Israel, Mom turns 70, family, friends, art and Yoga

6 weeks in the holy land. No, I do not believe there is such a thing as a holy land. All land is holy, and all land is only land, land that shares with us all its splendor. The land never asks who is it that lives by it. Never asks from where we are, and always gives without hesitation.

The blessing of being with close family and true friends, the blessing of having a mother turn 70, her eyes wide open to see life as it is, with all it’s beauty, an optimistic woman full of love.
A gathering of all the family creates energy much more powerful than individual encounters, a connected web of very different individuals sharing one love.

Rediscovering Israel; meeting friends, feeling a connectedness to people, a caring and honesty, as well as seeing the harsh side, the aggressiveness and the need to be right.
A land of contraries, beautiful souls that will give you all they can, help and be there for you, and man to man wolf just around the corner.

I want to mention the great dinner parties we had (thanks Galia, ), and all the amazing friends I met, but will keep the stories simple, and all you that I meet along the way, know that you are in my heart.

Israel is also a land of creation, so much art. Worked on a few different projects and met some beautiful people.
Of course I got to do a project with Polak along with Orly, working with a naked bed, a broom…and a naked soul, stripping off the mind, and diving deep into experience.

Got to shoot from behind a running motorcycle (thanks Shay) for a photo story about social justice.

I continued my human and food project, shooting with pomegranates, lettuce and Carps (Yes, the fish that is used much in Jewish cooking), all handled amazingly by Mia and Rotem.

Fortunately I met Maya Gross, a gifted Yoga teacher, and had the opportunity to deepen my practice. Waking at 4:30 am in Jerusalem so I could drive to Tel-Aviv to take her class in the Ashtanga tradition.

Spent some time in the Sinai desert, floating above the wonders of the red sea. Better than any art show I have ever seen. Nature, and that that is hidden underwater, is a splendor of color and forms, floating in silence surrounded by blue.

Last night in Israel, flight at 5:30am, I drive to Tel Aviv to spend a white night with friends in the lively city. 4:00am we leave for the airport, and the city is still awake.