the-adventures-of-kathleen

checking in

2005-09-16T14:25:00.000-07:00

No adventures to report, just landlording and living and working and dreaming of a Bush-free America. Only three more years.

Carol Deutsch and Karen Abrams

2005-03-18T12:45:00.000-08:00

Karen and I have had a great time in Jerusalem but Thursday, our last day, was overwhelming. We were to have a private tour of the new museum, see the Carold Deutsch installation in the art museum, and, we thought, perhaps get back to our hotel early enough in the afternoon to stroll the Old City one more time.

When we arrived Karen was asked to speak on camera to an Israeli documentarian who wanted to record conversations between Karen and Judith, the art museum curator. This interviewing and filming took close to four hours, and the interplay between Karen and Judith, as well as the questions they asked Karen, made for some very compelling and emotional moments.

We were taken to a new conference room where Judith described for Karen the research Yad Vashem had done on her grandfather, how pleased they were that she had made the trip to the inauguration, and how happy they are to have his works in their collection. The documentary director probed Karen extensively about her knowledge of her grandfather, what she knew as a child, her feelings being in Jerusalem to see the paintings. Karen was a champ - articulate, emotional, moving, - and was "on" for a very long time. It was an emotionally stressful day for her. I know it was for me and I was simply listening and watching the processs unfold. The director made a real effort to tease out Karen's emotions and to draw upon her deepest feelings as she responded to his questions.

Between takes, Elyad, the researcher, showed Karen documents they had uncovered as they pieced together her mother's hiding in Belgium and her grandfather's tim in hiding and eventual murder by the Nazis. They have registration papers showing her mother's new false identity as a 2 year old child being hidden by the Draps family. They even have Deutsch's death certificate. It was fascinating and chilling to look at these documents they have tracked down.

Next Karen was filmed as she was shown into the new art museum, and into the special room devoted to her grandfather's work. In the center of the room is the box her grandfather handcrafted to hold the paintings he created as a gift for his 4 year old daughter Ingrid, Karen's mother. On the walls is a selection of his paintings, so much more beautiful than they appear on the computer version you may have seen. They are exquisite. There is a panel describing Deutsch's life, a timeline, and photos, including one of Karen's mother as a young girl.

Judith walked Karen through the exhibit describing the reasons for selecting the paintings currently on display (they will rotate every 18 months or so) and also explaining the meaning of each painting. It's hard to tell online but Deutsch titled each separate painting in French, English and Hebrew. He made them as a gift for his 4 year old daughter but they have universal appeal.

It was clear from the moment Judith began to speak that Yad Vashem is thrilled to include Deutsch's works in the art museum, and that they have a special place in their hearts for Karen and the Deutsch legacy.

They then filmed Karen as she presented Yad Vashem with photos and the last communication between her grandfather and her mother, a birthday postcard sent when her mother was only 4 years old. Then the filiming was (finally) over and we quickly toured the art museum on our own. By this time it was clear our day was shot - we were not going to make it back to our hotel before we had a final dinner with Karen's relatives on our last night in Israel.

We were then taken on a private, guided tour of the new museum itself. The dramatic architecture is fantastic, and the museum is overwhelming of course. The sun was just setting when we emerged from the museum into a spectacular view of Jerusalem. We both wished we had one more day to return to the site, spend more time in the museum, and simply enjoy a day learning and absorbing everything we were so quickly exposed to on this jam-packed day.

Karen's cousin picked us up at yad Vashem and took us up to a spectacular view of Jerusalem - Mt. Eran? - then to Abu Gosh, an Arab community, for some hot hummus and warm pita. We ate a big, fun dinner with all of Karen's new-found family in Israel. Their house was gorgeous, the kids were fun, and it was a really ncie way to end our visit.

I am now in Warsaw as I write this, 4 am Chicago time, waiting to board my plane home. See you all soon I hope. Shalom shalom, Kathleen

Yad Vashem and Jerusalem

2005-03-16T19:00:00.000-08:00

Last night in Jerusalem Karen and I attended the inauguration of the new Yad Vashem museum. It is a beautiful building, and it was a somber, moving event. The night was clear but very, very cold. We were outside, in the Square of Remembrance, and the wind was strong. You have already seen the list of dignitaries. Everyone was cold, together. The great equalizer.

The program was essentially speeches, some beautiful multi-media emceed portions, and, beautiful children's choirs and singers. Many spoke but the President of Israel (not Ariel Sharon - he's the Prime Minister) and Elie Weisel stand out. Weisel was last on the program; supposedly he had prepared a speech but threw it out at the last minute and spoke from his heart. We were shivering and listening on simultaneous translation headpieces. Weisel spoke in English, so we were able to get the depth of his remarks.

Security was seemingly tight. Streets blocked, soldiers and guards everywhere with very visible large weapons, busses to and from event. But once we passed through the metal detectors and made them beep, a 19-year-old simply asks if you are carrying a gun. When you say no, they let you through. Hmmm.

Elyad, from Yad Vashem, the researcher who has done the work on Carol Deutsch, was charming and delightful and beautiful. We went to dinner after with her and her husband. They took us to look at the city at night from a beautiful Promenade above the City. Very nice.

Tomorrow we are to have a private tour of the museum, and see for the first time the installation of Carol Deutsch's works. The museum is still closed to the public so this should be one of the most special parts of the trip.

Today was our guided tour of the Old City of Jerusalem. It is the most holy spot in the world - Christians, Muslims and Jews revere the site of the Dome of the Rock. It was beautiful and so very interesting. Our guide was fantastic - an atheist, can you even get a better person to tell you all of the history of every single religious group and every spot in such a holy place? He was just the man for Karen and me......

The Church of the Holy Sepulchre was fascinating. Five different denominations are presnt inside, and lay claim to different parts of the church. It is strange how disputed the entire place is, and who claims to have the God-given and historical right to be in a certain place.

Some of the actual places that represent the stations of the Cross (for all you Catholics out there) are supposedly within the walls of the church and Old City. The site of the actual crucifixion, where Jesus fell, was washed before burial, the burial, the Via Dolorosa (Jeses' walk with the Cross to the hill where he died) - just lots of stuff. If you were very religious you'd be overwhelmed. I was overwhelmed by the history, the archaeology, the many many people who feel so spiritually moved by the place.

Tonight we dine with Karen's newfound relatives, and tomorrow we tour Yad Vashem, spend the evening again with Karen's family, and I leave the hotel at 3am to fly home. Ugh. So I likely won't be writing in this again before I return to ChicagoFriday, but maybe, you never know.

Thanks for reading, Shalom Shalom.

The Israeli Desert

2005-03-14T17:30:00.000-08:00

Well we asked for a camel ride and we got one. Imagine the worst touristy thing you can, and, well,,,,,

We left Z'fat and headed to the Dead Sea on Friday but it was cold and rainy. Not inviting for a float in the salty water, much less spreading cold mud on ourselves. After a quick and crowded hike, we decided to head up to Jerusalem for the night. Cheaper and warmer. We arrived as everything - everything - shut down for shabbat. Found a 24 hour store and ate hummus and fruit for dinner.

Saturday we started our 3-day desert tour. Ari, our guide, picked us up adn took us immediately to 3 war memorials and spots where you look at re-enactments of brave young kibbutz members fighting off the egyptian enemy. We were very frustrated. Ended up in a place, the "Bedouin Tent" experience.....well, I just don't want to complain, OK? The Bedouin guy was nice and told us tons of interesting stuff but the "tent" was literally RIGHT NEXT to the highway. We opted for a pressboard hovel. Next morning our camel ride was in the same off-highway rest area. We did go away a bit but...

Finally on Sunday afternoon our guide Ari got our message that yes indeed we really truly wanted to HIKE. Not look at Ben Gurion's Memorial, not read every plaque, but, hike. So Sunday afternoon we had a great desert hike near Mitzpe Ramon, a big cliff in the desert. And Monday morning an even longer and higher and prettier hike. We had some major frustration about the whole desert situation.

But it's now Monday evening, we are in Jerusalem, tomorrow is the big event, and we are happy to be in a hotle with clean sheets and hot water and the possibility of some good coffee and food. Coffee, for me especially.

Starting today it's nothing but fame and ccelebrity. Karen's grandfather's name, by the way, is Carol Deutsch. If you go to the Yad Vashem site, and go to the art museum description, he is named there. Here is a photo book of his paintings. The first several are Kabbala-ish.
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/kabrams12345/album?.dir=/6d77&.src=ph&.tok=pheswZCB5a6Y0sOi

Yad Vashem Take 2 - Ohmygod

2005-03-11T08:14:00.000-08:00

Israel has been fantastic. We just spent two days in Z'fat with Karen's friend Michael Oxman and his family. Z'fat is the center of Kabbalah, and is full of artists and mystery. We are learning lots about Kabbalah, Judaism, Israel, history. It's overwhelming.

Yesterday we went up to the Golan Heights and hiked along the mouth of the River Jordan. Also visited a bird sanctuary. It was pretty. Today we head to the Dead Sea, and tomorrow, Saturday, is the beginning of the three day desert tour.

The news is full of Yad Vashem. It seems it is an even bigger deal than we thought. Heads of state from 30 nations will be there - at the event Karen and I are going to - as will Kofi Annan and Elie Wiesel. We're trying to stay calm but this is going to be intense! The security alone will be interesting. They are actually opening a whole new Yad Vashem, not just an art museum, so it is a huge deal. Karen's grandfather's art will be featured in its own permanent exhibit.

To read about the new Yad Vashem mussseum, try this link. http://www1.yadvashem.org/new_museum/overview.html

Shalom, Peace, wish us luck curstsying. Kathleen. And Karen says hi.

Byzantine Fun

2005-03-07T21:05:00.000-08:00

I thought I should see a little bit of Turkey, not just Istanbul. So I flew to a horrible town called Izmir and went from there to a lovely town called Sirincje. You pronounce that like syringe but pretend you´re really drunk when you say it.

Sirincje is a village of 600 pepople who are descended from Greeks that were forced to immigrate to the little hillside town at the end of World War 1. Someone check my history on that - what was going on? Turkey and Greece exchanged forced immigrants....I don´t understand exactly. Anyway, the people still look like it is about 1935. Peasants picking olives by hand, goats living in their houses. But really gorgeous up in the hills near the Aegean. And the hotel I stayed at was truly wonderful. The owner spent ten months in a Turkish prison for
rehabbing the property in 2001. Long story. It´s called the nisanyan if you want to look it up, it was amazing.

The reason I was staying there is because Ephesus is nearby. It´s a roman ruin that is one of the best preserved in the world. They are actively excavating while you walk around. It is fabulous. If you´re into archaeological ruins, as I am, it is well worth the trip. Just to see the ancient public latrines alone!

Up the hill quite a ways from there is a site where Mary (the mother of JESUS) supposedly lived at the end of her life. She came to the area with Saint Paul. I won´t get into all the biblical details but everyone thinks it´s true. I walked up there with a Peruvian med student so I got to practice my Spanish in Turkey! The site was unimpressive and it was hard to believe she would have lived way up this mountain if others weren´t living up there too. But hey, it was my first sunny day in Turkey and it was a gorgeous walk with a view of the entire valley, the ruins, everything.

Back in Istanbul on Saturday night, John and Pat O´Neal had arrived. We walked along the water to the open air fish market and then had an amazing fish dinner. They cooked a whole sea bass encased in salt in the oven, then they pound it with a mallet and crack it opn at the table. They like doing those kinds of things at restaurants in Turkey. Lots of breaking open of clay pots and stuff. More fun than the fish were the musicians serenading a table full of Turkish partyers. They started out dressed in suits and ties but by the end of dinner a couple of them weren´t wearing belts, due to the lewd show they had to perform utilizing liter-sized bottles of water and champagne glasses. Don´t ask. They also belly danced very lasciviously, with each other. Quite the free show. The men got it going on in Turkey!

After a Sunday trip to a church with startlingly preserved mosaics (the Chora church if you´re into it) we meandered down to the waterfront to take a ferry back to the center of our neighborhood. The walk from the church to the ferry was probably the closest we would get to being in a real neighborhood in Istanbul + very far from any tourist spot. It was really vibrant and full of kids and old folks having a nice Sunday. Could have been part of a National Geographic spread.

Today, my last day in Turkey, I talked John, Pat and their friend Kitty all into having a Turkish bath . That´s how I ended my stay in Turkey, getting scrubbed and rubbed by a wonderful Turkish mama.

Am now in Tel Aviv, with Karen finally. We´re here for one night before we start touring around tomorrow morning. Karen met me at the airport which was so wonderful. We head up the Med coast to Akko and Haifa tomorrow. Then Wednesday we hook up with her friend Mike in Z´efat and he will show us around the Sea of Galilee area. It´s actually warm here! I have gone from snow to sandals. And I think I will be eating falafel the national food of Israel every day from here on out.

Karen has hooked up with relatives she never knew and is having an emtional ride. Hoping she will write on this thingy someday, she wants to it will just be a matter of timing etc.

More from the heart of Israel later this week. Happy Spring!

Baths and jewels

2005-03-02T14:05:00.000-08:00

It sounds so trite, to take a turkish bath. But it is truly one of those life experiences. A 300-year-old marble chamber, heated from below, lit from above, with faucets of warm water along the walls, and large, strong turkish women scrubbing, soaping, massaging and guiding you around the hamam (bath). You lie down naked on the delightfully warm marble while she scrubs your entire body. A few other women are receiving the treatment at the same time. All we needed were some black eunuchs (as the sultan's harem concubines had) to feed and guard us. After it is over you feel so refreshed, invigorated and relaxed. I will definitley go back before I leave Turkey.

The Turks were way ahead of Europe when it came to hygiene. They had an abundance of water, and bathing was part of their lives back when Europeans were stinking up the place and covering the stench with powders and wigs. Their palaces were also much brighter than European castles, too. Lots of skylights.

Food's great. People warm. Lots of men approaching you for rug shopping and to be tour guides - I can't imagine what it's like in the summertime. The rug of my dreams is in every other window.

Topkapi Palace - so exotic - The Sultans - Suleyman the Magnificent, Abdulmehmed the Grim (!), bowls of emeralds the size of plums. More jewel-encrusted swords and gold thrones than I have ever seen before. Reliquaries of the Prophet Muhammad - teeth, hairs from his beard. I love that kind of stuff. The really bizarro thing was the arm and hand of John the Baptist. Ugh. Encased in gold but with a little hole cut in it so you could see the mummified wrist. Oh yeah, and part of his skull, too.

Also Blue Mosqe and Aya Sofya for those of you who know Istanbul....the usual tourist places, which are amazing. Boat ride up the Bosphorus will be delayed - it is just so damn cold and windy it is hard to imagine getting on a boat voluntarily.

On to Ephesus. In case you've never heard of it, and you're Catholic, here's a reference. "A reading from the letter of Paul to the Ephesians." So something happened there.....Mary lived there. Or died there maybe? I'll fill in my spotty Catholic education later. Huge ruins, which I love. Thanks for reading.

Istanbul

2005-02-28T20:25:00.000-08:00

OK, say the following with a British accent with a dash of old Ireland thrown in-- " London was brilliant, we had loads of fun, there was massive traffic but we got to see all the relations for a lovely dinner. Mind you, Tony is a bit slow, but, he's doing well really."

Traveled from London through Tel Aviv at 5am Monday. The Tel Aviv part was painful - I was sent through security twice, and on my second trip through, despite the fact that they were the ones sending me through again, they were bewildered. As was I. I had ticket problems with Turkish Airlines that were so strange, well....it's hard to see them as part of the EU just yet if you know what I mean.

Istanbul is surrounded by water, it has really interesting geography as a crossroads between Asia and Europe. It is the busiest port I have ever seen, and the cargo ships are lined up so deep to get here you can barely see the horizon.

I took a very long walk, around the sea edge surrounding the old part of town, around Topkapi, around up into The Golden Horn. It's a busy as hell place, and, reminds me a bit of Cuba walking along the sea wall.

Anybody need a carpet?

It's nice to be in a big busy place in the off season. But, believe me, it is OFF season - it is SO cold here, going to get colder, going to snow on Wednesday. So don't be too jealous. My hotel is cozy and sweet - the empress zoe if you want to look it up on the web. And thank god, allah, yahweh, etc., they have heat!

Turkish baths and the blue mosque and other delights to come. Today was just getting to know the place a bit. I hope if you are taking the time to read this that you enjoy it, and, send me emails too if you want to talk! Love, KM

Yad Vashem news

2005-02-25T04:35:00.000-08:00

Karen just received updated information about the event honoring her grandfather. It is the evening of March 15th, at Yad Vashem. Expected guests: Simon Peres, Ariel Sharon, The President of the Knesset, the President of the Supreme Court, the Minister of Culture and Education. And Karen Abrams!

2005-02-21T12:07:00.000-08:00

This is my first day trying my very own blogspot created by my wonderful friend Mary Kirby, the wonder woman!

Overview map

2005-02-21T10:57:00.000-08:00

Overview map

Israel and neighbors

2005-02-21T10:56:00.000-08:00

Israel and neighbors