-5932049 or photos@imagesthroughtime.com.

 

YONIT SCHILLER

Yonit Schiller’s passion for photography was ignited at the age of 11, when her father gave her a simple Kodak 35mm “point and shoot” camera with an introductory book on the art as a gift.  A few years later, while in high school, Yonit received formal training in film photography and inherited her father’s decades old Konica SLR.

Yonit endeavors to go beyond merely documenting images of people and places.  Instead, she strives to capture the persona and emotion of her human subjects.  In an era in which our own routine can become all too familiar, the camera lens serves as a tool, enabling Yonit to become an adept observer of her surroundings and affords her the opportunity to explore the sentient world.

The series of photographs exhibited are a glimpse into some of these experiences, and highlight the following countries:  Czech Republic, Egypt, Israel, Peru, Republic of China, Thailand, and Vietnam.

Subsequent to making aliyah in 2006, Yonit apprenticed for several months with a local wedding photographer, and soon thereafter started her own business shooting events and documentary projects.  Photography assignments have led Yonit to destinations around the globe, and her work has been published in the National Geographic Magazine, Jerusalem Post, and Presentense Magazine.

These images are for sale.  Please contact Yonit for more information including prices, format, etc.   yonit.schiller@gmail.com

 

Meir Zarovsky

Here’s the picture…

I’m traveling alone with my camera in an unfamiliar and faraway place. Everything comes together with awe-inspiring ease, — the novelty, a kaleidoscopic array of enticing sights and sounds and smells, the heightened sense of a little risk, total anonymity, a bounty of unburdened time.

This is the closest thing I’ve ever known to a religious experience.

There’s an ambience all your own. Anything you think of as essential to making beautiful images – great gear, the beat angle, the optimum camera settings,  are all secondary in importance to just being there. Body and soul.

These photographs were all taken in the last eight years on various trips to a variety of places in Turkey. On each trip I felt more and more at home in a foreign culture. The people I observed and met and photographed were overwhelmingly gracious and tolerant of my plying their neighborhoods for inspiring images.

The pictures I chose to exhibit were chosen because I felt they showed both the exotic and the familiar at the same time. Each image shows something you’ve never seen before, but know so well.

I am one of the lucky ones who discovers at an early age his true life’s calling. Photography has been a dominant force in my life since, at age16, living in Los Angeles, I inherited my father’s twin lens reflex camera that shot large square negatives. Not long after that, when I made my first black and white print in a darkroom, I was hit from behind by the memory of being 6 years old in my father’s make-shift garage darkroom, and watching a white piece of paper become a picture in what looked like a tray of water. It was an “ahhhhh” moment if ever there was.

Today, in the middle of a long career as an events and artistic photographer in Jerusalem, I still say that  —-  ‘ahhhhh”, the silence that encompasses all words.

And that is all I want to say…..

Meir Zarovsky’s photographs are for sale for NIS 300. 

Write to Meir at mzarovsky@yahoo.com

25% of all sales will be donated to AACI.

 

My Country – Through the Eyes of Our Children and Teens

AACI is pleased and proud to host its first CHILDREN AND TEEN ART SHOW.  The aim of this project was to give children an opportunity to express themselves artistically on a subject they could all relate to – MY COUNTRY – and to show these pictures in celebration of Yom HaAtzmaut – Israel Independence Day.  The results have not been disappointing!

Pictures came to us from as far away as Kibbutz Hannaton in the north and Beersheva in the south, as well many places in the Jerusalem area.  The children from Hannaton are in an art chug led by Debbie Jacobson-Maisals.

As you will see, the pictures show happy faces, flowers, rainbows, soccer games, hearts, and lots of Israeli flags. The natural beauty of this country is reflected in pictures showing the majesty of the desert, the mystery of mountains, exquisite sunsets, and trips to Masada and to the nature reserve at Ein Gedi.

One of our artists must be an insect lover, because there is an impressively-detailed representation of an underground ant colony!   There are several jet planes, a three-dimensional map of Israel,

an image of Moses at Mt. Sinai, a picture of the Western Wall, one of the 7-branched Menorah, and a vision of Tel Aviv in the future. Some of the pictures came with notes on the back which said things like “I like visiting friends on Shabbat” and “Israel is where my friends are.” In brief, each of our artists, some of whom are only 5 years old, found something meaningful to draw, something that says MY COUNTRY in a personal way.

In addition, in the large gallery at the end of the hall we proudly display work by teenaged students of two private art instructors, Shmuel Lhungdim from Efrat and Naomi Ocean from Beit Shemesh.  Both Shmuel and Naomi teach oilcolor techniques and the canvases on show are most impressive.

Colorful landscapes and nature studies are balanced by portraits and still-life studies.  Some of these young artists are obviously attempting to perfect their skills by studying the work of great European painters of the past and trying to emulate their examples, an approach to art training which has been used for hundreds of years. 

Finally, three of these young painters show works which return us to the theme of MY COUNTRY – a panoramic view of our eternal capital city Jerusalem, a moving image of soldiers at the Western Wall, and a wonderfully textured study of the Western Wall.

To the parents, grandparents and teachers who encouraged and supported these youngsters and facilitated their participation in this exhibit go our heartfelt thanks.

And to the young artists themselves, we say “Well done, each and every one of you!  May you continue to create beautiful pictures in the future!”

Please visit upi after Yom Hatzmaut, for an update which will include photos of some of the wonderful art.

With special thanks to Donna Grushka for this post and, of course, to her and her team for a delightful exhibit.