Bezalel Market

 

This relatively small , colorful, open- air market is close to the heart of the city of Tel Aviv . The name Bezalel is a popular hebrew name  (for people, for institutions, for places) meaning  - 'in the shadow of God'.

Sadly, the market has lost a lot of  its original charm and atmosphere because of the changes undergone in the surrounding area - erection of modern residential buildings that overshadow the market and interfere with its daily activities.

It is mainly a clothing market which offers not only price bargains, but also brand  stuff. There used to be here  also several good felafel eateries that attracted lovers of this particular fast food, but they got shut off, probably following complaints of the new neighboring residents against  the oil frying smells.

               Felafel eaters , some of them waiting for wives to finish shopping

The market , in his days of 'glory', was popular with all ages and backgrounds. They all enjoyed browsing together through the big piles of clothes and finding bargains for them and the family.

religious women looking for proper clothes

young woman displaying her nice bossom!

crossing one of the narrow market  streets.

 family going to look for clothes in the umbrella protected area

Not all market smells are nice.

I'm afraid that in the upcoming years, this market is going to be totally eliminated. Its proximity to the center makes the land here extremely valuable for the real estate sharks. What helps them is the fact that there is a big market in the vicinity - Carmel Market. So, they try to present the Bezalel Market as a kind of superfluous nuissance to the area, completely ignoring its uniqueness (cheap stuff side by side with brand name products and greatly based on browsing.).  Sadly,  Real Estate people are the ruling power, nowadays.

Techinot (Prayers)

I'm not a religious person, and I certainly don't define myself as such. However, I do believe in God and in the power of prayer to Him.                                                                            

I've got a small, cute book  with a fine brown leather cover in my possesion. It's a techinot  (plural of techina) book -  a collection of personal prayers, written mostly from the female point of view. These prayers cover all aspects of life: health, finance, success, longevity, old age, birth giving, poverty; you name it, it has it.

front cover

I've mentioned this little book in a previous post-  a post written on the subject of leather (animal skin) as a popular  material for coats/bags/ purses - and entitled 'Cool versus Cruel' (31.1.2016).

back cover

I enjoy reading in this book as the prayers are written so beautifully that they sound more like poetry to me. The language is hebrew. There's also an english translation of 'techinot', but I'm not familiar with it.

I wanted to buy the book for a person I care for, but I was told at the store that this version was  sold out. There are other formats if one is interested.

Anyway, I consider this tiny book , the most important book in my life. Unlike other books in my possession, this one is not for sale/ donation/ giving away. It's always with me - relevant , helpful, and making me feel good.

The ' Talking' Clock

                                                                             desk talking clock

Once in a while, when trying to put  things in order, I come upon my mother's desk 'talking' clock - a device meant to help the visually impaired. 

During the last decade of her life, Mom  was almost blind , as a result of  the glaucoma disease, and could not see the numbers on a  clock. So, we bought her a talking clock so that she could hear  the time.

The amazing thing is that the clock kept telling the time some seven years after her death. I didn't know a battery could last that long!  I had all kinds of thoughts about it, especially that there were other things that puzzled me. The fridge and air-conditioner both suddenly stopped working after her death, and couldn't be repaired; the engines were totally dead. It was as if these household items "died of a broken heart".

Anyway, her intense blue eyes stayed beautiful till the last moment.

Whenever I come upon the above clock, I turn to the music of Andrea Bocelli, the blind italian tenor. Bocelli was diagnosed with glaucoma at the age of 12, but he completely lost his eyesight , according to biography, after an accident. His music reminds me of Mother, especially that she had a good voice and liked to sing  a lot, mainly cantorial pieces (chazzanut). Her and mine favorite cantors were Malavsky and Kossowitzky.

                                      Mom  wearing dress with yemenite embroidery.