Yakira's+I+Face


 * Iface Project 2010 **
 * Yakira Ament **

“We don’t appreciate what we have in our lives until we see a life that’s got absolutely no content: A life in which the people have no future, have nowhere to progress to, for they don’t know how. Some people, no matter how hard they try, will be automatically rejected from society: they can't make a good impression even on a fly and aren’t good at anything but surviving”.
 * Profile- Yoel Kolet **

That was the first thing Yoel said to me when he spoke about life in India. He had it all. A family, food, a home, money- a future. He was known as the young wonder boy who played like King David since the age of five. His father was the leader in the Jewish community in India. That was about the highest position a man could get to in a world we see in the movie "Slum dog Millionaire". Yes, the conditions then are the same as today- there’s been no progress. Hundreds of people die every day from hunger, parents need to eat their children to stay alive, and thousands of "homes" are stacked up on each other because there is just no room. No education or carriers are up for grab witch leads to young innocent girls like us sell their bodies for a loaf of bread. The India that young outsider travelers see when the purpose of the travel is to see the beautiful views is just not the real deal.

In India there’s a "ladder" that ranks people and their position in society. The lowest stair- was the "untouched" people. They were ranked even lower than the poor, and they were forbidden to be touched for they are impure. All they did in a methodical way was go home by home clean the toilets and go on with no eye contact for the shameful gazes towards them were humiliating enough. Only the much respected homes had this kind of service, and Yoel's was included.

All of us with no exception wish for a life we don’t have, and for possessions we don’t own. We would think that any sane person would want the same. Yoel, on the other hand was ashamed of his position. The luxurious life he had with servants, fancy dinners and money was to materialistic for him. The idea of people like him serving him for the position his family was blessed by just didn’t suit his ideal of life. He tried not to mention their riches before his friends, he refused to accept spending money from his parents and didn’t let the servants serve him. He looked at them from an equal level eye to eye, man to man and raised their heads high from their shameful stare at the ground. All he wanted was his musical instruments. By sharing this he hoped not to sound ungrateful but he was just embarrassed to have all that good and to live such a rich life when around him people were dying from hunger. All he needed were his instruments. He came from a very musical family and home. His mother and father played instruments and the generations before them as well. Yoel played many instruments: violin, piano but mainly guitar and today has a second degree in music, teaches music and makes a living out if it. Without the money they had he would never be able to learn to play as he does today and for that he is grateful.

The Jewish community in India was very impressive. Many Jews lived there and there was a synagogue to pray in, although along to a Jewish community in India there was also a Hindu, Christian and Moslem community and for a Jewish person and child in specific that was very difficult. With all of the distractions that surround you you’re being taught all the time that you are different. You need to be strong and fight against the temptations. For you belong to the Jewish dynasty and you can’t assimilate with rest of the people, you must stay distant and careful. The positive side is that it isolates us from the rest of the nations and religions and keeps us united and unique. On the other hand because you are so isolated and distant once you’re exposed to the outside world by friends who gave in to the temptation and when you go to their house you find a Hindu Idol in their room, or when it’s watching many of your friends intermarry and assimilate with the other cultures so yet to find yourself completely in awe and despair with no idea how to react.

Yoel came to Israel believing that he was finally going to escape the distractions that stuck to him in India and that he wouldn’t need to isolate himself anymore- he would belong. Nevertheless to his great surprise, he realized that he was “special” in Israel the same as he was in India and that there is an ironic similarity. That was the most disappointing and difficult part of his Immigration. He left everything and went far away to a new place which is supposed to be the place where there you and your people don’t have to worry and watch your back all the time only to find out that the danger he ran miles away from came running right after him and is his new neighbor in his own safe zone.

“What made it even more difficult is the western culture that mimics the other countries and controls Israel today. When you’re trying to isolate yourself from the other religions in Israel and be “special and unique” the western culture stands in your way and doesn’t let you be yourself. The media brainwashing turns you into something else without your conscious and makes you forget yourself.”

“The entire immigration process moved me from a materialistic world to the boundaries of a metaphysical world”. Facing the issues Yoel had, forced him to forget about his whole physical and materialistic focused life from the past and he began to focus himself in a more spiritual life. Yoel’s strong personality that his parents helped him build in the past held him together through tough times. From a young age when he was a popular musician, his parents were concerned from all the tempting offers for his future that he would get caught in a trap and won’t be able to cut loose.

His mother always warned him that his fame could lead him into a relationship with a Christian, and that’s all it will take for the whole Jewish generation to be cut. His mother always reminded him that those women were not Jewish and she held him close to her. His father saw how Yoel was connecting to rebellious Hindus in the music world. These teens took drugs, and the bond between them was influencing him and was becoming his comfort zone. He knew right away that Yoel would fall if he didn’t leave.

His mother was in fact, the one who made him leave India. She was so worried for him and for the continuation of the Jewish generation to come that she sent him away. With all of the pain of a mother separating from her child she ordered him to go, to leave to Israel to a Kibbutz, to build there a family and settle there. Yoel came to Israel, lived on a Kibbutz near Be’er Sheva and went to learn in the Music Academy. Once he was settled down, he met Esther his first wife and they continued the Jewish generation in Israel with 7 new comers. Esther had a sudden heart attack after the birth of Itamar, their seventh son, and tragically passed away before the eyes of her kids and husband. Two years ago Yoel married Tzipora who brought with her to the family 4 more children and they now live in Efrat.

Something that Yoel knew his whole life, no matter what he was going through, was that the moment he settles down in Israel he wanted to give. He wanted to give the world and Israel something that it would grow from. “It's very easy to take shortcuts in life and take back roads so you won't need to stand face to face with a hard situation or deal with difficult people or even just different people”. So Yoel decided that he was going to be the one that wouldn’t take the shortcuts and would try to give and meet people that are different from him. He would do his best to help them and give them a little bit from his magic- Music.

Yoel works with non religious, mostly "rebel" teenagers (as he says) in the “Broyer” high school in Jerusalem. Most religious teachers teach in religious schools but he thought that he could give the most there. He works with teens who gave in to West culture witch I wrote about before and got to such extreme situations that the body is the focus which means piercing in every possible place, having no sexual boundaries, horrifying language and just a complete destroying of the soul. The hard work is not the hours, the drive, the distance, or even the fact that he is the only one there wearing a kipa on his head- it's looking those teens in the eyes, and trying to respect those who have no respect for themselves. That’s the challenge Yoel took on himself when he went to teach in that high school. He sees it his job to snap those kids out of their frozen gazes and to turn them to world that doesn’t need to be religious but a realistic world. Those kids remind him of his friends in India. He can't just stand a side and watch them fall slowly like many of his friends who gave in to the outside world that’s so plain and self focused. He wanted to help them so he gave them music.

Music is the key to every person's soul. No matter how old he is, from what religion or believes his skin color, his sex or his country every man shows his true colors when surrounded by music. People are covered by so many layers like an onion and it takes years and years of work and tears to peal them all off until you get to the core. People like that go through many music styles until they find their true match and Yoel helps them do that.

Yoel contributes by saving the young generations in Israel from self destruct by the help of his music qualifications. For the path that's laid before them leads to nowhere, and once the music finds their weak spot Yoel knows that his job is done and that the rest of the work to come is in writing process. It’s hard to take the teens seriously and to respect them at the start although at the end of the year not only does he learn to find the good in them and to respect them, they too learn to respect him and thank him many years after he's long gone. For he turned them in the right direction. Besides teaching music in schools Yoel also teaches private classes when there is a demand for it. He is much respected in the music world in Israel, has played in many Israeli bands with many Israeli artists and has even played with Harav Shlomo Carlebach. Often he finds himself written down as a performer in certain places and performances without even knowing or signing up for it himself. With all his success he is very humble and that by fact is a main characteristic that many people describe him by.

"The future is something that always changes. We can't know what will be in ten years, five days or even in five minutes. Fantasizing is good and healthy but sometimes it’s best when it comes to decisions we shouldn’t make permanent decisions when it comes to anything besides who we give our ring to. If I did I would never be where I am now. In fact I would probably be living a non Jewish life with a Hindu wife in a house full of riches and material interests. I'm a proud man. I live in Israel. I have a beautiful wife and family. I'm still making music. I'm giving and I'm happy.” He concludes, “May every man feel the satisfaction I feel today.”


 * Background Research- India **

India lies in south Asia, between Pakistan, China and Nepal. To the north of it there are the world's highest mountains. While to the south there are tropical rain forests, sandy deserts and palm cover beaches. There is no better place to be if you're looking for gorgeous views and a mix of styles.

Besides the country's outstanding topographical variety is its cultural diversity. Witch is the result of the coexistence of a number of religions as well to the local tradition (Hindu). Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism, Judaism, Zoroastrianism, Christianity and Islam all exist within the country. There are times during the year that there is acceptance between the different religions and cultures although once in a while things can get violent and cultures go out against each other "for the tension is to much to bare" (written in the Hindu newspaper in a violent article against the religions). India's history goes back to 3,200 years when Hinduism was first founded. As a consequence of India's size, and number of religions the history of the country has almost always been the same for each religion wanted territories, trader success and wanted to show presence and influence the country. With the goal to each leave their imprint in the country.

Besides the many amazing sites, views and antique buildings that one can see in India there is also the lease pleasant side of this tour magnet place. India as well as being the place with the highest success in trading and business in the world, the economical condition of a large percentage of its citizens is horrifying. Hundreds of Indians die every day from hunger; parents face a situation of starvation that brings them to helplessness and the need to eat their children to stay alive. Thousands of "homes" (wrecked shacks) stacked up on each other because there is just no room (because of the overpopulation). Teens have no way to get a normal education which leads to no carrier in the future.

Teens in India, because they aren't in any organized group and are with no supervision with nothing really important to do, they can find themselves in many dangerous situations (as drugs and violence) that's a result of boredom. "India is a beautiful place with a lot to see and a lot to offer- but when you go, you must be focused and know what exactly you are coming to see and what you want to experience and leave with"


 * __ Literature Piece __**
 * __ You Tell Me\ Shani Abromowitz __**

You tell me she’s your everything Your guiding light The one who holds your hands through the toughest times She makes you smile She makes you tear She reassures you there’s nothing to fear She knows all your secrets Hers you know well She looks at you with the utmost respect She treats you like a king Now tell me son- Do you ever tell her you love her?

In every relationship you need both sides to be willing to give of themselves equally and to commit to each other equally. This piece of literature exposed me to an uneven relationship. One side of the relationship is more dedicated, is more open and true to her partner and gives more of herself while in the meantime she is not getting anything in return for her unlimited love. It’s not that her partner isn’t interested in the love they share- he wants every bit of it, and as we understand from the lyrics he shares his longing for her with someone else instead of letting her know what she means to him.

These days it’s become very difficult for everyone I suppose to show their true colors. For many reasons that I don’t really understand, it’s hard for people to say what’s really on their mind, to share their feelings and just to speak their mind as it truly is. Therefore people who deserve to hear certain things from certain people get hurt and disappointed when they don’t. People often forget the importance and strength of words.

I found that these words match exactly the feelings I have when it comes to my relationship with the land of Israel. I find my longing and desire for Israel the same as the romantic longing above. For me Israel is “my everything”- she’s my country, my history, my home and my future. She “makes me smile” and “makes me tear”- We go through good times and bad. She “knows my secrets” and “I know hers well”- I walk on her everyday and she follows my every move, and I know her weaknesses. And she “looks at me with utmost respect” and treats “me like a king”. Although all that good and unlimited love I get from her I don’t find myself giving her enough in return. I’ve gotten into the same uneven situation as the couple written in the poem. Uneven love which leads to a negative relationship which the two sides in it end up getting hurt.

Israel is over generous with all of us. Honestly we don’t deserve all the good she gives us. We don’t take cherish her lush and beauty, we don’t show her enough respect, caring, love, longing or show her enough importance in our lives. Therefore not only does she not get what she deserves, we end up hurting her by giving parts of her away to other nations. She wants to give us her love- all we have to do is change and be willing to share with her our real feelings for her.

__Reflection: __ When we were first assigned to do this project I thought it would be just another paper that we work on for a while, so we can get done with it and get graded on. Another draft that we'll hand in, and forget after a while that we even worked on it.

Sometimes though I could be wrong, and this was one of those times. This project from the start until the end renewed my love and passion for Israel that didn’t fade, but just wasn’t so dominant lately. When you're so used to something and it turns into a daily basis routine, its magic can get forgotten. That often happens with a lot of things and something that I've realized is to our home. When I lived in the U.S all I did was fantasize about coming to this place- Israel. I dreamed at night and at day of its beauty and lush and when I came here it felt like heaven. It looked, smelled and tasted like heaven but slowly with time and distractions when you see the same view everyday, smell the flower bush ever morning and taste the fruits every season the sudden beauty and dreams become natural and daily basis scenery.

My love to Israel came back to me and all my senses as if I'm seeing, smelling and tasting her for the first time again. This project taught me the importance of giving from myself and from my energies that I have now especially as a teenager who has a lot to give. Although the difficulties and the challenge to find how and where to give and commit to.

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