Author: Manny Kagan

  

Returning to Tel Aviv

We arrived after midnight at the apartment which we rented through Airbnb, in the old part of Tel Aviv.  We visited this part of what some call Telaviva Ktana, (which translates to “small Tel Aviv”) many, many years ago.  It is owned by a French family.  It has been completely remodeled and air-conditioned.  It has tall ceilings and beautiful modern furniture, and we are staying here with our daughter for a week.  Our first trip here was in January 1972, when we immigrated to Israel from Riga, Latvia.  Four days after our arrival, on the 13^thof January, I turned 25.  Many years passed since, but I see the same old buildings of what was once called “The White City”.

Upon our first arrival to Israel, we were sent to an absorption center where we had to live in a small town called Pardes Hana, about 45 minutes by bus from Tel Aviv, for 5 months to learn Hebrew. My mom’s uncle Nathan, who moved to Israel in the early 1920s, was one of the pioneers who built the young country.  His job was to install electrical power lines.  The day after our arrival to Pardes Hana, someone’s relative, who came for a visit, gave us a ride to Kiriat Ono where Nathan and his wife Guta lived, which as we discovered later, was about half an hour drive from the Tel Aviv’s central Bus Station.  Uncle Nathan along with his wife Guta and their dog Amitz lived in a small house. They had many fruit trees, including oranges and avocados.  Their fence was covered with passion fruit.  I think on the same first visit, we took a bus to what was then considered the center of Tel Aviv – on fancy Dizengoff Street.  It had (and still has) boutiques, cafés and restaurants.  For us, who have never seen something like that in Riga, this was a completely new magical world.

Soon after our arrival to Israel, Elfa got a job as a textile designer (she studied art in Riga).  Her employer was a ten minute walk away from where we were staying. We walked those streets many times, and being here now, 46 years later, feels like a déjà vu. I can now see the street from the window of the apartment we are staying in.  I stand looking out the window, and see people who live here and go about their lives, I decided to share with you my first feelings and memories.  We are going to be in Israel for two weeks, during which I am sure, I will write more stories about our travel experience.

P.S. After we ventured out on the street, we saw that many old buildings, which were built almost one hundred years ago, are being repaired or replaced with modern (some that look out of place), glass covered high-rises. These four images show some of the encounters we had in Tel Aviv.

P.P.S.
Please join me on November 17th for a “42 Encounters with Dog Lovers“ book signing.

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Where Is Israel?

When you read this, we will have been visiting Israel for ten days. However, I wrote this story a week before our departure. Our trip was prompted by a family reunion. When we went to the Israeli consulate in San Francisco to renew our passports, we realized that our last trip to Israel was over ten years ago. We lived in Israel from January 1972 until August 1980, when we moved to San Francisco. In the years when my parents and sister, who were living in Israel, were alive, we visited often. However after they passed on, we started to travel to different destinations. Our last trip to Israel was with an organized group called, “In the Dust of Our Ancestors”. We visited many old places, like the cave where Samson (who according to the Bible lived in 1118-1078 BC) was hiding.

The question in the title of this story can be interpreted as a place on the world map or in world affairs. When you look on the map showing Israel and its bordering countries, you can see how small it really is. Nevertheless, it plays a very important role as the only democratic country in the area, which keeps the balance in the volatile world. Surrounded by enemies, who would rather see it be destroyed and Israelies pushed into the sea, the only Jewish state in the world, with a population of over 8.5 million, opposite to 17 Arab countries with a population of about 330 million. It is definitely a miracle how this tiny country was able to not only survive; but also to prosper and become an economic and technological driving force in the world. And this is despite the local conflicts with the Palestinians who claim that the whole land of Israel belongs to the Arabs, with Jerusalem as their capital, and the Jews have no claims to it.

Jerusalem has a very rich history. It was settled in the 4th millennium BCE making it one of the oldest cities in the world. Online I read that it was attacked 52 times, captured and recaptured 44 times, besieged 23 times, and destroyed twice. On Wikipedia I read a fascinating history of Jerusalem during the Middle Ages. I also learned on Wikipedia that “On November 8th, 1995, the 104th Congress enacted The Jerusalem Embassy Act of 1995 as public law. The Act recognized Jerusalem as the capital of the State of Israel and called for Jerusalem to remain an individual city. Despite passage, the law allowed President to invoke a six-month waiver of the application of the law. The waiver was repeatedly renewed by Presidents Clinton, Bush and Obama. President Donald Trump finally signed a waiver. The United States Embassy officially relocated to Jerusalem on May 14th, to coincide with the 70th anniversary of the Israeli Declaration of Independence.” In the next few weeks I will share with you more stories from our trip.

P.S. These four images from Jerusalem, which is considered holy by the three major Abrahamic religions – Judaism, Christianity and Islam, were taken in 2007. You can see the representation of all three religions. I also included a photo of a dog with the Dome of the Rock or Al-Aqsa mosque in the background. This is to remind you that while I am travelling, you can buy 42 Encounters with Dog Lovers on Amazon or EncountersPublishing.com.

P.P.S. In light of what happened at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, I’d like to quote what President George Washington wrote to one of the first US synagogues – the Hebrew Congregation of Newport, Rhode Island – in 1790:

“May the Children of the Stock of Abraham, who dwell in this land, continue to merit and enjoy the good will of the other Inhabitants: while every one shall sit in safety under his own vine and fig tree, and there shall be none to make him afraid. May the father of all mercies scatter light and not darkness in our paths”

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Why History Matters

Last week I wrote about the opportunity I had to lead a Torah study group.  The correspondent from “J” Weekly, who attended the class, called me an amateur Torah scholar.  My knowledge of the Torah came from years of study. Some years ago, I even taught a Torah class to Jewish high school students.  This was an unusual experience in the sense that I do not have a formal religious education, and my knowledge came from self-study, which was fueled by my perpetual curiosity and thirst for knowledge.  There are many books and audio programs available, and I personally have a substantial library.  But years ago, I also discovered some courses taught by the professors affiliated with “The Teaching Company”.  I used to buy them on tape, but now I borrow them from the San Francisco Public Library.  I’ve learned about many different subjects and especially about various religious traditions. My drive is to understand what motivates people and how specific beliefs from the past affect who we are now.  The latest course that I just finished listening to while driving was, “Between Cross and Crescent: Jewish Civilization from Muhammad to Spinoza”, taught by David B. Ruderman from the University of Pennsylvania.  It covers one thousand years and describes how Judaism evolved and was preserved in spite of constant expulsion and relocation from one country to another. The course explains how their interaction with others, their traditions, beliefs and religions have affected the Jews as well as the people they interacted with.

Some might ask, who cares? We live in today’s world, in the most powerful country in the world, where Jews are not discriminated or excluded. Anti-Semitism started to decline in the United States only after the 1950s. Can it return, after all Jews living among Christians and Muslims for many years without conflicts in different countries? In Europe, anti-Semitism is on the rise fueled by anti-Israeli propaganda financed by the Arab countries and Iran and supported by the liberals, who camouflage their anti-Semitism by anti-Israelism.

For me, learning from the past, understanding other people and their history helps me be optimistic.  After all, we all want the same – peace of mind and love.

When I read the Essence of Jesus’ Message on quota.com, I learned that “His laws and obeying them are defined as love or define love”.  I am not surprised, since he was Jewish and his teachings were based on the Torah where it is written, “but you must love your neighbor as yourself, I am the Lord” (Leviticus 19-18).  The same message appears in the New Testament – “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as well (Luke 10:28).

P.S. If you have feel you need more love in your life, get yourself a puppy, and buy my photo-story book “42 Encounters with Dog Lovers”, where you will see our puppy Max and his expression of love for his other four-legged best friends.  You can order it at encounterspublishing.com or at amazon.com. These four images show the true manifestation of love among humans and their best friends.

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Are You Ready to Retire?

Recently my name appeared in an article written by Dan Pine in the weekly publication called “J.”, titled “Animated S.F. group has been talkin’ Torah for 45 years”. “Manny Kagan, a Latvian-born mortgage broker and amateur Torah scholar, led the discussion, though the term “amateur” does not do him justice. At 71, Kagan is sharp and well versed in the Torah and its commentaries.” The article describes how a group of men and women, Jews and Christians, have gathered together every Friday for the last 45 years, to study the Torah. I am honored to be invited from time to time to lead the discussion. It was nice to see my name printed in the newspaper, but what struck me, was seeing my age in print. Even though I know how many years I’ve been around, I thought there was a typo. The number one had to be before the number seven. But then I remembered that after being married for 51 years, I think the math was right. When I checked the meaning of my age the Affinity Numerology website, I learned that “71 is a business-oriented number. A person with the number 71 tends to be focused on building things intended to last for many generations, whether material or social structures that have meaning.” This fits my intention perfectly. At the age when some people are considering to slow down – to retire, I am just starting the third chapter of my life. You will find more on this subject in the book I’m currently writing, Retirement Solutions for the Smart People. 5 Easy Ways to Enjoy your Golden Age.

The purpose of the book is to help my readers prepare for the last chapter of their life. While I am working on my manuscript, I will share with you some of my discoveries, books and articles I’ve read, for which I will create a separate website.

I hope that when you will follow me, your retirement might become more enjoyable, or you decide to follow my example and not retire at all, and to continue to live an active life as long as you can.

Meanwhile, I need your help.  When I finished working on my photo-book 42 Encounters with Dog Lovers, I wanted more people to learn about what it takes to become their dog’s best friend.  Please buy the book and help me to spread the word, and find my book at encounterspublishing.com or amazon.com.

P.S. I do not know if the dog loving people in my photos have already retired, or are just ready to.  I hope you enjoy these four images.

Cheers,

  

Can You Visit the Same “Bean” Twice?

When it comes to travel, it is a good idea to remember the words of the Greek philosopher Socrates, who was born in 544 BC, who said that “No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it’s not the same river and he is not the same man”.

In other words, why travel to the same cities that we have previously visited? This time, I’m talking about Chicago. We have been here a number of times and are familiar with the downtown area and with most of the local attractions. Nevertheless, we are here again. The “Bean” I have mentioned in the title is a public sculpture, which is actually called “Cloud Gate”, and is the centerpiece at Millennium Park. It was designed by Indian born British artist Sir Anish Kapoor. The first time I photographed it was during our visit here in 2009. It was pouring rain and my image has a very dramatic look (You can see other images from that visit on my website). This time, since I am not the “same man,” my vision as a photographer has evolved, and my images of the “Bean” have changed as well.

My wife Elfa and I are staying in Chicago for four days, visiting with our friends whom we have not seen for many years, relaxing, shopping, eating and photographing, and just being together.

During our absence, Max stayed with his doggy sitter and I missed him. But the book “42 Encounters with Dog Lovers” with his image on the top, which I brought here as a gift for our friends, was a great success.

You can order your own copy at encounterspublishing.com or on amazon.com. Your purchase of the book can help give dogs living at dog shelters a second chance. When you buy the book, go to mannykagan.com and choose which shelter I can donate 10% from the sale price on your behalf.

P.S. Yes, I really enjoy visiting the same places again, especially when we have special friends whom we like to spend time with. The four images of the “Bean” demonstrate how much I’ve changed over the years as a photographer.

Cheers,