israel

Homesick - by Eshkol Nevo

2008-06-06T15:35:01+01:00

my quick review of Homesick - by Eshkol Nevo
I bought this book as I was looking for a book in English (as I can't read Hebrew) about every day people living in Israel since I've been visiting Israel. I wanted to get more of a feel for the people and their lives. plus I've been feeling homesick for my own country and home. many of the places and things mentioned in the book were very familiar to me since my stay here and the characters seem like friends now. at first I found it hard to work out who was speaking as all the characters say "I" - they are each telling their own story in first person throughout the book. once I got used to this the characters grew on me. I loved the simple details mentioned in the book about everyday life and I have a mental picture about them living their lives now. I'll be keeping an eye out for more books by the author as I really enjoyed this one and recommend it to anyone who would like to read about life in Israel (ie not the media-portrayed view of Israel)

IL

2008-06-05T18:43:31+01:00

a friend asked me how I like israel and if I keep up with the politics there. I haven't written much about my stay here apart from some notes & thoughts in my notepads, so this is just a quick reply to remember / trigger some memories. (scattered / stream of consciousness thoughts warning! some things might need fact checking too - I'd have to look up old notes)

and this is a link to 'most of the hebrew that I know list on live-vicariously-through-joni blog I came across whilst searching for the spelling of ta'im (tasty) the other night. this list is more words than I know, but I do know quite a few of them!

yeah sort of. I've read up on a bit and asked people from work and
taxi drivers etc & seen some films/docos here. everybody just wants
peace basically - those I've spoken to in israel and palestine (I've
only been to bethlehem in palestine a couple of times which is safe -
not gaza so haven't spoken to many palestinians). israel is a great
place - I love it here! it's a shame that the surrounding countries
want to destroy it. in most ways israel isn't like how the media
portray it - same with other things in media I guess. that's not to
say israel is perfect either - no country is. and unfortunately there
are deaths and casualties on both sides. but from what I've seen
israel tends to defend whereas hamas & hezbollah attack. lately
there's been more talk about a PA state being formed and some dramas
with the israeli PM, but to be honest I don't see it happening. if
they did return the requested areas most israelis would have to leave
or the attacks would get worse and they'd block off the water supply &
most of the sacred jewish sites would be at risk etc so I don't see
israel ever agreeing to it. I hope there'll be peace one day but I
don't see either side backing down.

the scariest part I've seen is the
reports of what the children are taught in palestine - so they'll grow
up with hatred of the jewish people & learn to worship the
martyrs/terrorists so this will never end as it continues in the next
generation. I think they need to stop that. not all palestinians are
like this of course but with 80% support of the people in recent
elections it seems that most people support the PA ideas. I hope they
can find a way to build and support their own people and state instead
of blaming israel for everything. the media tends to focus on these
complaints. & their leaders don't seem to care about the people, but
there are other countries that suffer from this too - eg india. I'm
pretty pro-israel these days after seeing & living how the people live
here. I guess it's easier to say that coming from Aus/the west.
whereas if I were from an Arabic background I prob wouldn't have had
the opportunity to travel/live/see what I've seen, so it's from a
privileged perspective (but I can't change my own background so it's
harder to imagine their lives).

life in general is same as back home -
people don't let the threat of being attacked stop them from living
their lives which I think is a good attitude. living in jerusalem has
been great - religion is really in your face here so it's been
interesting to see that instead of say living in tel aviv which is
just like any other city. having the country shutdown on
shabbath/saturdays has been good too - I actually like it. it forces
you to see friends/family (ppl who have family here) & is less
commercial as shops are closed. it's like sundays in the 70s when I
was growing up when shops were closed. we had to find other things to
amuse us than spending $. this is nice - I hope to continue this at
home (I still go to a cafe though - need to eat & drink coffee!)

the feel of the country is similar to aus and it feels very familiar to me
for some reason. probably from stories growing up - the places are
mostly recognisable words though they are closer and sometimes
different to how I imagined them. the desert is amazing too - I was
expecting sandy deserts like sahara but it's more rocky. and the
jerusalem stone buildings (limestone) look great - all the buildings
in jerusalem have to be made from jerusalem stone to keep the charm of
the city. I wish I had a jerusalem stone house (though they're mostly
apartments / multiple family houses here not single home dwellings).
it's cooler temperature wise in jerusalem too as it's in the mountains
- and drier than tel aviv which is humid.

I would like to spend more time here but I think it's time to go home
for a while. if things don't work out there then I can try come back.
and there's always holidays - as I haven't seen all of the country yet
so should come back when I don't have to work. it's going to be sad to
leave really. the people are great too. u should try come here one day
- someone (pizza guy / Tito) mentioned the other night that israel is
like an untouched diamond - sounds cheesy but it's true ! I think people
think it's really scary and there's only a warzone here but it's an amazing
place.

jerusalem memorial day siren - 07/05/2008

2008-05-07T18:50:36+01:00

today was Memorial day where the fallen people of Israel are remembered. there was a nation-wide siren last night at 8pm but I was still at work so missed it. today was a public holiday, as is tomorrow for Independence Day - the 60th anniversary of the State of Israel. at 11am this morning there was another siren. I left the apartment with about 1 minute to spare. the guy from upstairs ran down the stairwell just in front of me. he made it out the gate then the siren started. I was still in the front yard and I didn't want to move once it had started but I took a video from behind the green gate. the man from the laundromat was standing near his motorbike. another man stood by the car he was unpacking. a man stood on his balcony across the street - head bowed. another man put his grocery bags down and stood by them on the footpath across the road. the cars stopped. it was silent except for the ringing of the siren which could be heard across the city. this is the first siren I've heard throughout the city. afterwards, the siren wound down and stopped then daily life continued on.

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Israel National News Memorial Day 5768 (2008) Honors Israel's Fallen

"The Defense Ministry reports the number of fallen in the Jews' war for the Land of Israel since 1860 as 22,437. This number includes soldiers - not civilians - who fell since 1948, as well as all Jews killed between 1860 and 1948 in the struggle for the Land. The total number is 132 higher than last year, including 31 who were murdered or fell in battle since last year's Memorial Day, as well as others who died of their wounds or were recognized as IDF war casualties this year."

"The year 1860 was chosen because it was then that Jews began to move outside Jerusalem's Old City walls and build new neighborhoods there."

...

History of Israel's Fallen
"The 1948-49 War of Independence was Israel's costliest war, with more than 6,000 dead - one percent of the Jewish population at the time - and 15,000 wounded."

"During the ensuing seven years of relative quiet, 101 Israelis were killed in "1,339 cases of armed clashes with Egyptian armed forces, 435 cases of incursion from Egyptian-controlled territory, and 172 cases of sabotage perpetrated by Egyptian military units and fedayeen [terrorists] in Israel. So said Israel's Ambassador to the UN Abba Eban to the UN Security Council on October 30, 1956 - the day after Israel began the Sinai Campaign in response to Egypt's violation of international agreements by blockading the Israeli port of Eilat. A total of 231 Israeli soldiers died in the eight days of fighting."

"The Six-Day War broke out on June 5, 1967. Along with the stunning victories, over 770 Israelis were killed."

"Then began the period of the War of Attrition, which claimed 424 soldiers and more than 100 civilians. A ceasefire was declared on August 8, 1970."

"Egypt and Syria attacked Israel on Yom Kippur of 1973. The IDF ultimately emerged victorious, but a total of 2,688 soldiers were killed."

"In June 1982, in response to continued terrorist attacks and Katyusha shellings from across the Lebanese border, as well as an assassination attempt upon Israel's late Ambassador to Great Britain Shlomo Argov, Israel attacked the terrorists in Lebanon in what was known as Operation Peace for Galilee. Close to 460 soldiers were killed between June and December 1982, and another 760 in daily ambushes against Israeli forces over the next two and a half years."

"Between December 1987, when the first Arab "intifada" broke out, and the signing of the Oslo Accords in late 1993, 90 Israelis were murdered."

"Between the Oslo signing and the beginning of what became known as the Oslo War in September, 2000, 251 Israelis were murdered by terrorists."

"Another 1,320 have been felled by Palestinian Authority terrorists and gunmen since the Oslo War began in September 2000."

Israel National News Memorial Day videos

Jerusalem Post article about the Independence day celebrations so far

Israel News sites

2008-05-07T17:09:49+01:00

some sites with news of Israel

http://jerusalempost.com : Jerusalem Post - this is the online version of the Jerusalem Post newspaper

http://www.jerusalem-times.net - The Jerusalem Times - this is based in East Jerusalem and has Palestinian & Arabic news, though their website is often hacked so there's not much to read there

http://www.sderotmedia.com - Sderot Media - news and info about the city of Sderot which is targeted regularly and constantly by missiles from Gaza. myth busting site - here you can see that Israel actually helps Gaza residents and counter arguments against the propaganda that the media portray about the area.
articles with people living in Sderot

http://www.israelnationalradio.com - English radio documentaries and programs

http://www.israelnationalnews.com - Arutz Sheva - Israeli news site. you can receive daily email summaries of articles

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articles

What's so special about Independence Day? - describes in simple terms the importance of the Jewish State of Israel

http://www.eufunding.org.uk/Textbooks/default.html - Palestinian text books & site keeping track of where the EU funding is going

Israeli & Jerusalem radio

2008-05-07T16:23:13+01:00

most of the cafes and taxis here in Jerusalem listen to Galatz Radio - this is the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) station. army service is a part of everyone's life here in Israel with teenagers having to serve after they finish high school. they have a Hebrew news services & play popular Israeli and International music.

another station I've listened to online is Israel National Radio as some of the shows are in English. they have interviews and music programs and also Jewish specific programs so it's interesting to listen. I listened to some programs after the Yeshiva was attacked by the terrorist. and today being Memorial Day, there's a special program of songs that every Israeli knows. another program has an interview with local Israeli trance artists ITP - Individual Thought Patterns

of course there's also Voice of Peace Radio which used to broadcast from a ship in the Mediterranean Sea off Tel Aviv. VOP was very popular with the Israeli people and peace protester Abie Nathan was it's main stalwart. this was the first Israeli pirate radio station broadcasting from 1973 to 1993. it's since closed down, though I read they might start it up again one day - not sure if this has happened. they had a reunion in 2006, and a double album tribute cd was released in 2007.

Uganda & Sira events for feb 2008

2008-02-22T17:37:16+00:00

so I don't forget ... here's the events coming up at Uganda & Sira. I went to Music House today and bought some more Israeli / Jerusalem based music. the guy in the store told me about Uganda and Sira, a couple of places in Jerusalem where you can see / hear live electronic & experimental music.
Uganda myspace page

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Sira events :

20080215 ::: sound walk through the old city of jerusalem

2008-02-15T22:56:47+00:00

right click to download the audio mp3 file

a sound walk through the old city of jerusalem

today I went to the western wall and left a note in the wall with my friend's name (this is what the Jewish people do - it's their holiest place being the last remnant of the Temple which was destroyed a couple of times) and then went to the Church of Holy Sepulchre (built over the spot where Jesus died so a holy spot for Christians) and lit some candles for him. and I went to Dome of Rock, one of the holiest places for Islam but because it's friday only Moslems are allowed in so I took a photo at the door. (this is the closest I've been able to get to Dome of the Rock - it's always closed when I go). I recorded video whilst walking but the camera was by my leg so most of it is of my legs walking on the stones, so I've extracted the audio.

I always get a bit lost in the Old City. the market lanes and labyrinth starts looking the same and I often can't see above to get a sense of direction. so I tend to always go to the Wall first, then work my way in from there. today was the first time I found the quickest route to the Dome of the Rock - which is quite obvious in hindsight but I've always missed it and walked past. not knowing how to read Arabic has been part of the reason on other visits. the Christian quarter area is less marked too. some of the streets have recognisable names but I seem to miss the signs to the Church. today I was determined though and I had less offers from market stall owners to visit their shops. I went in the afternoon when most would be closing up soon. I was thinking of my friend the whole way, sometimes getting a bit teary.

the sound was recorded on a Nokia N95 8Gb phone - it was recorded along with video and I extracted the audio only later. I've left my mini-disc, microcassete recorder and microphone back home in Australia now so I carry less gadgets. I wondered how much disk space would be used up but it was less than 2Gb and I still have plenty left.

15/02/2008

jerusalem snow

2008-02-06T19:49:47+00:00

it snowed in Jerusalem for a couple of days. the first day many of the roads were closed. the stores close - the city shuts down. my workplace was closed for both days (so a long weekend for some!). the second day by mid morning the sun was out and sky was blue.

snow in the middle east! lots of fun!

the music is "Snow" by Severed Heads off the Gigapus album
http://www.sevcom.com/

30-31/01/2008, jerusalem, israel

http://blip.tv/file/get/AliaK-jerusalemSnow649.flv
http://blip.tv/file/get/AliaK-jerusalemSnow649.mp4
http://blip.tv/file/651524

The SALA-MANCA GROUP

2008-01-26T22:37:51+00:00

The SALA-MANCA GROUP is a group of independent Jerusalem-based artists that creates in different fields: performance, video, installation & new media since 2000. Sala-manca's works deal with poetics of translation (cultural, mediatic and social), with textual, urban and net contexts and with the tensions between low tech and high tech aesthetics, as well as social and political issues.

ACTV

2008-01-26T21:59:39+00:00

ACTV is an independent Internet television channel that aims to provide a platform for voices, perspectives, and opinions unrepresented by the commercial media; to keep abreast of environmental and social issues; and to broadcast independent cultural events, music, and arts to audiences in Israel and around the world.

ACTV broadcasts video films on demand (VOD). It currently hosts hundreds of films and short features.

ACTV does not simply stand on the sidelines and observe reality: It consciously aspires to deal with a range of social and environmental issues from a system of values that seeks to express what is of benefit to local people, regardless of their race, gender, and religion.

ACTV was constructed and is supported by Media ACTV - which aims to achieve social change through the media - by other NGOs and grass roots organizations, and through the generosity of private donors and supporters who wish for these voices to be heard.

THE KADIMA MUSICIANS COLLECTIVE

2008-01-26T21:55:09+00:00

THE KADIMA MUSICIANS COLLECTIVE is in the vanguard of creative improvised music in Israel. Focusing on fringe artists and their work, KADIMA supports and develops the rich cultural mix of Israeli artistic life.

KADIMA includes a recording label and recording facilities in Jerusalem. It promotes and co-produces studio releases and concerts, and helps develop and connect musicians in the field of free improvisation and creative music.
KADIMA was founded and is led by Jean Claude Jones, bassist and educator, and one of the pioneers of Israeli jazz.

The Israeli Center for Digital Art (Digital Art Lab)

2008-01-26T21:50:24+00:00

The Israeli Center for Digital Art (Digital Art Lab) was established in order to promote and exhibit New Media and video art and undertakes to reflect the cultural and technological influences on the visual art. In the center, changing exhibitions are held by Israeli as well as international artists, that give current approach to net.art, video art, photography, animation and interactive sound. For those involved in the contemporary artistic field, the Center is used for research, creation and projects’ counseling.

Salon Mazal

2008-01-26T21:25:17+00:00

Salon Mazal was established in 2001, in Tel Aviv, Israel, by a group of social-environmental activists. Salon Mazal is a non-for-profit registered charity that serves as an information distribution center for social, environmental and political change The place functions as a store (including books, magazines and fair-trade products), a lending library, an artist gallery, a vegetarian bar and a community center where movie screenings, lectures, workshops and meetings take place.

The place is run in line with anarchist ideology and values, which encourage an egalitarian, non-hierarchical community. Salon Mazal is run by a group of volunteers. Consensus decision-making is used to promote the expression of individual voices within the group in daily meetings.

no-org.net

2008-01-26T19:51:50+00:00

no-org.net is a Jerusalem art network, launched in December 2003. It serves a platform for experimental projects in the area of netbased and digital art and for the exchange of independent information on contemporary art.

The site is housing an active archive of Hearat Shulaym (Independent Journal for Contemporary Art) and Heara events.

Since May 2005, no-org hosts the Upgrade! Tel Aviv-Jerusalem.

Artists and cultural mediators are welcome to participate in the no-org.net undertaking — publish articles, essays, art projects or links to them, reviews or announcements for independent art events as well as comments and reacts.

Though English is the interface language of no-org.net, it is not necessarily the dominant one. Artworks, projects, articles, and texts in other languages can be submitted and will be published.

Please send us any suggested materials to review@no-org.net

Interval

2008-01-26T19:43:18+00:00

artist / project name:
Interval

bio:
Interval is an experimental music label interested in the gap between objects, the idea of silence, the love for the uncharted t

myspace page:
http://www.myspace.com/intervalrecordings

website:
http://www.interval-recordings.com

city:
tel aviv

genre:
experimental, ambient, electronic

Australian artist / project?:
No

are you a currently active artist / project?:
yes

releases / projects:
http://www.interval-recordings.com - see the releases page

bio - full:
Interval is an experimental music label interested in the gap between objects, the idea of silence, the love for the uncharted terrains that comes before and after the notes.

Jerusalem Artists' House

2008-01-26T19:14:32+00:00

Since 1965, the House has served as home to the Association for Jerusalem Artists. In this capacity, the House has become a dynamic center for exhibitions, displaying unique and varied works of both Israeli and international artists. The annual exhibition plan includes a series focusing on prominent young artists exhibiting their works for the first time, as well as a series of retrospective works by veteran artists. In addition, the Artists House displays group exhibitions on a wide range of subjects, joint presentations between Israeli and international artists, as well as a variety of other activities.

Naggar School of Photography, Media and New Music (Jerusalem)

2008-01-26T19:02:46+00:00

The Naggar School of Photography, Media and New Music is a creative institute that allows students to achieve skills artistically, creatively and professionally in the fields of photography, digital media, video and new music, with an emphasis on inter-disciplinary work. The Naggar School is located within the Morasha (Musrara) neighborhood in Jerusalem, Israel. visit http://www.naggarschool.com for more details

Messy.Boat.Bitch.On.Yacht

2008-01-25T23:03:52+00:00

Art, Music, Culture in Jerusalem today - event listings and what's happening around Jerusalem

Maarav

2007-12-15T16:59:27+00:00

Maarav is an online art and culture magazine, established to present the contemporary Israeli art world, and to discuss and debate it from the perspective and reality of Israel in the year 2004. They examine the nature and destiny of art and culture that is being created in a place of continuous violence and conflict, as it struggles against extreme capitalism and the rules of the 'free market', as it creates itself under the influence of the great shadow of the 11th of September. Playing a role in the clash of civilizations (indeed clash of civilizations?), and in this era of the digital revolution with all these techno-digital toys that are so captivating but also so threatening. We will discuss art that leaves the confines of museums and galleries and enters popular culture and that its creators are also political activists, computer programmers, journalists, teachers, musicians, philosophers and designers.
visit http://www.maarav.org.il/en for more details

NaVloPoMo 14 - day # 14 Ben Yehuda B-Boys

2007-11-13T23:16:52+00:00

NaVloPoMo 14 - day # 14 Ben Yehuda B-Boys

source file = http://blip.tv/file/484657
blog post = http://www.aliak.com/node/14213

the bboys were back in Ben Yehunda mall as I was coming home from work tonight. usually I've seen them there Thursday nights (equivalent to Friday back home as the weekend is Fri-Sat here not Sat-Sun as it is back home). they were just warming up I think. trying a bit of popping & locking this time.

14/11/2007

(delayed upload - this was taken last night though)