Nostalgia Sunday – Egypt Under the Stereoscope

January 30, 2011 - 10:56 PM by · Leave a Comment
Filed under: A New Reality, General, History and Culture, News, Nostalgia Sunday, Politics, Religion, Social Justice, Technology, Travel, tv 

In December, one spark caused the dry underbrush that had amassed for years beneath the Carmel Forest trees to burst into flame. Similarly, the tinderbox that is the wild, wild Middle East has combusted spontaneously. Except that spontaneity would imply surprise. Although we Israelis are watching the events in Cairo unfold with no little anxiety, (our hope is that the “cold peace” with Egypt will stay intact), it would be a mistake to think that anyone here is entirely surprised. We just thought it would happen a bit differently.

One element that has proved surprising is the enormous amount of credit being attributed to social media, via the Internet and cellular, for driving events in both Tunisia and Egypt — and who knows where else in the near future. Given that, it might be nice to take a look back at the high-tech of 100 years ago: stereoscopy.

As written in a previous column, stereoscopic technology comprised two separate images printed side-by-side, mounted on cardboard and peered at through the lens of a stereoscope viewer. It sounds primitive by today’s standards but the impact of this form of 3-D photography was great. Take, for example, this description of what would today be called “e-learning” as written in 1905 by Prof. James Henry Breasted, Professor of Egyptology and Oriental History at the University of Chicago:

“Heretofore I have never been able to find any books or material which could furnish graphic reproductions of the remains still surviving in the ancient lands of the East… It was, therefore, with peculiar satisfaction that I made the acquaintance of this system of stay-at-home travel, the great merits of which are but beginning to be appreciated. By its use an acquaintance can be gained, here at home, with the wonders of the Nile Valley, which is quite comparable with that obtained by traveling there.”

The full text of Prof. Breasted’s book, Egypt through the stereoscope: a journey through the land of the Pharaohs, complete with stereoscopic images, may be found online. Meanwhile, here is a small selection of images from Cairo as it was 100 years ago.

“Cairo, home of the Arabian Nights, the greatest city of Africa, northwest from Saladin’s citadel to the Nile”

“A ‘Ship of the Desert’ passing the tombs of by-gone Moslem rulers, outside the east wall of Cairo”

“The great Nile Bridge at Cairo open for the passage of the daily fleet of cargo boats”

“The Holy Carpet parade with the Mahmal, before the departure of the pilgrims for Mecca, Cairo”

“The magnificent jewelry of the Pharaohs (Queen Ahhotep, 17th century B. C.), Cairo Museum”

We can only hope that the looters who broke into the Cairo Museum this week didn’t get to these. They did enough damage by tearing the heads off two mummies and breaking many other irreplaceable items.

In closing, here’s one that’s not from Dr. Breasted’s book but a must-share nonetheless: a stereoscopic image by the Keystone View Company entitled “The Graf Zeppelin’s rendezvous with the eternal desert and the more than 4,000 year old pyramids of Gizeh, Egypt” that documents the 1931 event. There’s nothing we in the West love more than a picture that fits our technology leapfrogging ideal and this one is an absolute wow.

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Nostalgia Sunday – Bialik Street cultural center

October 3, 2010 - 9:40 PM by · 1 Comment
Filed under: design, General, History and Culture, Nostalgia Sunday, Profiles, Travel 

Bialik Street is one of Tel Aviv’s little gems. Once an important location for the homes of not only Israel’s national poet, Haim Nahman Bialik, but also that of artist Reuven Rubin and Tel Aviv’s first city hall, the street turned dingy and dumpy for many years. It began picking up in popularity in the 1980s when Shenkin Street became trendy and now plans are afoot to turn the whole street into a center of Hebrew culture.

It’s a fitting tribute to Bialik whose house at No. 22 has, since 1937, served as a museum. It’s intention, as the Bialik Association put it was as “[a] national home, a house of the people of Israel in Eretz-Israel and in the Diaspora. Let us make this house into a storeroom for the soul of Hebrew culture; let us never extinguish the light which the poet lit in it! The house will serve as a repository for all the things connected to him and his work; a storeplace for Hebrew folklore, a gathering place for Hebrew writers and a center for Hebrew culture.”

In addition to archives, a library, paintings, furniture and many other items connected to his various activities as a poet, publisher, literary figure and Zionist leader, the house itself is something to see. It was built by architect Joseph Minor in 1925. Minor along with his teacher Alexander Baerwald, was part of a group of architects inspired by the Art and Crafts movement that wished to develop Hebrew architecture. In the case of Bialik House, the result was a building that combined western construction with romantic notions about “Orientalia” – towers, domes, pointed-arch windows and ceramic tiles designed by Zeev Raban, the foremost decorative artist of the day.

In his fine essay about Bialik House, author Yonatan Dubosarsky wrote, “The institutions which had been headed by Bialik located some of their activities in the house. Thus the Hebrew Writers Association was active in Beit Bialik and from there published its monthly magazine, which still exists, Moznayim (“Scales”). The Committee for Language and the Association of Friends of the Hebrew University in Tel Aviv met there. Similarly, courses were organized on behalf of the Vaad Leumi (the pre-state national leadership committee) for groups of youth leaders from the United States. Beit Bialik quickly became a tourist attraction for visitors to Tel Aviv. Teachers began to bring kindergarten and school children – a tradition that has continued to this day, and which over 70 years has brought the majority of Israels children to the house.”

Even if you’re not an Israeli schoolchild, a visit to Bialik House and the street’s other cultural institutions is a delightful way to spend an morning or an afternoon. Plus, once you’re done sightseeing, you can cool down with some iced coffee at Cafe Bialik (No. 2 on the street).

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Nostalgia Sunday – American Colony in Jaffa

July 4, 2010 - 10:14 PM by · 8 Comments
Filed under: A New Reality, education, General, History and Culture, Life, Nostalgia Sunday, Profiles, Religion, Travel 

It seems only right on July 4th to celebrate the good things that Americans have done for Israel. And there are many, ranging from defense systems to granola and gourmet coffee (thanks Cafe Joe!). But most people don’t know that Americans brought the first steel plow to this region; a small group of Christian colonists who landed in Jaffa in 1866.

They came, guided by their spiritual leader, the Reverend George J. Adams, who had founded the Church of the Messiah in Washington County, Maine, in 1862. Much like today, the post-Civil War era was riddled with messianic movements whose followers were convinced that Armageddon had taken place and that a new age was about to dawn. And so, the charismatic Adams, a Shakespearean actor, excommunicated Mormon missionary and Methodist preacher, gathered his 150 followers — most from Jonesport, Maine — who packed their belongings, purchased household goods and pre-fab wooden houses, and set off on the good ship Nellie Chapin bound for the Holy Land.

What happened next was, as Mark Twain put it in The Innocents Abroad, a “fiasco”.

The Maine Historical Society (some great pictures here) describes their fate dryly: “Upon their arrival, colonists discovered that Adams drank heavily and that his claims of rich lands and prosperity were untrue. Those who could afford passage left Palestine. Many of the others became ill and died because of the poor conditions. Adams eventually disappeared as the colony disbanded.”

But of course, there’s more to the story. Although their spiritual leader had crawled into a bottle, the Maine colonists were determined to make a go of their settlement. According to Wikipedia, “The colony began by camping on the beach, relying on local Arabs for food and water… By November, the colony had erected a number of simple frame houses. The pilgrims secured a 10-acre (40,000 m2) plot of land outside of Jaffa, where they founded the American Colony…”

There are other fascinating aspects, such as the interrelations between the early Zionists to the Maine settlers. According to a 2009 Jerusalem Post article , “Interestingly, the growing Zionist movement in Turkish Mandate Palestine responded positively to Adams’ plans. A correspondent for the Jaffa-based Zionist newspaper Hamagid reported the ‘important news’ of the colonists, and praised their ‘noble purpose… to pave a way for the Children of Israel to make possible their return to the land of their fathers.’ Hamagid even printed a letter from Adams, who called on Jews to join in the effort.”

And then there was the progress they sought to bring. For example, the Jerusalem Post notes that Mr. Adams’ missionary efforts were reinforced by Mrs. Adams, “‘a large-sized lady with a decidedly military manner,’ was herself determined to transform Palestine into a ‘fit place for the residence of the Jews’ using the very latest in US agricultural technology, and boasted of such wonders as ‘Johnson’s patent shifting mold-board and gangplow.’”

The colonists also built the Immanuel Church, which still stands and operates today.

But the unlucky streak continued. Within a month of arriving, six children and three adults had died. They began to farm but “[the] Jaffa locals were apparently bemused by the colonists’ ultra-modern plows, and refused to hire them as farm laborers.”

According to the Wikipedia entry, (which is quite extensive and really worth reading), “scavengers ravaged their crops and the community faced famine heading into the winter of 1866-67. This and the climate, the insecure and arbitrary treatment by the Ottoman authorities, made many colonists willing to remigrate to Maine.”

Because George Adams had taken their money, the colonists were forced to appeal to the US government for assistance to return. “By October 1867, the U.S. State Department had appropriated $3000 for the return of any of the remaining colonists who wished to leave Palestine… Twenty of the original colonists remained in Palestine, some of whom remained permanently.” Much of the real estate was sold to newly arriving Templars in 1869 and the property became known as the German Colony.

Among those Americans who stayed, Rolla Floyd was the most prominent. He arrived in Jaffa with a stagecoach and immediately set up what was, more or less, the Holy Land’s first pony express. Floyd is mentioned in the travelogue, Young Folks in Bible Lands by B. W. Johnson: “Mr. Crunden, our London conductor, observing our delight said: ‘Rolla Floyd is here. He is an American who lives at Joppa, and makes it his business to conduct travelers over Palestine. He will furnish our outfit on our camping tour. He always carries the U.S. flag, and you will see that it floats over your camp every night while you are in the country.’

In June 1868, Adams and his wife left Palestine and sailed to England. Wikipedia states that “When confronted by his past exploits by former followers or others, Adams would deny his identity and past.” Many returnees went back to Jonesport and joined the reorganized Mormon Church; so ashamed were they of their failure that they never spoke of the American Colony in Jaffa, and their grandchildren and great-grandchildren grew up never knowing the story.

That is, until about a decade and a half ago when a few things happened. For one thing, the American-German colony, which had fallen into great disrepair, underwent a modest revival when one of the wooden buildings was purchased, the structure moved on rollers about 6 meters and reopened as a fine restaurant (Keren, which has since closed).

Another thing that happened was that an Israeli documentarian made a film about the American colonists* and got many of their descendants to open up about their family history — and begin to take pride in it. Several books were written on the subject. And in 2002, Maine residents Jean and Reed Holmes, saved one of the wooden houses from destruction and opened the Maine Friendship House museum to visitors and groups.

The American Colony is now undergoing some serious gentrification with The Village, a luxury development that will preserve 70% of the buildings on site. According to the developers, “Among some of the indulgences the project offers are a naturally lit swimming pool, a wine cellar, a lucrative (sic) spa and an advanced fitness room. In addition, the project’s residents will be provided with an underground parking spot.”

It’s may not be quite what George Adams and his followers had in mind, but a personal parking spot in Tel Aviv? We might be living in the End of Days after all.

* Unfortunately, I am unable to recall her name or that of the movie and IMDB is failing me here. If anyone has seen or knows about this film, please let me know.

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Nostalgia Sunday – Purim Parties Past

February 28, 2010 - 2:05 PM by · 1 Comment
Filed under: General, History and Culture, Holidays, Nostalgia Sunday, Pop Culture 

One of the hard truths of life in Israel is that it always rains on Purim. It is as if the weather conspires to prove that we Jews can never hold a joyous celebration without breaking a glass or making a little baby boy cry.

And events conspire as well. A few days ago, Magen David Adom issued a stern directive against dangerous masks and costumes, in particular warning against Avatar-wannabes who might paint their bodies using blue chalk or charcoal. Spoilsports. And just today, the Homefront Command announced that the new gas mask distribution project has commenced. What impeccable timing.

Today is particularly stormy which makes it that much harder to get into a festive mood. But party we must! Even under the most difficult of conditions, Purim has been celebrated and documented — just see Yad VaShem’s online exhibition Purim – Before, During, and After the Holocaust) which is historic, not nostalgic, but important to know. And check out these photos of Purim kindergartens from the pre and post-State period, courtesy of the PikiWiki Israel project. (Click images for large version).

Kibbutz Sarid kindergarten – 1930s

Szold kindergarten, Netanya – 1935

Kindergarten in Tel Aviv’s Montefiore neighborhood – 1941

Purim celebration on Moshav Beit Itzhak – 1956

And check out these mini-hippies from Quneitra-Merom Golan, circa 1967!

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Nostalgia Sunday – Ephraim Katzir

May 31, 2009 - 10:06 PM by · Leave a Comment
Filed under: General, History and Culture, Nostalgia Sunday, Politics, Profiles 

Professor Ephraim Katzir, fourth President of the State of Israel, scientist and a founder of the Weizmann Institute, passed away yesterday at his home on the Institute grounds at the age of 93. Although perhaps best known abroad as Israel’s fourth president, Katzir’s contribution to the scientific development of this country was immense.
israel-katzir

In addition to founding and heading Weizmann’s Biophysics Department, Katzir’s pioneering studies contributed to the deciphering of the genetic code, the production of synthetic antigens and the clarification of the various steps of immune responses. The understanding of polyamino acid properties led, among other things, to Weizmann scientists’ development of Copaxone, a drug manufactured today by Teva and used worldwide for the treatment of multiple sclerosis.

Another major success was in immobilizing enzymes. Katzir developed a method for binding enzymes, which speed up numerous chemical processes, to a variety of surfaces and molecules. The method laid the foundations for what is now called enzyme engineering, which plays an important part in the food and pharmaceutical industries. For example, it is used to produce fructose-enriched corn syrup and semi-synthetic penicillins.

Along with his scientific research, Katzir was profoundly involved in the social and educational aspects of science. He headed a governmental committee for the formulation of a national scientific policy, trained a generation of younger scientists, translated important material into Hebrew and helped to establish a popular science magazine. He served as Chief Scientist of the Israel Defense Ministry and Chairman of the Society for the Advancement of Science in Israel, the Israel Biochemical Society, the National Council for Research and Development and the Council for the Advancement of Science Education. He headed the National Biotechnology Council, was a member of the Israeli Academy of Sciences and Humanities and of numerous other learned bodies in Israel and abroad.

In 1973, Katzir was elected fourth President of the State of Israel, a position he held until 1978. Upon completing his term of office, he returned to research at the Weizmann Institute and also devoted himself to the promotion of biotechnological research in Israel and founded the Department of Biotechnology at Tel Aviv University.

In the later years of his scientific career, Katzir turned to new areas of research. In one project, he headed a team of Weizmann scientists that won an international contest for computer modeling of proteins. In another study, he was part of an interdisciplinary Institute team that revealed an important aspect of snake venom’s effects on the body.

Katzir’s brother, Aharon was another founding member of the Weizmann Institute, who headed the Polymer Research Department until he was killed in the 1972 attack at Lod Airport (today Ben Gurion Airport) carried out by Japanese terrorists. Today, on the radio, Aharon’s grandson, LA-based filmmaker Dan Katzir, talked about his grand-uncle and his advice as a surrogate grandfather. Despite the extreme family pressure to go into the sciences (his father is pioneering laser technology engineer Dr. Abraham Katzir), Dan said that Ephraim told him to follow his heart’s desire and, whatever he chose to do, to do it well.

begin_sadat_katzirUpon viewing Dan Katzir’s film about Yitzhak Rabin, Out For Love, Be Back Soon, his grand-uncle said that he wept not only for Rabin, but for Sadat and all those who wanted — and died — for the cause of peace in this region.

The Weizmann Institute’s press announcement today, (from which I’ve borrowed liberally), cites an Annual Review quote from Katzir: “I have had the opportunity to devote much of my life to science. Yet my participation over the years in activities outside science has taught me there is life beyond the laboratory. I have come to understand that if we hope to build a better world, we must be guided by the universal human values that emphasize the kinship of the human race: the sanctity of human life and freedom, peace between nations, honesty and truthfulness, regard for the rights of others, and love of one’s fellows.”

They just don’t make ‘em like that anymore.

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