Ein Hod ; Nisco and his Musical Boxes

When we left the druze village of Daliat El Carmel, on our way down the Carmel mountain to the artists' village of Ein-Hod, we passed through  another druze village , named Osafia. It is believed that this is where the big, massive fire of December 2010 started and burned down much of the Carmel forest.

The above fire has caused many casualties and a lot of damage.It has also reached Nisco's  museum of mechanical music located at the entrance to Ein-Hod artists' colony.  The museum houses a private, unique collection of mechanical music devices accumulated by Nisco (Nisan Cohen) over 45 years. 

web photo - the fire got to the  small museum and caused damage

Anyway, now, six and a half years  after the fire, the little museum continues its activity of tours and concerts taking place regularly at the spot.  It is a bit off the beaten track, and there are a few stairs to climb to the entrance (apparently no easy access for people with disabilities, if at all). However,it's kind of a "gem" , a place for all ages, and well worth a visit.

At the entrance (also exit) there's a small shop. where one could buy mementos relevant to the items and themes of the museum.

stairs up to the entrance of the museum

the  shop

inside the shop

wooden boxes; you can buy one and make your own music

Downstairs, the museum, looks dull and simple with plastic chairs for the audience - but it's the musical devices and the presenter (the owner) that make it come alive and interesting. The collection comprises: musical boxes, gramophones, a 170 year old organ, a concertina, phonographs, manivelles, hand operated automatic piano , old records ,you name it ...

The owner of the collection - Nisco, a charismatic gentleman of over eighty, with an american accent and a dog which seems very attached to him - conducts the show. He does so with humor and jokes, interracting with the public during his explanations and musical demonstrations. Sometimes, he uses his singing voice which is quite a pleasant one.

Nisco in action

Nisco goes from one musical device to another to explain things

Primar, the latest aquisition - organ from Belgium

The museum tour lasted about an hour and it was all fun and pleasure.

On The Top and At The Foot of Mt. Carmel

With Passover over, I felt I needed a change of scenery. So, I joined a day trip to Daliat el Carmel, the  colorful druze village on the top of Mt. Carmel, and to Ein Hod, the artists's colony, at the foot of this mountain, domineering from above the northern city-port of Haifa.

We were to meet there with the art of two very special people: Bothaina Halabi of Daliat El Carmel, a young druze painter who has dedicated her work to  the commemoration of the Holocaust, and Nisco (Nissan Cohen) of Ein-Hod, the founder of the museum of musical boxes collection.

Bothaina lives with her handsome husband and three children in a 2-storey house. The ground storey has a gallery, a lecture hall, toilets, a tiny kitchen where refreshments  are prepared (druze hospitality is famous), and where some locally produced druze specialties are sold to visitors.   It's a family 'affair'. Husband and children help out with everything.

the 2-storey house

to the upper storey

entrance to ground storey (galery &lecture hall)

garden

Jars of green olives; two of the children in charge of the mini shop

The daughter's declamation in front of the audience (something about her commitment to the subject of the Holocaust) ,followed by the son's playing some adequate tunes on the flute, preceeded Bothaina's lecture and 'opened the show' , so to speak. That was quite lovely.

Son playing the flute

The interesting thing about Bothaina's art is its theme: the horrors of the Holocaust, and also the fact that she doesn't sell her paintings; she considers them her thoughts, her babies. She earns a living from teaching art and from lectures on her various activities.

letters of appreciation for her art and contributions

Her original paintings are in the gallery. When lecturing she uses replicas to explain and demonstrate things (the replicas are stored in an adjacent room; the husband brings them out and hands them to her one by one  to explain their subject).

originals on the galery wall

visitor, a Holocaust survivor, contemplating originals

husband helping with the replica pictures

husband waiting to hand Bothaina the next picture

During the second part of our visit, we were given a briefing on the druze sect by a druze retired army officer and lecturer . Nothing I didn't know. but coming from a druze it became strong, solid fact. The druze are a rather unique ethno-religious middle-eastern group with communities in Lebanon, Syria,Israel, Jordan, and with overseas branches in America and Austrlia.

The druze people are monoteistic and strongly believe in reincarnation. Dating and Marriage with outsiders is not allowed.  Their symbol is a five coloured flag (green,red, yellow,blue and white) which strenghtens their sense of unity..

 see the druze flag in front of house

* About Nisco of Ein-Hod and his musical boxes - in a future post.