Portrait in a bomb shelter

It’s been a long time since I posted – but all the time wanting to. I’m back in Jaffa working for a month on a special photography project with a group of Palestinian and Jewish girls from Jaffa, Lud and Bat Yam. We’re having our first show, Portrait of Jaffa, tomorrow – in the bomb shelter that serves as a centre for Sadaka Reut, the youth group I’m working with here (for more on them, see posts below).

Soon, if the local council has its way, Sadaka Reut will no longer be able to use the bomb shelter – because the group is opposing the Jaffa house demolitions (long story, but basically, poor Arab residents are being evicted in favour of housing for Jews). So we’re having a big protest party and putting this exhibit up – the theme is ‘home’, and  I’m very proud to say that it's all the work of girls from the Jaffa photography project.

The party is tomorrow night – anyone in the area who wants to come is welcome – email me for details. Here are some of the pictures:

‘There is a house here, but no people inside’ - Jamileh

Construction: ‘This will be for Jewish people, but Arabs lived here before’ - Jamileh

‘A poor home is just as much a home’ - Mor

Family - Jiana

Demolition - Mor

Birthday party - Walaa

School is my home - Nastia

‘There is trash everywhere in Jaffa. Drugs and violence. It's not new to me’ - Rimi

My grandmother’s house - Jiana

‘I feel at home everywhere but my home’ - Rimi

The generosity of Delme Rosser has made this work possible

Comments

[Jim Hollands]

The pictures are very evocative! I hope the party goes well, i am sorry I can't attend, but am in London!

[Leila]

next time, Jim. or we could do it at The Horse

[Nizo]

Finally!!! Oh how I missed your posts..

[Jim Hollands]

Leila, you may want to tell

http://www.artthreat.net/

what you're doing as well

J xxx

[Clara]

every time i go to your blog i think to myself "I can't believe I actually know this woman....."

I sometimes forget just how much your work inspires me.
all love
x
c

[Ruthie Pliskin]

The pictures are very strong, and it's amazing how each one carries the meaning of Home differently. It seems like great work. I may be in Jerusalem tonight - but if not, I will definitely come.

[Josef Alawneh]

Wish you all the best Leila. Good luck and hope you overcome all these difficulties.
Take care
Josef

[Sharon]

i really like the photos. i really like Family - Jiana, Birthday party - Walaa. these are the least abstract, but of course, the context (amongst the other pictures) has an effect - when you know that this is the inside and the outside of the same place, all are part otf these peoples lifes

[Blag Lady]

All these pictures are very evocative and resonant. I like the intimate portraits - inside people's homes - counterbalanced with the images of demolition and the final image and comment 'I feel a t6 home evrywhere but my home'.

I hope you are able to continue your work in your current home at the Bomb Shelter - and if not, in a new better home.

With love,
Karen

[arafat abu]

hello leila
you did nice job its very good im looking farward to see you soon. i hope you are doing well im preparing for my party - you are invited tom come to my vellage

take care and thank you very much
all the best

arafat

[chiara]

ohi finally I can see what you're doing! well done girls.

[Mor]

I realy like this photos, they are with a lot of emotions.

[Rebecca Taylor]

Hi Leila,

What fantastic inspirational work!
You are doing great stuff!
I'd love to come and visit and see the exhibit.
Take care and let's try and catch up when you're back,

Love Rebecca xx

[Harvey Fink]

Good luck to you, Leila, and to the girls. Continue to speak out against the terrible injustice of displacing families from their homes. It's important that people inside and outside Israel know that this is happening. It's important that Arabs and Jews live together as friends and neighbours in the same neighbourhoods and that everyone feel at home. All the best,

Harvey

[becka]

hi leila, i just got home from the party and i wanted to tell you how inspiring it was--and how sad, too, to think the space will be lost. it was wonderful to see how excited the girls were about seeing their work on the walls. the people who work with the kids at the center, and the kids themselves, were so passionate and excited about the work they've been doing together, so convinced of its importance, and so united in this passion and conviction. it's hard to imagine how heartless the city must be--and how shortsighted--to take it away from them. and perhaps the saddest thing of all is that it's not some shiny fancy space--it's just an old bomb shelter, and it really speaks to the resourcefulness of the community that they've made such a meaningful place out of it. many people in this country could learn a lot from what i witnessed tonight.

[Jonathan Kirsch]

I am impressed by the remarkable efforts that you and your colleagues are making. As it happens, I have just finished reading three of Tom Segev's books ("One Palestine, Complete," "1949" and "1967") and, for that reason, your postings take on a wholly new meaning and resonance for me. Your friend, Jonathan Kirsch

[howard]

hi leila,
extremely impressive! will have alot of questions when we meet up ....
best, howard

[Gina Sutherland]

I salute your brave attempt to persuade the local council to reverse its decision to ban Sadaka Reut from using the bomb shelter. What better way to promote peace than encourage Israelis and Palestinians to work together on projects such as these?

[Elhum Shakerifar]

hi leila, how are you? how did the protest party go? i just had a look through your blog and i am so happy you are updating it because you are living realities that most people only see on the news and are so saturated with that they don't really believe exist anymore!

there are some really powerful images, they are sure to make a difference to the people - even if they are just a handful - who have a look at them. my favourite is of the sea and rocks, and the caption about everywhere but home feeling like home is very sad, it is very poignant.

I also really like the picture of the 3 boys, one of them is smoking a shisha, there is something very middle eastern about it, it reminds me of men who sit around for hours talking, drinking endless glasses of tea and smoking. and the caption 'party' makes you think that there is very little artifice and gatherings are all about people... most of all i am sure the project makes a huge difference to the people you are working with and hopefully it will bring some awareness about the problems that they have.

I look forward to seeing more pictures on the blog and to hearing more about it when you are back! Elhum xx

[Leila]

hello everyone - thank you so much for all of your supportive comments. the party went really well, and the exhibition was great - specially to see the girls' pride in their work. we just had our next workshop - on the theme of community, with mor, rimi and nastia - i'll keep you posted on progress.

fadi shbeita, sadaka reut leader, just told me he's hopeful they will keep the centre. they have postponed the first eviction order and will fight it in court, giving at least a few more months.

L

[Jemima Gibbons]

Hi Leila - and all the girls involved in this project,

Having visited Jaffa recently (last October), it was lovely to see these pictures - they gave me a feel for Jaffa's inner life that was impossible to pick up in the few hours of our visit.

You are doing fantastic work - best wishes for future projects!

Jemima

[Delme]

Looks like the project is going well. Top stuff.

[Jasmine]

Hi Leila,
Just been going through the website, everything looks amazing :-) Big Love!
I hope you're having a good time, it sounds absolutely soul-nourishing, but I imagine that every project is a challenge and a journey.
Speak soon darling, buckets of love,
Jas xxxxxxxxxx

[Amy Jack]

You are such an inspiration Leila Segal. What amazing and courageous work you are doing. Very moving and wonderful to watch. I would love to meet up with you again one day (I'm sure we will) and grill you about the details of your life

Anyway, I loved all the stuff and I am proud to know you!....Well done for following what is important to you.

Lots of love from Amy

[moon]

Evocative! Made me think of the connections between people that makes such work possible!

Peace and Love,

Moon