page 8 TheReporter Tevet-Shevat-Adar I 5765 JFGM, New Hampshire’s Federation, Sister “City”::: Featured Artist

Lea Ben-Arye, Designer of Wearable Art Screenshot of Hof HaCarmel Web page, telling of meeting Fabric designer Lea Ben-Arye’s natu- printmaking go back three generations, but with their American– New ral artistic talents are apparent in the fash- Ben-Arye prints in a different medium than Hampshire– Sister City ion pieces she creates. With no formal fash- did her ancestors. representatives. ion design back- Since her mar- ground, Ben-Arye riage to artist Dan designs, produces, Ben-Arye, she has and sells her one- lived in Ein Hod. The of-a-kind fashion success of her time- accessories from less fashion accesso- her studio in the art- ries has allowed Ben- English Translation of Hebrew Web Page Above: ist village of Ein Arye to realize her Hod. The timeless dream of making a New Hampshire-Hof HaCarmel Sister City Project fashion pieces– living from her art– scarves, jackets, the dream of all art- Journey to beautiful corners, warm people Rural lands, stunning views, beautiful coastline, coats, wraps– are and a virgin view. many areas of tourism, and people occupied with ists. Ten years ago, created with a Dan & Lea Ben-Arye in their Art & Wear she opened a gallery Monday evening, a moment before the agriculture and art!” We didn’t need to be con- vinced. We also have an area abounding with screening method Gallery at Ein-Hod Village Center, , in the village where lighting of the menorah, we met with our guests she developed. featuring Dan’s paintings and sculptures, and at the lovely Hotel. Three strangers historical sites of international repute, the most visitors from all over Lea’s Judaica, craft, wearable-art and prints. who came here to seek a connection and a part- beautiful beaches in Israel, and special people – First Ben-Arye the world come to nership for a dream. A dream which contains many of whom we met during the week. blocks the screen buy her fashion ac- values, co-operation, lots of Jewish spices, tra- We began the tour of at the “ Illegal with paper cuts. Although the precut pieces cessories. dition and roots. Immigration Camp”, with the guidance of Tzvika of paper have a random look, in fact, Ben- “Following my studies, I worked on Over a cup of coffee in the hotel lobby, ideas Harary, who was instrumental in restoring this Arye carefully selects the composition. The camp as a visitor center. There with sparkling several graphic projects, the most exciting surfaced which were embellished during the screen is then placed on top of the fabric to was the design and supervision of large course of the week. There the ideas became pos- eyes, he related the history of the Jewish people. hold the paper in place. Paint is applied. outdoor graphic murals totaling in all 3.5 sibilities: adopting soldiers, delegations of youth The site and experience was intensely penetrat- ing and made an enormous impression on our Ben-Arye then mixes the paints to achieve sq. kms. When I moved to Ein-Hod, I to Poland, summer camps in Israel and in NH, unusual colors and tones. She adds pigments connections between artists, schools and more. guests. Next, we continued to tour the galleries studied pottery, jewelry and silkscreen and metal dust to achieve a unique look each We later hosted our visitors at a candle lighting of Ein Hod. The artists of the village made a great printing combined with hand painting. ceremony at the Merav Center, our community impression on them, particularly on Pamela, who time. The paints are acryllic-based and the The mixed media of garment painting, I center. herself weaves baskets. Our conversation flowed. garments washable. have developed and refined to meet my We ended the ride with an authentic Arab feast A native-born Israeli, Ben-Arye’s fam- own particular needs. The result is a Our new friends, Adam, Pamela and Jer- in Ein Hud. emy, active in the Jewish Federation of Greater ily has lived in the city of Safed for four limited edition of fabrics and garments Manchester in New Hampshire, told us that it In the coming days they enjoyed a visit to generations. Her roots in the art of which express a total personal concept.” has been two years that they have been looking seeing both the modern interactive dis- for a partnership community in Israel. They plays and the ancient city. We visited the Hannah turned to Boston, their neighbors to the south, Senesh museum at “ ”, the “Fields of Israel” at Keren Maharal, the winery Highlights Israel Export Institute, among the best 14 who have a long standing connection with * Born 1957, Safed, Israel. designers to be promoted abroad. .† Boston/Haifa recommended that they at Makura ranch, banana plantations and “Plasson” and “Suron” industries. * Presently living and working in the artist connect with us. village of Ein-Hod. Studies The connection was established between Our guests spent a complete day visiting * Member of the Israeli Design Craft Canadian Hadassah Wizo, College of Design. Oren Kanter, the representative from Kibbutz schools in the region, and met with a group of Association. Technion Institute of Haifa, Graphic Design. Hahotrim and Yossi Gluzman, once the director students with a high level of English proficiency. * Selected by the Israeli Fashion Center of Silkscreen printing, pottery, in Ein-Hod. of the Haifa municipality and who currently func- Equipped with new ideas to establish connec- tions as the representative of the Boston/Haifa tions between youth, they returned exhausted to Web links: connection. The connection with Adam Solender, the hotel. Their notebooks began to fill up. Wearable art - http://ein-hod.israel.net/benarye/lea/leaw.htm director of the Jewish Federation of Greater The human bonds that were formed between Judaic - http://ein-hod.israel.net/benarye/lea/leaj.htm Manchester was made three months ago, and the us, the warmth of heart, the openness and the Glass Beads Jewelry - http://ein-hod.israel.net/benarye/lea/bead.htm rest is history. personal understanding that evolved, will all en- The state of New Hampshire, a state which sure a long term connection. borders with Canada in to the North, became At the closing meeting that took place in famous for its beautiful maple tree foliage, which the office of the mayor of the region, ideas re- sheds in great quantities of orange and yellow. surfaced, and our guests talked of the warm and In the state, there are approximately 1.1 million embracing hospitality. A moment before we sepa- inhabitants, of them about 16,000 . rated, Adam surprised those sitting around with When we asked why precisely the Carmel his contribution to the educational system: A Coast, Jeremy answered with excitement : “We miracle of Channukah? have a common denominator in many domains. January-February 2005 TheReporter page 9 Hof HaCarmel (Carmel Coast) Region of Israel

The Sister City Relationship: What is it all about? By Pamela Englander

As we in New Hampshire embark upon both established Steering Committees which a Sister City Relationship with the beauti- will govern the future direction of the ini- ful region of Hof HaCarmel (The Carmel tiative. The Steering Committees will estab- Coast) it is important to clarify some of the lish priorities, approve projects and budget history and current status of such relation- while subcommittees will oversee individual ships. projects. It is hoped many more people will In 1956 President Eisenhower estab- become involved as projects are initiated lished the Sister City Program as a national and connections established. Projects vary movement for global community partner- from Federation to Federation, based on ships and volunteer action. One of the ma- priorities, needs and resources on both the jor goals of such relationships is to stimu- Israeli and American ends. The success of a late environments through which commu- project is judged differently from one part- nities creatively learn to work and solve nership to another. problems together, to develop reciprocal In general, Sister City projects fall into cultural, municipal, business, technical and one of four broad categories, although professional exchanges and projects. These boundaries are likely to become blurred goals remain integral to the Sister City con- across program areas: cept in the Jewish world, which adopted People to people (living bridges), the concept many years ago by education, social and “twinning cities in the United welfare and regional States with those in Israel. development. Most Some of the most well partnerships known are: New York (excluding those with Jerusalem, Los involving the Angeles with Tel- largest Federa- Aviv and Boston with tions) are Haifa. moving in the The Boston- direction of Haifa partnership be- funding fewer, gan in 1989 as CJP’s larger projects, leadership and partners in mostly in the People main source of income for the region. Hof-HaCarmel was founded July Haifa collaborated in the area to People category. During the last 20 years, industry and 2, 1951. Geographically, it can be de- of economic development, espe- Through missions to Israel, tourism have flourished and today’s fined by its regional neighbors: Haifa cially job creation, in order to assist a vision that is already under economy is based on all three branches. to the north, Carmel mountains to the Haifa in absorbing large numbers of Jews discussion, as well as missions to New Some of the major agricultural products east, the to the west from the former Soviet Union. The Boston- Hampshire, it is envisaged that more include bananas, citrus groves, cotton, and Zichron Ya’akov and Caesarea to Haifa connection, as it is referred to today, individuals on both sides of the ocean will dairy farming, poultry, fish farming, the south. The size of the region is ap- has evolved into an initiative that strives to come to feel part of the growing connec- grapes and flowers. proximately 64 square miles, which provide opportunities for individuals to tion. includes a large part of the Carmel Park. Most of the industrial factories work together in many areas of mutual in- At present, our first project is un- There are approximately 25 settlements are located on kibbutzim. One of the terest to both communities. This is a notice- derway; namely, connecting with Hof in the area, which include 12 leading facilities in the world for the able transition from the traditional Project HaCarmel soldiers who are currently serv- moshavim, 8 kibbutzim and 3 board- manufacture of injection-molded plas- Renewal-type twinning model in which one ing in the Israel Defense Forces. NH Syna- ing schools. The city of Caesarea, the tics is “Plasson” on Kibbutz Ma’agan side gave and the other received. Here de- gogue Religious School Principals around town of Atlit, an artist village named Michael. cision-making is a joint process. Their part- the state have embraced the concept of Ein Hod and an Arab village called Ein Tourism is vibrant owing to the nership is a model of collaboration. reaching out to soldiers of the Hof Hud complete the picture. The popula- beautiful natural surroundings, a rich HaCarmel region (more than tion of the region is approximately The Sister City relationship selection of accommodations and the 500 of them) who are cur- 20,000 people. is a joint partnership be- Mediterranean Sea. tween diaspora communi- rently serving their term In the past, agriculture was the ties and their Israeli of duty. Our children partners. A primary (and many adults) are function of this rela- writing letters to the tionship could be soldiers and joining viewed as making with the regional matches between or- council of Hof ganizations and HaCarmel in pre- people in both com- senting these soldiers Hof HaCarmel Would YOU munities who share with the letters and Region Would YOU mutual interests, gifts at their Yom like to join thereby stimulating joint Ha’atzmaut (Indepen- collaborations. There are dence day) ceremonies. in the FUN? currently approximately 42 Our involvement has been regions linked with about 550 Hof HaCarmel Seal embraced by our new friends in diaspora communities. The time Hof HaCarmel as an extremely has come for us to be a part of this. meaningful and desirable enhancement of this program. To join the Steering Committee Being a community that is in some of the respects a “suburb” of Boston, advantages Currently there is work or commu- Hof HaCarmel-New Hampshire were seen in seeking a similar “suburb” type nication going on in various areas of con- region near Haifa. When the Hof HaCarmel nection or potential for collaboration with Sister City Venture region was suggested by the Boston-Haifa the Hof HaCarmel region. There is a place please call Kathy at 627-7679 partnership, the advantages of size, location for everyone who is interested in being in- or email: [email protected]. and composition of the region appeared volved in this wonderful endeavor. Please unsurpassable. contact the JFGM Sister City Steering Com- No matter what your level of interest, mittee if this is something you would like we want you! The groundwork has now been laid. to find out more about. New Hampshire and Hof HaCarmel have