Israel Loves Iran social media group was formed by a handful of brave girls and guys who were smart enough to see the bigger picture: if Facebook could start a revolution in Egypt, why couldn’t it stop the III. World War even before it could start? Almost 50. 000 freedom fighter joined the start up in just a few weeks to show their support, and while many of us can upload our photos covered with love hearts and inspiring sentences, the people of Iran has to hide their faces and names while joining the group. Supporting peace is not something Iran’s political leaders would watch arms folded…

“To the Iranian people, to all the fathers, mothers, children, brothers and sisters! For there to be a war between us, first we must be afraid of each other, we must hate. I’m not afraid of you, I don’t hate you. I don t even know you. No Iranian ever did me no harm. I never even met an Iranian…Just one in Paris in a museum. Nice dude. I see sometime here, on the TV, an Iranian. He is talking about war. I’m sure he does not represent all the people of Iran. If you see someone on your TV talking about bombing you …be sure he does not represent all of us. I’m not an official representative of my country. I know the streets of my town, I talk with my neighbors, my family, my students, my friends and in the name of all these people …we love you. We mean you no harm. On the contrary, we want to meet, have some coffee and talk about sports. To all those who feel the same, share this message and help it reach the Iranian people.” goes the message what over 40. 000 Facebook users shared on their walls in the past two weeks. Visiting the site anyone can learn about the history of friendship between Iran and Israel: King Cyrus, one of the most powerful Persian leaders of all time, was a strong friend to the Jewish people. Following the Babylonian exile of Jews from their homeland, King Cyrus authorized the unprecedented right of Jews to return Jerusalem. “The Iranian and Jewish peoples have over 2,000 years of friendship. Is there any reason this should change? Us Iranians and Israelis are Middle Eastern peoples. We have seen first-hand how social media has transformed this region. Let’s not underestimate the power we hold in our hands! If each of us shares this page with five friends, we can change the relationship between our two nations from the ground up.” Are you up for the challenge?

Peace begins with us and it flourishes when we extend tolerance, unconditionally, to our neighbors. Yehuda Berg, spiritual leader and kabbalah teacher says: “Solutions for peace are never political, philosophical, or militaristic. And violence is merely fighting darkness with more darkness. Solutions must be founded upon spiritual Light and the human soul. Conflict and war among nations begin with friction between individual people. A nation at war is simply the effect of spiritual darkness born of animosity and intolerance among individuals who comprise the nation. As long as brothers or friends can find reason to clash with one another, nations will devise reasons for bloody battle. We’ve been duped into believing that our actions toward others have no impact upon the world at large. Wrong. Not only do interactions between two people contribute to the state of the world, each interaction totally and completely transforms the world. When enough people make the effort to find good in one another, nations will suddenly and miraculously discover ways to achieve a lasting harmony.”

Please join the group. Let’s show that small people have big words to say.

Stranger-friends in Monte Carlo… ready play the game?

 “When is your book coming out in English?” is probably the question I heard the most amount of times in the past three years since I left Hungary. And as much as I’d love to put effort in translating my short stories I have to admit: my mind is like it’s pulled by a bunch of wild horses. In my head I’m always involved with a next project, and I just can’t revisit a book I’m already “done with” in my head. But maybe now… This summer I’m bringing out a new book and in my opinion this is the One I should get done in English as well.

Can you imagine a guy going on a crazy adventure with a complete stranger? Well, now you can: that guy is me. I met my travel buddy, Mary trough Craigslist, where she advertised a rather peculiar opportunity. She needed company for a luxury cruise all over Europe. As we went trough a serious rough patch with my boyfriend back then I decided: it’s time for me to think outside the box… and inside a cabin of the Norwegian Jade. Mary and I spent together eight unforgettable days, and as I got to know more and more about her I found out: my heart wasn’t even broken, next to hers. Our adventures brought us to a fancy wedding on the street in Palma de Mallorca, Naples’s most famous pizza place, known from the bestseller Eat Pray Love, and to the shrine of the Casinos, Monte Carlo, where Mary won a small (well, a really small) fortune on the poker machine.

As I was dancing my nights away on the fancy dress parties with the retired couples and posh American tourists I quickly realized… I’m not so miserable after all, and by the time our ship returned to Barcelona my diary was filled with the most amazing memories a writer can dream of. And now I know how grateful I am for that “almost-break-up” what brought me to experience the ultimate journey of a heart in love. A 4 page story of our trip has been published in the Hungarian Marie Claire magazine, and this summer the best of the rest is hitting the bookstores. This will be my message in a bottle. I believe it can be a secret map to find the island of happiness for all of us.

Being Paris Hilton

I am not saying all this because I translated Paris Hilton’s book to Hungarian or because I had the chance to meet her in person a couple of times. I’m saying it, because I want everyone to see this perfect example of how cruel bitch media can be. Channel 7 is being a moron. They do use the name and the fame of Paris Hilton what she built up for herself, and they are aware of it that they are benefiting from being an ass, knowing how many people would be thrilled if they could trash the heiress. So acting like as if it was okay to start an interview with visible intolerance they decided to embarrass Paris in front of the whole wide word. Not cool at all. I’m sure anyone with a bit less ego could easily embarrass this so called reporter, who is just visibly flying above herself, thinking “I did it. I’m a hero.” I can’t be bothered with looking up her name, but this goes out for her. Honey. Paris Hilton’s job is to stay gorgeous at any time. She did a perfect job. You did not menage to interrupt her, not even for a second.

What the hell is the world’s problem with Paris Hilton being Paris Hilton? If you don’t approve her relevance, do not be occupied by her. And if you are occupied with her so deeply and obsessively, that you are spending hours with writing all these witty declarations , and editing this shamefully unoriginal report on your so called victory, I have news for you. Sorry, bitch, you are a closeted Paris Hilton fan. Oh, and as a side note… green makes you look pale. Or you were just a wee bit nervous?

MDNA promo shot by Mert & Marcus

Because for me this is what MDNA is. Madonna falling down – and here comes the twist – into Wonderland. I’m not afraid to say it: Madonna’s new record is not the new Ray of Light or Confessions, it’s not even the new Erotica. It’s BETTER then ANY of these. We have here the dance queen, the weirdo, the trash princess, the spiritual godess, the bitch, the sexual icon, fighter, the broken flower, the new yorker and the londoner, the mother and the daughter on ONE album. Finally on one album we see all the Madonnas we love or hate, but most importantly we all KNOW. And not surprisingly at all, we also have TOTALLY new sounds, what in some years the fans will refer to as “The MDNA Sound.” Unquestionably incredible.

I’m lucky enough to publish some reviews in the next few days, in English I’ll write for The Wild magazine, in Hungarian (if you’re interested but you don’t speek Hungarian you can always use Google translate ) for the Marie Claire blog and in print for the EXIT, one of Hungary’s best known weekly program magazines. As I live in Tel Aviv I already have my ticket for the opening night… so stay tuned for more. And for now, the lyrics of my favorite one… a song of Madonna, The Believer. A heartbreaking poem fit into tingling, crying, whispering classical music. Written by Madonna, Willian Orbit, and a Laurie Mayer, someone who I never heard of, but I think I should. Listen to the song here on SoundCloud.

When I move a certain way
I feel an ache I’d kept at bay
A hairline break that’s taking hold
A metal that I thought was gold

And pure so sure I’d struck a vein
I wanted you to feel the same
So when you did ignite a spark
Rescue me from all this dark
See our hearts are intertwined
Then I’m free, free of mine

I’m falling free

And see our hearts are intertwined
And then I’m free, I’m free of mine
Deep and pure our hearts align
And then I’m free, I’m free of mine

When I raise a certain wing
And crawl beneath that growing thing
It throws a shadow over time
And keeps yours falling next to mine

Your days were meant to fly and do
I fall and fold mine into you
And what you take is just enough
And what you give is what I love
And when you lift you raise the sail
And then I’m free, free to fail

I’m falling free

Deep and pure our hearts align
And then I’m free, I’m free of mine
When I let loose the need to know
Then we’re both free, we’re free to go

When I lose a certain claim
That tries to know and needs to blame
Whatever river runs aground
It turns my head and washes down

The face of God that stands above
Pouring over Hope and Love
That all of might, and life, and limb
Could turn around and love again
When I let loose the need to know
Then we’re both free, free to go

I’m falling free

Deep and pure our hearts align
And then I’m free, I’m free of mine
When I let loose the need to know
Then we’re both free, we’re free to go

UPDATE: Personal milestone. After I published my review on The Wild blog, Madonna’s manager, Guy Oseary shared my link on his Twitter. One of  THOSE moments… thank You. 

Madonna art work by Kobi

A few days ago Madonna’s Israeli team announced it on a major press conference: the material mum is starting her world tour in Tel Aviv. While most tickets have been sold in pre-sales, not getting a ticket is not the only fear Israeli Madonna fans are now facing. Since so many artists (like the Klaxons, Pixies and Gorillaz) have cancelled their Israeli shows in the past because of government tensions, the fans are now concerned: will Madonna follow their lead? Will the show be called off in case of a possible war with Iran? Kobi Zvili asked himself this question before he created a Facebook group, where he asked Israel’s prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu to please not attack Iran, or if he must, at least not before the long waited Madonna concert. I met up with the super creative pop-peace activist on a sunny day in Tel Aviv to give you this exclusive interview.

First of all you are a genius. My only problem is that it’s not easy to find your site?

I know, when I created the group I really did it as a joke. I had no idea it will blow up the Internet. This is why I made the title in Hebrew, and it turns out after two hundred “likes” you can’t change the name of the group.

How did your idea became a global phenomenon?

I was just watching it happening, on the first two days it was only some friends and me, and when a friend of a friend mentioned it in a local newspaper, all the big papers and magazines started to run the story.

Did you get any reaction from anyone special? Maybe from Madonna or Benjamin “Bibi” Netanyahu? 

Nothing from the prime minister or the government. A few reporters approached me after it was published in New York Post and Los Angeles Times. It was even mentioned in the morning news. Madonna or her team didn’t get back to me, but I’m sure she had to hear about it. Some of my friends are pretty sure sooner or later she will give us a sign.

The international feedback was great, but naturally there always have to be some haters. What do you think about the people who think that it’s insensitive that you are not declaring that you are against the war generally, but only if it’s before the Madonna gig?

Some people took it in the wrong way, of course I am against any kind of war at any time. This is just a funny way of dealing with the sometimes not-so-funny life in the Middle East.

So did you buy your ticket already?

Of course, no question about it. I have my Golden Circle ticket. I’ve been a huge Madonna fan since Ray of Light. And as Madonna will stay in Tel Aviv for two weeks, rehearsing her show I hope she might surprise us with some unexpected appearances in some clubs as Kylie does when she is the New York City. For me Madonna is the queen, Kylie is the princess.

How about GaGa?

Honestly I think she should go on a long holiday to give us the chance to see if we’d miss her if she’d be gone. I loved the Fame Monster album and I still think Bad Romance is one of the greatest songs of pop history, but now she is just way too much.

You can join Kobi’s anti war, pro-Madonna group here. This entry was published in The Wild magazine blog.

Okay, you can’t keep the clothes, but you can keep the faith: yes, „we are living in a material world”, but the guys at the Fondation Pierre Bergé-Yves Saint Laurent were kind enough to let us all enter the magical world of the Master, who’s pieces of perfection enchanted the fashion lovers for over four decades. Even the famous fans, actress Mena Suvari and pop princess Kylie Minogue would be amazed by seeing such a high concentration of “chic” in such a small p(a)lace.

The Salas Recoletos museum of Foundation Mapfre gives home for the breathtaking exhibition of the immortal fashion dictator, where all the dolls are dressed for success, and all the guys are, well, of course, gay. Just a few corners away from Madrid’s (in)famous gay village, Chueca, 150 original creations of beauty, luxury and art, over 80 hand drawn sketches, classic photos, and vintage fashion videos are showing us the deep impact of Monsieur Saint Laurent on the Universe of couture, organised in eleven thematically set up sections, from Haute Couture to Prêt-a-Porter.

The exhibit, previously presented only in Paris’s Petit Palace, and welcomes all empty wallets and glitter-filled imagination.

Have a look, darling!

Travelling to London there is nothing more stressful than walking in to a fully packed, crowded shopping temple, and try to see trough the mess the sales-hunters built up in the name of the new year resolution: changing their wardrobes, entirely. Well, okay… the chance of meeting Katie Price in real life is actually more stressful, but let’s not be pessimists. Back to style: who wants to wear the discounted stuff, anyways, knowing that it just a matter of time, when will it appear on a stranger on the street in front of us, or – even worse – on one of the party people, rocking your fav club, wearing the exact same outfit as yours. However, no one can leave the Brit’s capital at this time of the year (and any other time, of course) without stuffing a huge bag full of clothing and accessories… it’s London, baby! In the city, where Johnny Rotten, Twiggy, Debbie Harry and Harry Potter are the local heroes, you don’t need to go “bling-bling” to get attention: forget the high streets and get yourself into the much less posh, but much more interesting style-states: charity shops. In the UK the charity shop phenomenon is larger than life and cheaper than dirt: you can dress up from top to bottom, for 22 Sterlings. Walking around East London, from Hackney Central up to Clapton Pond there are five treasure caves, each and every one of them is supporting a different organisation. Civil rights, animal care, homeless issues, and religious foundations are the inspirations for the dedicated volunteers to collect money in these small shops, presenting a wide range of goods: not to be missed vintage stuff from local old peeps, and brand new goodies from youngsters who just didn’t like their Christmas presents as much as they love to do good. True fashionistas must check out the bookshelves as well: fashion photography and illustration albums are often sold for ridiculous prices.

Check out the listing here, and you’ll understand why Oxford and Regent streets are full of tourists, while the real cool Londoners are hopping on bus 38, heading to Hackney with an organic textile bag and a huge smile on their face… almost covered by a “to-die-for” vintage sunglasses. And where did they get them? The answer is always charity shops, my love!

“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. 

Not very long time ago
- I remember vividly -
there was nothing else to know:
I love you and you love me.

Now the days seem long a dull
there’s not much to talk about
Not because we said it all,
But yes, because we said a lot.

Some things what we didn’t mean.
things what we just wanted to,
the intention wasn’t clean:
You blame me and I blame you.

Walking by the park tonight
I felt again the desperate need
to dance and rise and fly above…
I want the tree, and not the seed.

Time is an illusion, fine,
but our time here, on Earth
is short as a beat of a heart.
Please know what a heartbeat worth.

“It is only with the heart that one can see rightly.”

Kabbalah does not offer an opinion on the issue, quite simply because Kabbalah is not a religion or a philosophy with opinions about sexual orientation. Kabbalah is a blueprint, a technology based on the energy of life. It allows us to have more Light in our lives, to strengthen our connection to that 99 Percent Reality of spirituality from which we all derive.

Kabbalah explains that the ultimate purpose of life is to transform our selfish desires and learn to share with people. As we discussed earlier, relationships are the major part of this process. Everyone, gay or not, faces the tough task of learning to resist the overwhelmingly selfish behaviors the Adversary proposes. When any two people commit to taking that journey together, to being sharing and conscious of the effect their actions have on the world, they reveal great Light in the world.

When speaking with my gay students, I find that they easily connect to the idea of male and female energies. Remember, these are the positive and negative charges that exist in the unified soul. In fact, Kabbalah explains that male and female energies, or male and female souls, can be drawn into a body of the opposite sex. People can even have a combination of both these energies, which can affect their sexuality.

Ultimately, the soul of a person chooses the body it will inhabit before entering the physical world. And we are all here for the same reason: To learn to be more sharing, to become more like the Light, and to ignite the Law of Attraction in our lives. So whatever combination of soul and body we may have, we are all exactly who we need to be in order to accomplish this mission. Kabbalah explains that wherever the fantastic voyage may take us, we are all sparks of the Divine, of the Creator, and the Creator does not make mistakes.

Treating all people with human dignity is an essential tool of Kabbalah. Not because it is morally correct, but because judgment and hatred are tools of our Adversary and they immediately disconnect us from the Light. Treating everyone with kindness, compassion, and sharing connects us to the Light that will infuse our own lives with passion and excitement.

“There are more things in heaven and Earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy.” – William Shakespeare, Hamlet

It is important that we understand the concept of male and female as they are defined kabbalistically. Male and female do not necessarily refer to a physical male and female body. Kabbalah deals with forces of energy that have nothing to do with materiality. There is male energy and female energy, and these two particular forces can be found in either a man’s or a woman’s physical body, in varying proportions. In gay relationships, it’s not unusual to find that one partner expresses more female qualities and the other more male ones. This is a direct result of the particular male or female energy that shines in each person’s soul.

Rachel is gay, and she has been a student of Kabbalah for three years. Before Kabbalah, Rachel was constantly filled with a fear of rejection. She had no idea what her purpose in life was, or how her sexuality fit into the scheme of things.

“Studying Kabbalah helped me realize that it isn’t about whether you’re gay or straight; it’s about understanding that every single person has something to contribute to life. We’re all responsible for the amount of negativity or Light in the world. When you learn to resist the ego, it’s like finding a new treasure every day. Instead of being bogged down by guilt and shame, boredom and emptiness, you’re inspired to write the book you always dreamed of, volunteer to help abused kids like you’ve always meant to, or even just let go of grudges and pain you’ve carried around for years. It’s not about what you want; it’s about who you are.

A lot of times people focus on the sex part of homosexuality, which is understandable when you learn how much we all focus on the 1 percent of reality. But being gay is about a lot more than just sex. No one has a monopoly on being selfish in sex and relationships. We all do it. I realized that life is about making the effort to see that spark of the Creator in someone else and to really appreciate it. Especially in the people I disagree with the most, those who really push my buttons.”

As a final thought on this subject, suppose we have a heterosexual couple that treats each other abusively. They mistreat their friends and business colleagues, and their behavior lacks any form of human decency.

Suppose we have a gay couple that shares a life distinguished by a constant striving to be kind toward others. They make an effort to treat people with human dignity. Which couple, according to the teachings of Kabbalah, reveals greater Light in the world?

Answer? (No surprise here.) The gay couple.

Allow me to paraphrase a teaching of the great kabbalistic sage known as Hillel:

The sole purpose of Bible study is to achieve the ability to love one’s neighbor as oneself. All the rest of the learning is mere commentary. Now go and learn.