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  • Politics in Tzfat

    Politically Marching To the Beat of a Different Drummer

    Politics in Tzfat

     

    Tzfat has, even before the creation of the State of Israel, been known as a right-wing town. The pre-state paramilitary organization Haganah, which was connected to the Labor party, dominated the struggle for Israel’s independence in most areas of the country,

    but it was matched in Tzfat by the more right-wing paramilitary, the Irgun. Menachem Begin, who was to go on to lead the Likud party (Labor’s nemesis and its right-wing counterpart) once the State was declared, had hid in Tzfat while he was being hunted by the British army for his anti-British underground activities. He chose Tzfat because the town was full of his supporters who successfully kept the British at b

    ay for years.

    Through the early years of the State’s existence, the Labor party dominated Israeli politics, but the right-wing Likud could always count on Tzfat to keep a respectable presence in the Knesset.

    Local politics in Tzfat is not only a point of intense interest to local residents – it is an all-encompassing passion which allows the town of 30,000 to field more mayoral candidates every election year than cities ten times its size.

    For many years, the city was run by “Tzfassers” – old-time Tzfat families who could trace their linage in Tzfat back hundreds of years. It was accepted by all, and no one else would dare run – the Tzfassers believed that they were entitled to the mayoral seat, and no one else thought to object.

    New Times, New Politics

    By the late 1980s, a new political force arose; families of immigrants who had come from North Africa in the 1950s, and now felt that they were entitled to take power. A succession of mayors and city councils were made up of these residents, many of whom would not speak to each other because they came from areas in the “Old Country” where their grandparents didn’t speak to each other.

    As time has passed, there has also been a movement towards a more religious representation on the council, as well as i

    n the mayor’s office. As the ultra-Orthodox population of the city grows, the presence of religious city council members increases, to the point that today, eighty percent of the city council is connected with a religious stream, and even the mayor, the first one in 20 years who does not wear a kippa (skullcap) in public, is known to be quite traditional (and made sure to ask for the blessings of the town’s important Rabbis before the election).

    As for political ideology, one can simply note that the last time a left-wing party fielded a candidate in Tzfat, the number of votes that they received was so low that the party, successful in other parts of Israel, has never even bothered to have a candidate run in Tzfat again.

  • Breslev Hassidim in Tzfat

    Beginnings

    Everyone recognizes traditional Hassidim – they stand out in their traditional garb and adherence to the ways of their

    Breslev Hassidim

     

    forefathers in Eastern Europe. The wide-brimmed hats and long black coats of the men and the modest dress and wigs of the women invite curio

    sity, for Hassidim seem like a novelty.

    The Hassidic community derives from adherents of an 18th century leader, the Ba’al Shem Tov, who taught that the best way to do God’s will was to pray with concentration and devotion, and live one’s life with joy and religious sincerity. This ideology ran counter to the prevalent view of the time that the ultimate goal of a Jew should be scholarship.

    The Ba’al Shem Tov, had followers who ignited the Hassidic movement in Eastern Europe. Each town had its own leader, it’s “Rebbe” and the names of each Hassidic community were derived from the name of the town where their Rebbe was located.

    Upon each Rebbe’s death, the leadership was taken on by a descendent….a son, son-in-law, nephew, grandson, etc.

    The Hassidim of the town of Breslev in the Ukraine revered their Rebbe, Rebbe Nachman, as an exceptional holy man. He was a mystic and wanderer who loved nature, and encouraged his followers to pray and meditate in the fields and forests as a way of drawing closer to God, a process that he called “hitboddidut” (seclusion). He wrote songs and poetry which expressed his connections with God and the land, and is remembered for inspiring his followers to always be joyful and never give in to despair.

    Upon Rebbe Nachman’s death, his Hassidim did not name a successor, and until today, when Breslev Hassidim speak of their Rebbe, they are speaking of Rebbe Nachman.

    Breslev Hassidism of Tzfat

    Aside from this anomaly, until recently, the Breslev Hassidim were a Hassidic group much like any other. They d

    ressed in distinctive Hassidic garb and followed the tenets of Hassidic philosophy. Tzfat is a major of center of Breslev Hassidism in Israel, both the “old” Breslevers and the “new ones”.

    This distinction between “old” and “new” Breslevers has developed in recent decades when Breslev Hassidim started to become outreach oriented and to bring young secular Jews towards religious observance. These young newcomers latched onto a wing of Breslev philosophy that has encouraged them to publicly dance and sing the songs and tunes of Rebbe Nachman as a way of drawing people towards traditional Judaism. In addition, they believe that increasing joy through song and exuberant expressions of happiness is what Rebbe Nachman taught, and that this will hasten the coming of the Messiah. These public displays are seen frequently on the streets of Tzfat, especially during the peak tourist season, when groups of Breslevers, wearing their distinctive white skullcaps with tassels and singing their mantra, “Na Nach Nachman M’Uman” (“Nachman of Uman”) sing, chant and dancing exuberantly.

    Guides have been known to time their visits to Tzfat to coincide with these “celebrations”. If anything can give a visitor to Tzfat an understanding of Tzfat’s unique character, these Breslev performances will do the trick.

  • Lorri Silver

    They’re  All Special

    Coming from Melbourne Australia in 1980 with two young daughters, Lorri Silver was immediately attracted to Tzfat. A s

    Lorri Silver: The Cat Ladyingle mother whose goal was to find a place to raise her girls, Lorri found a small house in an outlying neighborhood of Tzfat, and settl

    ed in. Several years later, she started to think about finding a more central location in the town, and the three moved to the Artists Quarter, next to

     

    the Old Jewish Quarter of Tzfat.

    Lorri wasn’t exactly alone with her daughters. A cat, Matilda, had accompanied them from Australia, and was soon enthroned in their new house. Lorri had always felt an affinity for cats, and was pleased that she could raise her daughters with a loving feline.

    Soon, however, Lorri began to notice the unending stray cat population of Tzfat, many of whom seemed to congregate near her house. Friendliness turned to caretaking, and Lorri and her daughters soon found themselves caring for an endless stream of strays. Black and white, calico and grey, it made no difference – a pitiful “meew” could pretty well insure the cat a warm bed, medical care, and lots of nutritious food for as long as it wanted. “They’re all special” Lori has said, and evidently, over the years, dozens upon dozens of cats took advantage of her sympathy for their plight.

    A Friend

    Lorri’s first concern, when a new cat arrives, is its medical care. This is obvious, seeing that an untreated medical condition could quickly cause an epidemic of CATastrophic proportions. A veterinary-friend comes to Lorri’s house periodically to treat the

    cats, neutering and spaying all newcomers as soon as they’re old enough. But through the years, Lorri herself has had so much experience that she is able to treat conditions that usually only veterinarians see – ear and eye infections, skin problems and many other conditions.

    “If they’ll let me touch them, then I can usually treat them” Lorri says. “But sometimes, a cat will arrive that won’t let me touch it, and it can take months for the trust to build up enough that will allow me to touch it, much less treat it.” Lorri points to Bianca, a new arrival whose early life gave her a deep distrust of humans. “Slowly” Lorri said “I’m gaining her trust, but it will take a long time until I can get her into a cat cage so that we can spay her.” Bianca started out on Lorri’s roof, where Lorri found her and began to feed her.

    Now, many months later, she will come into the house, but is still skittish and uneasy. Lorri, however, is unperturbed. “All that’s needed is patience” she says “and we have plenty of that”.

    At her height, Lorri had close to 30 cats living in and around her house. As her daughters grew to adolescence, their infatuation with the cats diminished, but they are now young adults, living on their own, and Lorri lives happily with her furry felin

    es. She will no longer take in an endless number, but still enjoys having a few around. “Now I have five, maybe six, if you count an outside cat” she says. When asked if she’d like another one, a young female calico seen wandering aimlessly through the Old City streets, Lori’s ears perk up. “Maybe” she said. “She may be doing perfectly well where she is…..but….well, maybe.”

     

  • Batya Avraham: A Return To Roots

    An Ancient Heritage

    Growing up in an unaffiliated Catholic home in the mid-1950s, Batya Avraham never game much thought to her roots. She

    Batya Avraham: A Return To Roots

     

    knew that her mother’s family had come from Cuba, and before that, Spain, but she had very little else to go on to connect with her family’s religious and spiritual background. “The family name was a Jewish name” Batya says “but there’s no proof, no way to show definitely t

    hat they were Jewish”.

    Proof or not, as Batya began to raise her family, she felt herself pulled more and more in the direction of the Old Testament. Although they lived in the South, in areas of Louisiana, Texas and Tennessee where no Jews were to be found, she and her husband decided, on their own, to try and follow the precepts of the Torah.

    “We didn’t know that there was an Oral Law” Batya says. “All we knew about was the Written Law. So that’s what we followed.”

    Jews believe that the Torah was given to Moses at Mt. Sinai. There are, in the Torah, six hundred and thirteen commandments which religious Jews believe G-d expects them to follow. This is the Written Law.

    Throughout the ages, as Jews began to be exiled and dispersed throughout the world, the rabbis began to codify these laws, writing explanations and commentaries which enable Jews to understand how to best follow the laws. Beginning with the Talmud in the 1st century A.D., each generation of Rabbis has added to our understanding of the Written Law- a religious Jewish home today can have thousands of books which are the commentaries on the commentaries on the commentaries – thousands – on the Written Law. This is the Oral Law.

    Jewish history has seen groups who refuse to accept the Oral Law, and who hold only by the written law — Kararites and Samaritians. They, however, have broken off from normative Judaism. For instance, when the Torah says that it is forbidden to light a fire on the Sabbath, Jews will follow the rabbis’ rulings which allow them to light a fire BEFORE the Sabbath and warm up their food on that alrea

    dy-lit fire. Samaritians and Kararites will eat cold food throughout the Sabbath day.

    Searching Her Roots

    For many years, Batya and her husband followed the Written Torah as well as she could, without a community or teacher. But after her divorce, Batya began to feel that something was missing from her spiritual life, and started to explore Judaism. She moved to Tzfat, sight-unseen, with almost no savings or job opportunities, yet something told her that this was the place where she woul

    d find her spiritual home.

    Today, Batya studies with local teachers, and is preparing for a formal conversion to Judaism. Her community supports her, and she is slowly learning the intricacies of modern Jewish life. Her days of trying to figure out Kashruth (the Jewish dietary laws) on the Bayou are over….there are plenty of neighbors and friends to help her in her entrance to the Jewish World.

    Batya now lives in Tzfat. Her oil paintings reflect her journey. She can be contacted at artbybatya@gmail.com

  • Moshe Chaim Gress — Candle Sculpting

    Arrival in Tzfat

    Moshe Chaim Gress Candle Sculptures

     

    Moshe Chaim Gress knew he was going to live in Tzfat from before he even visited the Holy city. He arrived in Tzfat for the first time in 1991, on the day the First Gulf War ended, to participate in the three-month program Livnot U’Lehibanot. When he left his home and career as a D.J. in Tucson, Arizona to come to Israel, he already had a vague idea that Tzfat might be his ultimate destination.

    Moshe Chaim studied fine art at the University of Arizona after having taken 2 years of commercial art courses in a B.O

    .C.E.S. school in Middletown, NY. He freelanced in art periodically, mostly illustrating comic books, and making films and a commercial in stop-motion “clay-mation”, but his favorite job of the 1980’s was the 8 years he spent as a club and mobile music D.J. in Tucson. That is, until he moved to Tzfat. His unconventional way of seeing the world hasn’t changed since 1990.

    Moshe Chaim’s creative and imaginative personality is expressed in his artwork. He is Tzfat’s best-known graphic artist, producing English-language posters and promotional materials for a variety of educational institutions in both Tzfat and Jerusalem. Each one of his posters brings images that catch one’s eye with its vibrant colors and imaginative graphics, yet clearly express the intended message.

    Tzfat’s Unique Candles

    But Moshe Chaim is best known as the main candle-sculptor of the world-famous, Safed Candle Factory. It is here that most people have the opportunity to see Moshe Chaim’s imagination run wild in this unique artform that he invented and developed over the past 16 years. Each sculpture is individually hand-made from pure beeswax and is, in fact, a burnable candle. The subjects of these candle sculptures vary widely from Biblical scenes (such as David & Goliath or Noah’s Ark) and Chassids vs. Litvachs chess sets to adorable zoo animals and colorful Tzfat sunsets on hamsahs. Daily life is represented by these sculptures, often with a Jewish or Israeli theme. Fiddlers on the (Tzfati) Roof, Hassids and soldiers standing together at the Western Wall and even a bride and groom standing under the wedding cano

    py are represented at the gallery. Moshe Chaim has even begun a line of Jewish Super-heroes.

    Moshe Chaim also brings a strong sense of faith to his work. His artwork is an expression of his deep connection to Judaism and to the Land of Israel. Moshe Chaim explains: “I feel art, like music, can be a lower level of prophecy or ruach hakodesh. An artist, any artist, is a vessel through which creativity flows – sometimes more than other times. I’m often amazed at what comes alive out of a 5 hour flow of focused, creative energy, where I would’ve thought only an hour had gone by!”

    For the many people who have had the pleasure of enjoying Moshe Chaim’s creativity through his posters, his wax sculptures, and, as of late, the children’s book and time-travel story, Journeys, that he co-wrote and illustrated through Mahrwood Press, it is an amazing experience.

    Today’s Work

    Moshe Chaim now works out of his studio in the Artists Quarter of Tzfat, where he lives with his wife, NatanYah and three children, Michael, David and Ma’ayan. His sculptures are exhibited in his studio and at the Safed Candles Gallery, in the Old City of Tzfat, right near the Ari Askenazi Synagogue.

  • Otiyot Hayyot — Living Letters

    Inspiration

    Otiyot Hayyot -- Living Letters

     

    When Yehudit Goldfarb began teaching Tai Chi more than 30 years ago, she never thought that it would bring her closer to understanding Judaism.

    Yehudit had been involved in movement all her life, and as a Tai Chi instructor felt the power in the body’s movements. One of the forms of Tai Chi that Yehudit practiced involved 20 separate movements, and at some point, Yehudit began to explore the possibility of 22 distinct movements based on the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet.

    It was only during a 1979 Shavuot retreat, when Yehudit was meditating in the forest, that the thought of working with the Hebrew letters began to feel right to her. Several years later at another retreat, she found herself doing repetitive movements that she began to recognize as the letters, and slowly, the correct movement for each letter developed. Her Tai Chi class worked with her on these letters

    , and as the concept progressed, the class began to use these movements to create words and phrases to express themselves spiritually.

    Maor HaLev

    Today, Yehudit runs the Maor HaLev Center in Tzfat where she teaches beginners and advanced students alike to use the movements of the letters to express themselves in a manner that connects them with the sacred. According to the Jewish Mystical tradition, G-d used the Hebrew letters to create the world. The movement patterns of Otiyot Hayyot (Living Letters) are a physical yet meditative exercise that gives the individual a tool for spiritual growth using the Hebrew letters. The flowing, integrative movements are calming and at the same time enable the individual to tap into a vital energy that allows the conveyance of some of one’s deepest and innermost feelings in a physical way.

    “I do these exercises every evening to close the day,” Yehudit says, “and I try to do them every morning as well, af

    ter prayer.” She often “letters” different names, prayers, or sometimes a single word from the prayerbook. “The movements for the vowels correspond to the Sefirot on the Kabbalistic Tree of Life,” she adds. “You can see how the movements reflect the concept that each level on the Sefirotic Tree tries to teach us.” Watching these movements, one can easily visualize the teachings of the Kabbalah as they relate to understanding our inner essence and our ability to use these physical manifestations of the Holy Letters to communicate with the Divine.

    Yehudit’s workshops are held in her studio on an on-going basis, and she can be contacted personally to schedule workshops and teach private sessions. She can be contacted at: yehudit@otiyot.com

  • The Ben Baruchs

    There are probably few people who can point to an exact moment when their life’s direction was decided. These things tend to develop over time, as one’s path becomes clearer through circumstances and events.

    For the Ben Baruchs of Tzfat that path has taken more twists and turns than most. Yet their goals are clear – to create a l

    The Ben Baruchs-A Special Family

    oving home for as many special needs children as possible in their small Tzfat apartment.

    Starting Out

    Chaya and Yisrael Ben Baruch were married in Fairbanks, Alaska, and the births of three boys quickly followed their marriage. Their third son was born with Downs Syndrome, and soon after his birth, the Ben Baruchs decided that it would be to his benefit to grow with another child who was similar. So while Avichai was still small, they adopted a little girl with Downs Syndrome.

    Avichai and Keren grew through toddler hood together, and at the same time, the Ben Baruchs were thinking of other c

    hanges that they wanted to make in their lives – they wanted to make aliyah (immigrate to Israel). So with their four children in tow, they arrived in Tzfat. Most Tzfat residents who were in the city 12 years ago remember quite well the sight of the Ben Baruchs, each with a Downs child in a backpack, walking down the street with their two older sons on either side of them.

    A Growing Family

    As Avichai and Keren were entering school, and life should have started easing for Chaya and Yisrael, they heard a rumor about an infant with Downs who had been abandoned in the Tzfat hospital after birth. Within a few weeks, the new little girl, Shalhevet

    , was settled in the Ben Baruch’s home, and the local Social Work Department began harassing the Ben Baruchs, insisting that they could not possibly give proper care to three Downs children. As Shalhevet grew and thrived, the social workers went into hibernation, but several years later, the Welfare Department declared all-out war on the Ben Baruchs when they accepted an infant boy, named Ori, with Downs whose family was unable to care for him.

    At the same time that the Ben Baruchs were battling the Social Work Department, they were fighting for Ori’s life – as with most Downs children, he was born with many health problems, and more developed almost daily. While Yisrael and Chaya juggled their young family at home with almost weekly hospital stay-overs, they fought for Ori to stay with them, hiring a lawyer and taking the Social Services of Tzfat to court.

    Frequent email alerts were sent out to the Tzfat community, asking them to pray, not only for Ori’s health, but also for a victory over the social workers who preferred to institutionalize him rather than leave him in the Ben Baruch’s loving home. Shortly af

    ter Ori’s open-heart surgery, when he shared his hospital room with a little girl with Downs who had been abandoned, the court granted the Ben Baruch’s foster care of Ori…..and the Ben Baruch’s lawyer adopted the girl from the hospital.

    Last year, an Israeli family asked the Ben Baruchs to take in their Downs baby, and Chaya and Yisrael agreed – little Nechama lived with the Ben Baruchs for seven months before she died from an infection, but not before she touched the hearts of so many people around Safed, as all the children have.

    Presently, Chaya and Yisrael would like to develop a home where more special needs children could be cared for in a loving, home-like atmosphere. In the meantime, they admit that they don’t know what, or who, the future might drop on their doorstep. But they’re ready.

  • Lev U’Neshama

    Tzedekka  – Righteousness

    Lev U'Neshama

     

    If ever an organization deserved its title, Lev U’Neshama, “Heart and Soul”, this is it.

    When Yaffa and Moshe Smolensky made aliyah, they began to think about how they could help the community in Tzfat. The answer came rather quickly, when a friend told them about a situation that she’d witnessed in a local grocery – an elderly woman had come in to buy baby formula. When she was congratulated over the assumed birth of a grandchild, she admitted that she was buying the Materna for herself….she could not afford food, so was buying the formula for nutrition.

    Lev Neshama Today

    Thus was born Lev U’Neshama’s Food Program. Beginning with 11 families in 2001, the fund today delivers food packages to 1200 people (595 of them children) — food baskets of nutritional foodstuffs, specifically fruits and vegetables which are usually the first food purchases to be discarded when budgets are stressed.

    Other funds soon were initiated to address the needs in the community. A Shoe Program allows children who don’t ha

    ve shoes for school to receive free pairs of shoes – not only do they receive the shoes, but they go to the stores and pick them out at the shops of two local participating shoe merchants. They enjoy the feeling of “buying shoes like everyone else”. The Eyeglass Program helps purchase glasses for many people who otherwise have no opportunity to buy them. A Soldier’s Program insures that all soldiers who come to the local hospital for treatment receive toiletries and snack foods to sustain them until their families can come to fill in, if possible. A Discretionary Program allows Lev U’Neshama to fill in when emergencies occur – electric bills that can’t be paid, repairs on vital household appliances, taxi fares for trips to the hospital, textbooks for schoolchildren who cannot afford them, etc.

    Of late, much work has been done with the Ethiopian community in Tzfat, providing new Ethiopian immigrants with s

    ome basics to help them start their lives in Israel. The immigrants often fall between the bureaucratic cracks, and as a result, every winter, the children are left without the basics for the cold weather. Lev U’Neshama helps as many children as possible to get a new jacket, purchased locally at a discount, a hat, mittens, socks, and shoes. Before they stepped in, the children were coming to school in summer clothes and rubber sandals.

    Insuring the Future

    All of Lev U’Neshama’s budget comes through donations, but even in raising money, they have taken the initiative. They run a second-hand clothing store stocked with clothes donated by well-wishers from all over the world. Clothing items are sold for minimal donations and all the proceeds go to the Food Program. The “G’mach” though, like everything else with Lev Neshama, provides chessed, kindness, in other ways as well. Frequently, clothes are distributed free to those in need. Teachers from local schools have been known to stop by to take clothes for their students who they see coming to school improperly dressed. No one is ever turned away. Tourists and tour groups who know Lev U’Neshama come to Israel lugging an extra suitcase full of clothes for the G’mach. A representative of Lev U’Neshama meets their tour bus and whisks the clothes to the G’mach.

    “It is better to light a single candle than to sit and curse the dark” goes the saying. For many residents of Tzfat, Lev U’Neshama’s coordinators, Moshe and Yaffa Smolensky, Faga Weiss, Rena Cohen and Rabbi Yisrael Rothenberg, the Director, whose work is 100% volunteerism, have brought the light to the city, to their lives, and to the lives of their families.

  • Safed Personalities

    Get to know Safed like an insider and become acquainted with the people of Safed through our articles on Safed Personalities. Safed has many interesting and eccentric characters and you can begin getting to know the personalities that make up this mystica

    l city before you even begin your journey to Safed. By familiarizing yourself with locals before

    People Of Safed arriving in Safed, you can increase your sense of

    returning home and lessen your feelings as a foreigner or as a traveler while exploring this inspiring city.

    Kabbalah Inspiration

    As Safed is most famously known as the city of Kabbalah it would seem only right that we begin our introduction to Safed personalities by introducing someone whose life is directly influenced by this mystical book. Find out a little about Amanda Cohen, a local writer and teacher of Kabbalah and find out more about how the Kabbalah influences the local residents. Also meet Yehudit Goldfarb, well known throughout the city for expression through Jewish letters and a local Kabbalist.  Find out more about his point of view.

    Also check out our articles on the various religious communities in Safed like the Chabad community and the Breslev community, discover Hassidic Messianic thought, and learn more about the political ideology of Tzfat.

    From The Normal To The Eccentric

    For everything you ever wanted to know about Safed try getting in touch with the local historian David who is known throughout the tourist circles a David the Tour guide. Also get to known a native Tennessee residence, Batya Avraham, who now calls Safed her home. Find out more about how she made this incredible transition. And of course, no visit to Safed would be complete without an introduction to Banjo Billy, the cat lady, or to Nissim and his Dobermans, a local landmark.  Also check out our articles on charity in Tzfat, the Ben Baruchs, candle sculptures, legends of Tzfat, residents’ stories, the beggars of Safed, the Sterns, new immigrants, Reb Moshe, a British expatriate, Mimi Semuha, and the Tzfat Guide book.

  • Studio 148

    This is a fine art gallery in Tzfat featuring work by Yaakov Ankaoua. The gallery is located at Arlozorov 148 in the Artis

    Studio 148 Art Galleryts\’ Colony, minutes from the Old City.

    Check out Yaakov\’s latest work on his facebook page.

    For information, please call: 053 717 3050