''The Land of Israel'' Visits the Hub---~
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-0 -, 0 ,0..... ' z 0 C) 1-- 1-- --0 - <.I ,:::, (.!) er- u C-1 Local News, pages 2-3 o a o I lO Opinion, page 4 ",..,.<I" to :al<t.-:, Around Town, page 8 * _j * <C ****Ll * 0::. "' C) * I- * 0-- ( 01- * ro- ,:n * --...:r: .:c: (f) *~* t-·?::CZ ,... ,. **'-- -(0 -w01..Ll * 3 U1Z / W lf.! W '"':!WO * ....... i:.n1-1 * ~ . :> THE ONLY ENGLISH-JEWISH WEEKLY IN R.I. AND SOUTHEAST MASS. *r--1-...00 ! ~'.2t g LXXV, NUM.3ER 4 5 THURSDAY, OCTOBER 6 , 1988 35¢ PER COPY ,--------''The Land of Israel'' Visits the Hub-----~ by Dorothea Snyder Ban ners flapping and furling from brisk breezes off of Boston Harbor herald the " La nd of Israel" to walkers approaching Jordan Marsh. Once inside, the sights, sounds, smells, history and culture of Israel permeate six fl oors of the Boston landmark store, now transformed into a massive tourist experience. No long bus trips. Just a hop on the escalator and a quick glance at the clock. Head to the oasis for fuel before the long journey begins. A line awaits us on the fourth fl oor, a nd patiently we queue up for an Israeli smorgasbord at Beit Caffe Rachella. The menu offers felafel, tahini, Israeli salad, moussaka, tabbouleh, hummus, and baklava. And then t he big decision is where to go first. There is so much to see, but we've allowed time for it all dance troupes at Center Stage, weavers, glassblowers, artists, doll makers, the Goldman Art Gallery, the Old City Market, the Bedouin Tent Exhibit, a nd much, much more. "The Land of Israel," hosted by Jordan Marsh, began on September 25 and ends t his Saturday, October 8. To prepare for t his major event, special events staff and buyers visited Israel to resea rch the project for over a year. "We think we have an event that. will upstage the excitement of "The Orient Express'd," said Elliot ,J. Stone earlier this year. The chairman and chief executive officer of Jordan Marsh added, ·'That'll give an idea of how electrifying the ' Land of Israel' will be." For two weeks, visitors have visited this living museum with over 40 dynamic exhibits and performances. On view are a backdrop of authentic musical instruments, on loan from Ha ifa's Museum of Music and Ethnology, historical a rtifacts from Haifa's Maritime Museum, and parchment replicas of the Dead Sea Scrolls on loan from the Israeli government through the Israeli Export Sweet music from harpist Ruth Saltzman and flutist Donna Dieken enhance the Institute. mood of visitors rushing to get it all in at "The Land of Israel," a two-week arts Photos and story fOntinue on page 8. festival at Jordan Marsh in Boston which continues through October 8. Aliya And Success_ _ by Carol Novis and Rose Wolfe group of children at the age of himself, who in spite of a gentle, ministers who frequently order ritual that has been carried out for Malichi seven. just one week before the · courtly ma nner, describes his own Meisler works ("a little too late hundreds of years a nd still today in Frank Meisler - Master of outbreak of war. He never saw his sense of humor as "slightly black, a nd a little too cheap," he laughs) some Yemenite-Israeli families. Jt Jewish Ceremonial Art pa rents again. in the central European manner." to present as gifts to foreign may he performed in its entirety (WZPS) ,Jewish ceremonial art Although Meisler is reluctant to One of his favorite stories dignita ries. Former presidents including the "chupa," or the has existed since biblical days talk about that period of his life, concerns an a nima l sculpture: Ford and Carter are two American evening prior to the traditional when, as the Torah relates, Bezalel the creation oft hat synagogue has ",Just before the Israeli delegation leaders who have been presented Jewish wedding as we know it . I am was appointed to create the d early been a highlight of his lefl to take pa rt in the Camp David with Meisler works. refe rring to the popular t hrowing Tabernacle and its holy objects. career. ''We found charred stones talks, a member of the government Sometimes, non-,Jewish of bouquet and reading of There fo llowed centuries of from the old syna!(ogue and used burst into my studio and diplomats particularly request a telegrams, followed by t he couple's relative neglect: ,Jews were them to build t he Holocaust demanded a camel sculpture to Meisler ,Jewish ceremonial object.. six pieces of Samsonite luggage forbidden to work in most trades memorial," he said. " It was present to Sadat if the treaty was One British cabinet minister, a and ten days in the Baha mas. My and crafts, and synagogues feared beautiful to come from Israel and signed. There was one proviso - if Roman Catholic, has a Meisler wedding did not keep with this showing too high a profile by bring such things to Germany." they didn't si!(n an agreement, the mezuzah on his doorpost. " He told tradition. It was so much more. displaying rich ceremonial art. Current ly, Meisler is working on camel had to be returned. When I met hat it gives him comfort," said My husband's parents were Renaissance another synagogue commission in saw Begin and Sadat sign the Meisler, in obvious satisfaction. certain that I would not want to go But today, ,Jewish ceremonial (;ermany. T his syna!(ogue, in Camp David agreement on Canadian Jewi§h Princess through with the t raditional art is thriving again, a nd Israeli Darmstadt, is due to open precisely television, I realized that I had sold Turns Yemenite Bride ceremony, hut having majored in artists like Frank Meisler are on the fi ftieth anniversary of a camel!" (WZPS) My mother had always Theater Arts at. university, I among those involved in its Kristallnacht. Flourishing Business dreamed t hat her only daughter envisioned a fa nfare of spectacle renaissance. Creations Alt hough Meisler once worked would marry under the stars in and thus my fi rst major Meisler, a trained architect who Although Meisler frequently as a successful arr.hit.eel in Israel. What ,Jewish mother would performance to what was certa in works today predominantly as a undertakes la rge comm1ss10ns England, he has never regretted wish otherwise? Of course, as long to he a captive audience. T he sculptor, is not a t radit.ionally (other recent ones include a set of his move to Israel in I 960 with his as the groom was ,Jewish and came " Henna," the honoring oft he bride observant J ew. Nevert,heless, ceremonial objects for t he Liberal American wife Batya, or his career from a good family, but. ",Just what a nd groom, symbolizes t he giving religion, he claims, 0 exerts a synagogue in St. ,John's Wood in change to sculpture. " It was and where i"s Yemen?" she asked over of the bride to the groom's fascinat ion for me," and many of London and a three meter p robably a good thing t.hat I on a long dist a nee call from family and vice-versa. In Yemen, the objects he creates have diameter circula r founta in in studied a rchitecture instead of a rt. Montreal. in days of yore, the ceremony ceremonial and biblical themes. pewter and bronze, weighing over a Had I studied a rt, I probably would T he nine yea rs since my aliya to would begin one week before the T hat is because he believes t he ton , for the King Solomon Hotel in have been taught someone else's Israel from Canada have sped hy chupa. We decided to have our post second world war generation ,Jerusalem), many objects he theories and style instead of and with them the most " Henna" for only one evening. two of artists .has bad a unique creates are quite small. developing my own." unexpected of events which I days before our actual marriage opportunity t.o re-create ,Jewish They include miniat.ure T orahs, Today, Meisler runs a believe can only happen to a ceremony. ceremonial objects an ketuhot (marriage certificat.es) flourishing business with t hree "once-upon-a-time ,Jewish Two hundred and fift y guests, opport.unity denied to generations holders, mezuzot and chanukiot studios in Israel, a gallery in princess." More so this princess cold meats, salads, pit.a bread, of his predecessors. (chanuka menorahs), figurines of London , out lets in Belgium and who chose to fulfill her romant ic strings of bright lights, music, a ll "Antique ,Judaica of 100 or 200 kletzmer musicians and praying Switzerland, and his own foundry. Zionist dream in t he Holy Land. in my in -laws' garden in Tel Aviv. years ago is disappointing hassidim. Some, such as humorous A staff of eight. helps him cast, When age seemed ripe, as the Having been partially briefed hy artistically, compared to the kind representations of lawyers and clean, polish and assemble t he prophets might have thought, I the 'elders,' I had a vague idea of of work that was created for t he even S igmund Freud, complete works; a process which can involve was indeed blessed by having met. what to expect. I was "queen for a church in t he sixteent h a nd wit h cigar, have no overt ,Jewish using an industrial crane for my husband, a Yemenite Israeli. day" and, from the early hours of seventeenth centuries," he said.