EDITOR'S NOTEBOOK

Passionate About Jewels, Impassioned About Israel

last two months, the bloodiest of the 19 months of horror
eev Tammuz has been a custom jeweler for 15 years.
ignited, fueled and sealed by Palestinian Authority leader
He loves making jewelry and is proud of his work.
Yasser Arafat.
He's drawn almost spiritually to the art form.
"When the intifada started, it looked like the end of the
He's also Israeli.
world,"
Tammuz said. "Thirty to 40 percent of the retail busi-
And like most Israelis who operate a business to support
nesses
in
Jerusalem soon closed — restaurants, jewelry stores,
their families, the Jerusalem born and bred retailer is hurting
souvenir
shops.
There was no reason to stay open; they weren't
badly in the wake of Israel's battle against terrorism, which has
making
any
money"
spurred a dramatic downturn in tourism: Fear of suicide
Tammuz's store, at 7 Maallot Nachlat Shiva St., is open only
bombers exploding in public places has left a once-bustling
four hours a day now "It's depressing," he said.
community of Israeli jewelers searching for new ways to
His wife, Sharon, is his partner. The only reason they keep
attract buyers.
the
store is because their landlord was moved enough to stop
That's why Tammuz and fellow jeweler
charging
rent within weeks of the intifada.
Haim Alfasi, who is from the Upper Galilee,
Tammuz
said he used to schedule "house call" shows for
came to West Bloomfield for the Temple
U.S.
clients
once or twice a year. But in the last year, he and
Israel Sisterhood Art Fair on April 21-22.
Alfasi have appeared at Jewish art galleries and fairs from coast
Representing 20 jewelers who are part of
to coast. This trip, they'll also visit Cleveland, New York City,
Jewels of Israel, a jewelers' collective, they
Washington,
Orange County, N.J., and Miami before heading
were seeking fair-goers to buy Israeli in a
home.
"It's
a
way
to see people I've seen in Jerusalem as well as
price range of $50 to $3,000.
make
new
contacts,"
he said.
The duo have come to the U.S. three times
"We do fairly well," he added.
ROBERT A. on two-week selling trips since the
'American support has been strong," Alfasi said. "It's defi-
SKLAR
Palestinian intifada (uprising) broke out near-
nitely helping."
Editor
ly 19 months ago.
"We're used to American Jews coming to
Israel to buy jewelry," Tammuz said at the pre-event patron
Hard Work, Always Wary
night. "Israeli jewelry is special; it's good jewelry and won't
It's clear their work is not easy. Schlepping two custom display
embarrass anybody. But Americans have stopped coming. So,
cases from city to city, and the constant setup and teardown
we've come to them.
surely must be physically and emotionally draining. "It's not
"Buy Israeli, support Israel," Alfasi said. "America and Israel
something we choose to do," Tammuz said convincingly.
— we need each other."
He has two children, Hedya, 16, and Orel, 14. Despite
After a 20-minute conversation,
these dangerous times, both teens walk to
intermittently delayed by shoppers,
school near their home in central
I was impressed as much by their
Jerusalem. The family "takes notice" of
resolve as the beauty of their cre-
who's around them when they're out and
ations. They come to Judaism from
about. "I've heard suicide bombings from
different directions — Tammuz is
my bedroom window and while walking
secular and Alfasi is Orthodox —
in the street," Tammuz said, "but life
but both are impassioned ambassa-
goes on. We've tried to lead a normal life,
dors for a vibrant, secure Israel.
but it isn't really normal. We don't go out
Farmington Hills' Datia Tammuz,
the way we used to."
Zeev's sister and a Tel Aviv native, is
Tammuz is guarded when discussing
a member of Congregation B'nai
Israeli politics, but does say that he des-
David in West Bloomfield, but
perately wants Mideast peace. "I wish
familiar with Temple Israel's annual
everyone would have leaders that would
art fair. She thought the temple
bring peace, not war," he said, his voice
might want to include Jewels of
growing louder. "Israelis and Palestinians
Israel as an exhibitor. "Israeli artists
alike are pawns of bad leaders."
Zeev Tammuz,
are hurting and I wanted to do what I could to
Haim Alfasi's store is in the Gallery Mitzpe
•
Datia Tammuz
support them," she said.
Hayamim, a posh spa in the Upper Galilee. He and
and Haim Alfasi
After reviewing the collective's artistry via
his wife, Rifka, and their two children, Ein-Bar, 12,
at Temple Israel.
wvvw.jewelsofisra.el.co.il , the art fair committee
and Hillel, 6, live about 20 miles from the Lebanon
cleared a spot just outside the sanctuary and
border. She runs the store when he's away.
waived the exhibitor fee.
As spa reservations have fallen, so have Alfasi's prof-
"We were thrilled to oblige them," said Huntington Woods'
its. Business is down 60 percent, he said; a caring landlord has
Carol Lynn Cooper, fine arts co-chair for the art fair. "We
adjusted the rent accordingly. "Our problem is Lebanon, not
wanted to do whatever we could to help. The situation they
suicide bombers," said Alfasi, who acknowledges hearing gun-
are in is horrible. With so few Americans going to Israel, we've
fire from the border. "When Lebanon is hot, when Hezbollah
got to do something for Israelis."
is hot," he said, "we've got a problem."
Indeed, we do.
With so many other retailers calling it quits, either because
they've lost their clients or are weary of the danger, Alfasi and
Tammuz have high hopes for Jewels of Israel — and for one
Economy Sours Quickly
day having their lives return to normal. .
Zeev Tammuz had operated his store for eight years before the
As Alfasi so determinedly put it: "We're holding our own.
intifada. "And I made a decent living," he said.
We're
waiting for a better day." ❑
But since the uprising broke out on Sept. 28, 2000, he said,
his business is off 80 percent. It's down 98 percent over the

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4/26
2002

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