Israeli children cope with terror through drawings and pictures exhibited at West Bloomfield ICC.
SUZANNE CHESSLER
Special to the Jewish News
rtal Daniel, 18, lives in the
Israeli city of Acco, where her
parents were born and where
Arabs and Christians are part of the
population.
Daniel and her three sisters, two in
school and one just finished with mili-
tary service, try to maintain normal
days while haunted by
the specter of terrorism.
While studying graph-
ic arts in an ORT high
school last year, Daniel
found a public way to express her feel-
ings about the violence that remains a
threat to her, her family and friends,
and the rest of the people in her coun-
try. She entered a competition to show
themed artwork in the touring ORT-
sponsored exhibit "Life in the Shadow
of Terror."
Daniel's piece, among 300 submis-
sions, was juried into the show, which
will make a stop July 26-30 at the
West Bloomfield Jewish Community
Center. Under the local sponsorship of
the Lois G. Sandberg Michigan Region
of Women's American ORT, the exhib-
it will be discussed by Rabbi Aaron
Bergman of the Jewish Academy of
Metro Detroit in a program called
"Healing the Heart Through Art,"
running 7-9-p.m. Thursday, July 29.
ce
"The background in my work is red
to symbolize the blood of the innocent
who were murdered," explains Daniel,
whose project offers several images —
a baby in his mother's womb, terror
attacks taken from newspaper photos
and graves that remain after the bomb-
ing ends. "There is a lit candle next to
flowers in memory of the victims and
in sympathy with the pain and sorrow
of those who have lost loved ones."
Among the more than
100 images that capture
the reaction of young
people to the horror of
terror, red and black are
the dominant colors as bloodshed and
death become the recurring focus of
the juried artists. Tainted doves, parti-
cles from explosions and Jewish sym-
bols appear throughout the projects.
"It's terrible that children have to
live in terror, so it's important for them
to express their feelings," says Moshe
Krepel, deputy 'director-general and
head of education and operations
administration of ORT Israel.
"We are very grateful to Roslyn and
Isidor Jack Lyons for suggesting and
sponsoring the competition. I hope
that everyone who sees the exhibit in
America will understand the effects of
this tragedy on our young people."
The competition, open to ORT
Israel students between the ages of 13
and 18, was planned as an exercise for
STORY
pate would be impartially distributed,"
those who have not found sufficient
Lyons says.
ways of expressing their reactions to
"We feel pleased that hundreds of
the violence that pervades the country.
Students were invited to send drawings schoolchildren enthusiastically tried to
do their best and that, above all, their
and pictures depicting the issue of ter-
minds were concentrated on creation
ror and its impact on life in Israel.
rather than destruction, so vital at this
Limor Nir, an 11 th-grader, shows
time of the battle against terrorism."
two gunman hidden under black-out-
Lyons, who spent a large proportion
fits and outlined in red. Tali Ginsburg,
of his life in the United Kingdom
an eighth-grader, presents a young girl
advancing his
covering her eyes
career in his fami- •
while newspapers
ly-owned men's
become her back-
clothing business,
ground. Shiran
has been a major
Horovitz, an 11 th-
contributor to
grader, offers a dove
World ORT and
with blood dripping
ORT Israel in par-
from its beak. Adi
, ticular for many
Ashkenazi, an 11th-
years. In recogni-
grader, places a can-
tion of his work on
dle in the center of
behalf of World
a painting that also
ORT, he has been
has five hands
made an honorary
reaching for it.
vice
president.
"To help our
The exhibition,
ORT students cope Adi Ashkenazi plac es a candle in the
center of a paintin g that also has five
which has been
and benefit from
seen in Canada
the reduction of the hands reaching fb r it.
and Australia, has
traumatic effects of
scheduled venues
the current horror,
in New York, Florida and Ohio.
my wife and I decided to inaugurate
"The artists have shown fear and
an ORT Israel Art Competition with
anger through their paintings, and that
the works produced by the children
and judged by an experienced panel of has been very sad," Krepel says. Some
of the pictures show hope, and that
adjudicators so that the substantial
has been very encouraging." E
prizes awarded as incentives to partici-
"Life in the Shadow of Terror" will be on view Monday-Friday, July 26-30, at the Jewish
Community Center in West Bloomfield. A lecture about the exhibit by Rabbi Aaron Bergman
runs 7-9 p.m. Thursday, July 29. $18 for lecture and refreshments. (248) 723-8860.
Shiran Horovitz's piece pictures
a dove with blood dripping
from its beak.
Tali Ginsburg presents a young
girl covering her eyes while
newspapers become her back-
ground
Limor Nir shows two gunman hidden under black ouOts
and outlined in red.
Ortal. Daniel's work offers several images: a
baby in his mother's womb, terror attacks
taken from newspaper photos and graves
that remain after the bombing ends.
7/23
2004
43