“What would you wish for if you had one chance?” asks Yoko Ono’s installation, an olive tree trimmed with hundreds of little notes about love and piece, written by the visitors of this extraordinary event. She is one of the greatest supporters of the threeASFOUR designer group, formed by Gabi, Adi and Ange, three women with different backgrounds and languages, sharing the same enthusiasm. Beirut, Israel and Russia meets in the exhibition hall of Tel Aviv’s Beit Hair, a community centre and art-playground, where all the walls and floors are covered with well known, re-invented motives of Arabic and Jewish heritage. The mannequins, standing in front of this cultural melting pot-like wallpaper are dressed to impress: some of them look like a tip-to-toe tattoo covered ethnic chic, others are wearing headpieces what Star Wars character Princess Amidala would kill for, and some are „simply“ paved with classic Arabic-style clay mosaics. The collection was already presented on last year’s New York Fashion Week, but there is no question about it how much more it means for all the fashionistas in the underground fashion capital of the Middle East. No doubt: Tel Aviv is the new „it place“ for people who believe in it, that trend is not purely a manifestation of superficiality, but also an amazing way to make a point. In this urban village of white Bauhaus buildings, shiny skyscrapers, old mosques and gigantic synagogues beauty is not an other object to sell, but a conceptual tool to connect us to something what has been forgotten in the Western world: peace doesn’t start in Parliaments and bottle fields. It’s happening in the eyes of the the people who believe in the old phrase: “Love your neighbour as you love yourself.” See it for yourself, and “ma salama”… go with peace.

The InSalaam InShallom exhibition is open every day – except for Shabbats – until the 10th of March at the Beit Ha’Ir Center of Urban Culture, Bialik Street 27, Tel Aviv. Written for The Wild magazine. 

The Red House

A bleached russian woman lives on the second floor, she is wearing the same minidress all the time, regardless of how is the weather, or what time is it. She is often accompanied by a strange bold dude, who is drunk 24/7, and he likes to – well, how should I say – bark as a dog, jumping and yelling on the balcony.

There is a collector type of guy, living on the third floor. The subject of his collecting obsession has remained a mistery, but there are all kinds of objects hanging from the ceiling at his balcony from paintings to mugs, and the crows of the area are crazy for this strange collection: they hop by to spend some time here all the time. Of course he is not even bothered by the huge black creatures.

At the front of the house, on the corner of Nachalat Benyamin and Gruzenberg streets, an honorary guest is giving a concerto every Friday: she is the Singer Lady. Her voice is rather distracting and unbearable: it could definitely be used as a doorbell on the gates of Hell.

The red, castle-like building is reaching skies in a tower, covered with flake-like tiles. While contemplating those silverish, glimmering slates, I always think, that this house is the home of a dragon, who is sleeping in a foetus position on the top of that tower. The collector must be a wizard, and the craws are their servants. The russian prostitute is probably a charmed princess, and the Singer Lady must be a mermaid, whose voice has once been taken away  from her.

I might ask myself: what is going to happen if the dragon takes me one day? Or am I lost in his enchanted land already, without even noticing it? Am I the next victim?

Hello, stranger…

Rachel  was born in northern Russia in 1890, and died in Tel Aviv in 1931 of tuberculosis, which she contracted while working in schools for refugee children during World War I in Russia. All her poetry was published under her first name only, sometimes spelled ‘Rachel’, sometimes ‘Ra’hel’.  Rachel immigrated to Palestine in 1909, during the period of Ottoman rule, and lived for nearly four years at an agricultural girls’ school on the shores of the Kinneret. In 1913 she traveled to France to study agronomy, and spent the war years in Russia. The poet returned to Palestine in 1919, to Kibbutz Degania, but soon left, as her illness prevented her from working with children, and made physical labor an impossibility as well. She lived out her last years in loneliness in a room in Tel Aviv, and was buried at the Kinneret.

Most of her poetry was published in her last years, her language is so simple and clear, her descriptions deep and emotional; her love poems emphasize pain, loneliness and longing, while the rest often treat the strong connection to the landscape, to biblical figures, to human fate and the puzzle of death. I’m so proud and happy that she is not lonely anymore… I’m her new neighbor.

“Spring and early morning –
do you remember that spring, that day? –
our garden at the foot of Mount Carmel,
facing the blue of the bay?

You are standing under an olive,
and I, like a bird on a spray,
am perched on the silvery tree-top.
We are cutting black branches away.

From below, your saw’s rhythmic buzzing
reaches me in my tree,
and I rain down from above you
aragments of poetry.

Remember that morning, that gladness?
They were – and disappeared,
like the short spring of our country,
the short spring of our years.”

Rachel Bluwstein – Our Garden

“Last christmas… ” …I was in Budapest.

I know, I know… Hungary is freaking cold trough the wintertime. That’s why we, Huns love to warm up with a little booz – such as mulled wine from the Vörösmarty square. Enjoy December’s cheerful and fun event, the traditional Christmas Market near Váci utca, the heart of the city. Try kürtőskalács, aka chimney cake, a classic Hungarian favourite, and spy on the local fashionistas. Budapest is a real fashion hotspot, the most important shopping area in Budapest is Váci street and the side streets, Kígyó street, Petőfi Sándor street, and the historical avenue, Andrássy út. With it’s fancy Armani, Bubery and Gucci stores you surely will love it’s posh charm. Allee Shopping Centre is the „it girl” in town, in Buda. It has all the important shops and apperantly Hungary’s largest book shop, Libri. If you come here, you can avoid the most typical and most stupid gifts in Hungary, the white peasant blouse, tablecloth with tulips or a doll with Hungarian costume… kinda boring, right?

Well, nor for me. To be honest, I miss my home, I miss my friends and I miss everything… even the bad things, what used to make me really angry or upset about my country. I miss the trashy underground, Metro, I miss the short days and rainy nights and I truly miss some stupid fights and misunderstandings with my loved ones. I miss some Euro-culture. Close to the museum you can visit Gödör, a famous club, coffe place and exhibition centre. The program between Christmas and New Year includes thematic nights: Christmas – Chanukah, Jazz extra, Balkan Beats, and New Year’s Eve. It gives the essence of Hungary’s music, showing a wide range of world music, pop-rock, jazz and electric music performed by famous Hungarian performers. If you prefer words over music, meat Hungary’s English speeking theatre groups. „The audience should think about the way we live and what we are. Otherwise why do it? I’m interested in the possibility of redemption, however tiny that possibility is, and I know that forgiveness is very difficult.”
says Simon Stephens who’s story, Pornography is kind of a self-reflection for all of us.

After a deep impact of drama the best way to relax is going out. Alterego’s, Glam’s and Underground’s events are  listed in the petite calendar of the free Na Végre! and Company magazines – you can find them at the gay-friendly clubs and restaurants. And even if there is no special theme night, you can spin around the pole or grab glass of Hungarian wine – u decide if you wanna be a slut or a sophisticated gentleman. Whatever you choose, play safe, and come back soon. Maybe I’ll be back by then.

Marry Xmas and Happy New Year, Santa baby.

Cover photo by the legendary Greg Gorman

My book tells how a Buddhist family raised up confused child who went trough heaven and hell. Partying with Paris Hilton, interviewing all kind of celebrities and throwing up my dinner in the restaurant’s bathroom… I just didn’t see the point anymore. I got addicted to painkillers and antidepressants and I developed a serious eating disorder. Buy the time when I realized how fucked up I am, it was kind of too late to get out from the roller coaster. The turning point was when my beloved Mom died. I went to India to spread her ashes in the River Ganges and I asked myself: what the hell am I doing? A lot happened since then. Now I live in Tel Aviv with my most amazing boyfriend, a soon to be doctor and I am healing my soul. Finally I lift myself up to the back of my horse, and I can see the place where I belong. I can see the light in the end of the tunnel. I am not there yet… but I know that I am on the way, and the journey is always more exciting then the destination. A trip trough family affairs, sex, fame, love and spiritualism…

My book will be published in Hungary by a major publisher, Jaffa, on the 6th of November. If you speak Hungarian or you happen to be the head of a world famous publishing house and your only desire is to make me fuckin’ freakin’ rich and famous, than go ahead and order your copy: elorendeles@jaffa.hu. And speaking about serious stuff: the 10% of my royalty will be a donation for the Kids Creating Peace organization. The program is helping Arab, Jewish and Christian children to socialize trough creative games and drama, so they will experience the joy of living together in a world, which doesn’t belong to anyone and yet it’s everyone’s. One world… every child.

Hungary’s jucy celebrity magazine, HOT! recently published a two page article on my Kabbalah studies. If you’re interested in the technology of soul what changed my way of thinking, talking and living, go for it! I do know secret now: the main importance is not in fame on wealth, but what I do with it.

That’s our secret… and yours as well…

The magazine says: Kristóf Steiner left a glamorous life in the spotlight, when he moved to Tel Aviv half a year ago with Matan, his loved one. Now he is sharing with the Hot! magazine readers what changed in his life. „My dad and mum were really spiritual people and they had kabbalah books back in the 80’s, when no one knew about this cosmic wisdom in Hungary. For me, since I was a kid, the main thing was getting famous, to be on tv, go to VIP parties and be in movies. After I got all these, I realized how empty is the channel between me and the people who are looking at me: I don’t give anything for the fame what I got.”

While Kristóf was dealing with being a celebrity – what he always wanted – he lost his own, real personality: he stopped taking care of people and causes what he did before and he developed a serious eating disorder.

„I realized that being famous is a responsibility. I have to do and say things what has meaning and can guide others. When I came to Israel, I already knew I am going to visit the Kabbalah Centre, since I already finished most books which has been published in Hungary, and I found it very helpful and inspirational. When I met my instructor, David Zakin, I knew this the right way to the light.”

Kristof says being spiritual and finding God in himself does not mean he won’t go out or party again: he loves to have fun, but as he says, our material interests are in a certain 1 percent of our true nature, all the rest, what brings us closer to be filled up with satisfaction is in the 99 percent.

„My teacher called me a few times while I was in Hungary for 2 weeks, and if I get destructed he is giving me advices what meditation should I do or which book should I read and I truly trust him.” Says Kristóf, and he thinks, no one should be sarcastic about people looking for spiritual paths. „I know some people will say I’m following a fashion line by Madonna or Demi Moore, but I know how serious I am about becoming a better person, who can share the light what he experiences. Reacting on the sarcasm is never a wise thing. It’s time for us to do actions, not re-actions.”

I’m happy and grateful for my new mission what I got from the Light: building and editing the kabbalah.com’s Hungarian website. If you thought that it’s all about a red bracelet and a bottle of water, visit us on the other side of the curtain. Join our Facebook group and if you are in Tel Aviv, here is a hint… there is a new English language class starting really soon. “I think you wanna come over…”

Özge is such a spiritual kid!

The most things what we learn are coming to us after the ages when we are so full of energies to remember every unimportant details, when we are much less opened to new things in life and – sad but true – our brain activities are just simply nut as fresh as they were once. We learn spirituality, languages, we try to remember how to take good care of ourselves and meanwhile we think: „Oh, God, why didn’t I start this at the age of 7?” The answer is very simple: we didn’t now where to start and our parents were more busy about how to make sure that our life as grown ups will be successful, we will be wealthy and we can give the same to our children.

Times have changed and we want to give fare more than this to our children. Thank Karen Berg, co-founder of the Kabbalah Center, we can teach our little ones that no house can be built from the roof. According to Kabbalah, our desire is one thing, and that is the spiritual light. No matter what are our tools to get it: a huge meal at the middle of the night, what we can’t resist, a tongue-in gossip about a college of ours to get a new job, or just a pair of very new – and very expensive – Manolo Blahnik,  we all look for our essence of God. We just don’t know the way, how to get it.

Imagine that your children wouldn’t have to repeat your mistakes. Imagine that your little girl growing up would know that every single action has it’s consequences and every single word has it’s effect. That is what Spirituality for Kids, a worldwide program by teachers and supporters offers you, without pushing a child into a religion, what they just can’t adopt at this young age. Instead of repeating – God forbid –meaningles prayers at the Sunday Church, these kids can connect to the inner light and get to know the opponent in themselves. Above writing, and counting they get other skills, they get the blueprint of life, for growing up – what we never had. We had to fight our demons, beasts and monsters and we had so many questions what we are still trying to find answers for. Can you imagine that your own child – being 20 years younger than you are – would be able to answer your questions?

By reading Madonna’s English Roses – a Kabbalistic wisdom inspired book series –instead of playing with the Nintendo all day long, killing aliens, our children can become the light in our lives as well. Taking a child to be a part of this spiritual journey is the greatest gift what we can give – and the greatest benefit what we can get. Who ever saw a child crying in a supermarket, looking for his mama knows exactly, what does it mean to be lost. No one wants his baby to face the feeling of not finding the way to the source. This is why, I know, that when I’ll have the chance to experience the amazing gift of having a baby, I’ll raise up my child with giving the most beautiful gift what anyone can get: spirituality. For kids, grownups, elderly… maybe even doggies.

The tragic situation’s worst side – for me – is that this has been a place where confused youngsters, who are just trying to get to know themselves had a place where they got what they need: support and care. From now on we will remember this place as the place where the unfair and cruel way of declaration an ignorant way of seeing the world got to a place where people had to pay with blood – for nothing. I have no idea if we are safe but I do know one thing: with no prayer we are all injured. No matter what is your religion or what political party you support, please step to the window today and think about the fact: the dead girl and boy could be your friend, mother, brother, sister… it could be you. And when you start to feel anger and rage, and you feel like saying: the fucking murderer has to suffer for the rest of his life, think first. We must not become equal with the darkness. We are not the ones who will judge. Buddha said: „Stop blaming others for the darkness: shine a light.” Please put a candle in your window tonight, and every time when you light a cigarette, cook a coffee and you see the flame on the fireplace, or you just enter a room to switch on a lamp, remember: this light is our sun tonight. The eternal shine for all the dead people, the injured ones and even for the murderer, since . Let’s face it: he is the real victim – the most miserable one. Since by now all the others are angels.

Somewhere over the rainbow we have a home…

About a week ago when we started to look for flats in the big city, we didn’t really know what to expect. Eszter Lányi, the cultural attaché of the Hungarian Embassy wrote me an e-mail a while ago, and she said, this city is exactly like a small New York. And as we all know from Carrie Bradshaw, finding a home in Manhattan is not as easy as finding the perfect shoes. Hundreds of websites and several phone calls later we were still on the way from Haifa to tel Aviv – every single morning. On the train I was usually trying to work, but it’s not so easy to translate a book or to write an article while you are holding two dogs in your arms and a noisy family is having a cheerful breakfast just in front of you. When we were in Tel Aviv already, we felt like the Jewish people coming from Egypt, except we didn’t have a leader who can make us go trough the sea. In fact we were swimming in the sea if we can call our own sweat an ocean. I know, I know, if I could be less needy, it would be easy. But I want it all: a flat in the middle of the city, close to the beach, minimum two rooms, air conditioning, balcony, doesn’t need a lot of money to spend on, and it’s maximum 3500 shekels per month. And what did we see? Places with a toilet on the rooftop, kitchens with a missing wall, air conditioning from the age of the Paleolithic, and my favorite was where we didn’t even get in, because the owner hates dogs. We looked around in Florentine as well, the Brooklyn of Tel Aviv but we didn’t find anything except a mad person yelling at us “get the fuck out of here”, and frankly he was right. Özge, my naked little angel has great fun tho. People keep calling him the most beauty full dog in the world, and thats a big change for the Hungarian attitude: „Ewww, what is this ugly monster?” Anyway… the best thing what happened to us so far, is that I’ve been called the „male Madonna” by a landlady, who I shared a lot of common interest with, and I am NOT talking about afternoon champagnes. Well, not only about that to be more precise. Oh, and the cherry on the top: my Mac Book just decided to stop working in the middle of the magazine deadline-period. It has a blank, gray screen and singing songs for it or petting it doesn’t help, I tried. Sad Mac indeed. All in all the only good thing what happened to me here (so fare) is the love of Matan ans his family. Right now I’m working on my articles on Ofer aba’s (my dad in law) mini computer. The screen is small as my palm so I feel like I’m in some creepy My Scene meets Munchkins movie, but hey… no person promised that changing a home is easy. I hope next time I’ll post some happy news about pick nicks on the beach, being fit and doing yoga in the sunset or just simply not falling asleep on the train while I’m writiiiiii… snore-snore-snore.

HOT! magazine

And although they both say: home is a place where you feel home, Matan had a little tear sparkling in his eye talking about Tel Aviv…” If you want to know the rest of the story and you want to see our last pics of joy saying good by to friends and family on the airport, don’t miss the magazine’s new issue!