21 Jul 2014
Posted by Aliyah 
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I knew I had to email each of the artists I met with in Israel, not only because I had to, rather I wanted to thank them. I had so much I wanted to say so I decided to write it in a blog post to share with everyone.
To the artists that I had time to meet with here in Israel for Ketubah.com and our blog;
Dear Ruth Rudin, Danny Azoulay, Orly Lauffer, Ardyn Halter, Oren Loloi, Oded Ezer, and Ruth Stern Warzecha,
Throughout my time in Israel, what I consider another place I call home and my true homeland, I set out to meet and interview as many artists associated with Ketubah.com. The logic originally was work and play? Sign me up! But what came out of the experience was so much more.
Whether I met an artist in their home, a park, or their shop, they each made me feel welcome and comfortable. Particularly those that I got to meet with in their homes were fascinating. As I interviewed them, I could see individually how their personal spaces and personalities comes through in their artwork.
“The logic originally was work and play? Sign me up! But what came out of the experience was so much more.”
Thank you so much for taking the time out of your lives to meet, sit, and speak with me. For many of you it was not second nature to be the center of attention. On top of that we are experiencing a time of fear and tension. These interviews have touched me in unexpected ways. You’ve each strengthened my love of Israel which was…unplanned, to say the least.
Thank you for giving me cold water, warm coffee, and welcoming me into your homes.
Tensions in Israel have escalated over the past 5 weeks. It began with the heart breaking capture of 3 Israeli teenagers, Naftali Fraenkel, Gilad Shaer, and Eyal Yifrah. Now, every day, cities are under constant threat of rockets from Gaza. I experienced multiple close call encounters with rockets, a number of siren red alerts that left me on the ground behind a dumpster, a community center, and in my apartment building stairwell.
“No, this post is about my sincere admiration that these artists have to the land of Israel, and through that; their love and passion for creating Ketubot.”
Bearing the name Aliyah has been confusing, inspiring, and interesting over the past 26 years. But on this trip, particularly with these artists, they were amazed by it. On more than one occasion I was being convinced (whether intentionally or not) to stay in Israel. Now, this post is not about my pros and cons at this time, or to be Zionistic, or political. No, this post is about my sincere admiration that these artists have to the land of Israel, and through that; their love and passion for creating Ketubot. These traditional documents that bind a husband to his wife. A piece of paper that artists bring to life with art and beauty. This tradition that they manage to connect a Jewish marriage to the past, present moment, and your future as a couple.
My attempt at writing is a poor one to say thank you to the artists, and a thank you to Michael Shapiro for letting me go ahead with this crazy idea when I booked a ticket spontaneously out of a selfish need to visit to Israel after a 3 year hiatus.
I look forward to publishing the fruits of our labor and hope you will all enjoy them as much as I did making them.
,באהבה
עליה
