A Stroll Through Tel Aviv

Maira Kalman is one of my most favourite artists. I cherish every time I stumble across something new she has done, but seeing Tel Aviv through her eyes is really just making me swoon.

I love Maira Kalman’s work BUT – this kind of presentation romanticizes Israel and the Jews in a way that advances foolish optimism about the Jewish state.  Tel Aviv is a great city but one that is not devoid of the all the issues that Israel is not facing very well, despite the fact that many intellectuals and artists over time were born Jewish. For example, the molotov cocktails thrown by native Israeli residents of the Shapira neighborhood at places where foreign workers (who can never benefit from what Israel has to offer, because they are not Jewish).  Israel needs to face up to its reality and let’s not get teary eyed about famous Jews. Perhaps Kalman could take a walk in Lod – a very interesting multi-cultural slum, next time she’s here. http://www.haaretz.com/news/national/molotov-cocktails-thrown-at-homes-of-african-refugees-in-south-tel-aviv-1.426877

Lisa, Give us a break and let us enjoy the beautiful spring weather in Tel Aviv and these upbeat illustraitions of our beautiful city. The existential threats that we live with every single day are always with us, but let the sun shine in once in a while.