On my recent cruise to the The Greek Isles, the itinerary included a 5 hour stop in Dubrovnik, Croatia. I knew about this breath taking, UNESCO World Heritage site, from reading travel publications and interestingly, word of mouth. Dorina, my Croatian hair stylist, an avid traveler and fellow jew, said it was the most beautiful town in Europe period! She was overjoyed when I mentioned we’ll be stopping there and gave me some tips for the ‘must see’ sites, knowing my passion for all things Jewish, especially the little known and ancient.

On day four of the cruise, I awoke at 7 AM and ran to my stateroom balcony to look out at the stunning loveliness along the coastline of the Adriatic Sea. The blue water surrounded the stunning panorama of the walled Medieval city of Dubrovnik. I remembered with excitement that there was more to this great beauty justly named ‘the Pearl of the Adriatic’. Dorina shared a little known fact, that only few may know – in the heart of medieval Old Town, stands the oldest functioning Sephardic synagogue in Europe. I sent her a mental blessing, and got ready to grab breakfast and to disembark at 8:00, notes in hand.

The Jewish tour guide we hired spoke good English and was passionate about her vocation. She had the perfect balance of historical knowledge and appreciation of the stunningly preserved Medieval city. Her fascinating stories added greatly to what I had spent hours learning prior to this trip. As we walked past the Venetian style buildings, marble squares, fountains and stone palaces, the ancient streets took on a life of their own. At one time, many of these properties belonged to members of the thriving Jewish community. However, they were not permitted to live in them until emancipation by Napoleon.

Nevertheless, most physicians of the city were Jewish, they were ship owners, and accumulated wealth and respect. They were the main importers of wool and spices from the East and textiles and paper from the West. The Jewish community traces back to the 15th century, when several Sephardic Jewish families, following their expulsion from Spain, decided to remain in Dubrovnik, rather than continue to Turkey. They helped solidify a small yet strong community in the city.

Eventually, in 1546, the valuable contribution of the the Jewish population, led city officials to allow legal settlement within the city. The Ulica Udiosca (street of the Jews) was established within the fortified walls and in mid 17th century the oldest Sephardic synagogue was established on the second floor of a 14 century building, at Ulica Udisca 3. The visit to the synagogue is definitely a highlight of the visit. Even the way to get to it is gorgeous, passing thru Pile Gate, head east down the Main Street of Stradun, an impressive pedestrian promenade which extend to the other end of town, where The Clock Tower and Small Onofrio Fountain can be seen.

But before far, making a left the Street of the Jews, is the Gothic/renaissance style Sponza Palace. There, just a few steps up a narrow stairway, stands the small but gorgeous synagogue, with the Jewish museum on the left side. Not only is it the oldest functioning Sephardic synagogue in Europe, but the second oldest synagogue after Prague, in all of Europe. The Dubrovnik synagogue is built in the Italian baroque style, in 1652, with elegance of workmanship, an elaborate chandelier, colorful textiles and gilding. It’s divided by three arches with the bimah located under the central arch.

The Aron Hakodesh, is facing Jerusalem and is surrounded by the remaining two arches. The Jewish museum became the very first in Croatia and contains several small exhibits: archival documents: a Holocaust memorial: a collection of religious objects, such as some elaborate Italian , Spanish and French Torah scrolls, hailing back to the period between the 13 -17th centuries. Also, various Torah covers are exhibited, made from silk and decorated with 17 century gold embroidery. The least known unique Jewish site I located upon exiting the city walls, just outside Pile Gate. It’s a modest water fountain that now serves the locals. The story goes that before Napoleon’s arrival in Dubrovnik Jews were not allowed to drink from the other two fountains in the city. They were restricted to the “Jewish Fountain”, as it’s still called now. After the napoleonic emancipation, Jews were able to drink from any fountain, as due to equal citizens.
The Jewish Fountain was moved outside the walls of the city, but kept as a memorial in Pile, still in it’s original condition. I found this very touching…

Love is the most powerful way to create profoundly tangible transformation in everyone who crosses our path. Yet we must be mindful to endow the self with pure, unconditional love and acceptance, which will result in an infinite fountain of empathy and joy, readily available to give others.
Sarity

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I was 12  when I saw my first Chagall. Walking down Dizengoff Street in Tel Aviv. Ice cream in hand, I stopped short. In the window of a gallery, a magical painting took my breath away.

I got my first taste of an original Chagall.

The memory is so vivid, I can recall it in detail. I stood there, mesmerized by the indescribable beauty, the depth of emotion and passion. We just learnt at school about the  pogroms in the Russian Shteitels, and they were deeply disturbing to me.

I remember standing in front of that window for what seemed like an eternity. I became one with the soaring figures,  transported to the little village below. Then, hugely embarrassed, I burst into tears.

The colors were magnificent, the couple, in flight, fueled by love. Yet down below, reality awaited them, but they were momentarily oblivious. I had a huge lump in my throat for these lovers who floated in space to unite with a kiss, despite, strangely, being tethered to the ground.

Could have all been my very own interpretation, but all told, I became obsessed.

I began to seek out everything I could on the artist and his masterpieces.

Mark Zacharov Chagall, a Russian-French artist (1887-1985) was referred to by famous art critics as “The quintessential Jewish painter of the twentieth century”.

I found that many think of Marc Chagall as the creator of folksy figures soaring above old world villages, surrounded by ghostly fiddles, big colorful bouquets and animated animals. Art critics have knocked him  for being too sentimental or capricious. Regardless,  Chagall became iconic for his mastery of color, myth and spiritual tradition.

But what caught me that very first time, (though I don’t believe I could have verbalized it) was the darker aspect of this master, making a political, even pessimistic statement, all while imbuing the image with magic and fantasy.

Nevertheless, during his time of exile during 2nd World War, he made a name for himself, blending techniques of Surrealism, Cubism, Fauvism,  influenced by Russian artistic traditions. He was proud of of his Jewishness, his early life in the picturesque Vitebsk, his Hassidic roots. Chagall used symbolism to honor his parents ,to cherish and publicly express his Jewish roots by integrating them into his art. For Chagall, this was also his means of “self-assertion and an expression of principle.”

He fled with his wife Bella and daughter Ida following the Russian Revolution and his works, though imbued with fantasy, reflect the underlying sense of painful unrest, the result of his uprooting. The colors he used during this period, grays, blacks, blues and a surprising violent streak of red, which are in contrast to his normal palette, casting a dark shadow over life in Paris.

Yet the Jewish spirit is evident in all the works….even the most political pieces are expressed thru fantasy, like the grandfather clock with the case of the itters or the the rooster in evening attire.

Chaggal is quoted saying “Without mystical element, is there a single great picture, a single great poem – or even- a a single great social movement?

He worked in every possible medium, oil, glass, ceramic book illustrations and tapestries.

His stained glass windows grace the cathedrals of Reims and Metz, the Windows for the UN, and the Jerusalem Windows, in Israel.

The Paris Opera house’s ceiling is decorated with an exquisite large scale painting by the artist.

In 1941, as the Nazis became pervasive, Chagall moved to New York City with his family, driving him further away from the village existence he knew and loved. Religious imagery,of the dark and violent kind reappeared constantly throughout Chagall’s paintings,  communicating his suffering. In 1944 Chagall’s wife suddenly passed away, driving his artistic vision into even darker and more confused territory. Though he remarried quickly, the longing for his true love was evident in the works he produced.

Marc Chagall is the most fascinating artist, always expressing his deeply-felt  Jewish spirit in his art, catching the observer in the deepest place, where the heart lives.