‘ARTISTS IN PARADISE’ EXHIBITION; MISSING PAINTING AND THE LOCAL BULLETIN'

I must apologize for the delay in posting, but due to my own fault, my computer failed and I had to find another one to post this one.

The exhibition  ‘Artists in Paradise’, which took place at the Gold coast Council Chambers, displayed works of twelve artists of multicultural background; of which I was one. We represented a cross section of people from countries as different as Israel and Iran, and Europe and China, who made Australia their home. 

Opening night, Friday the 7^th of November, which brought many people together, turned out to be a lively cultural event where everyone felt at home.   

Even though the subject was Australian landscape, the work displayed varied greatly from one another. It did, to a large extend, depict the artist’s background understanding, feeling and visual interpretation, not only as an individual, which all artistic work do, but also according to his/hers place of origin. 

By 10.30 Monday morning, after the exhibition reopened at 9am (being close for the weekend) one of my six paintings displayed was missing. With this experience, I had, and still have, some mixed feeling.  On the one hand, I lost a painting.  On the other, someone might have loved it to such extend, that its disappearance should make me proud. 

Be it as it may, the painting is still missing; AND as each painting I paint it a part of me; a part of my soul, it is upsetting. 

Wanting it back, I contacted our local Newspaper, ‘The Gold Coast Bulletin'. Within a couple of days, the paper posted a story, with my photo and a photo of the missing painting, asking for its return.  

I was overwhelmed by the swift action and by the wonderful attention I got from the Journalist Andrew and Glenn, the photographer, and thanking them I must.  

I must also thank the Bulletin, and the lady that took my call, whose name I don’t know, for their help.

Thank you

Renate

ART POETRY AND WRITINGS

Since my last post, I was busy painting, preparing for an exhibition I am to take part in, and thus the delay.

In preparation for the catalogue, I was asked to introduce and tell something about myself, to be printed in it. This I thought was unnecessary, as my painting will do that for me. Instead, I opted to say something about painting; about my feeling and the point of view I have on the subject.

Having done that, lead me thinking of the other disciplines I am involved in; mainly poetry and writing, and I came to the conclusion that the three are in reality, my reality, the same thing. They all convey the soul of their creator, each in its own unique form.

How come you may ask? Well, what ever you do has your signature. Your signature is not the name you write below, but what underlines your creation. The way you see things; whether in words or in colour; the way you express them; the way you view and approach that which you encounter or that which consumes you. This is the reason, why you can say, all these were created by one person or another.

So what is then, the difference between those various disciplines? The difference is the mode used. When I write a book, I use more characters; have a plot that runs into details. I move through time and events my characters are involved in. I elaborate and extend description and may add some dialogue, or a poem or two to give more personality those characters.

In poetry, I express that which I see, feel or understand, in the shortest and most precise manner, and in rhythm. It is a song in words.

In both forms about, I use words in different ways. In painting I do that visually; in various colour combination that not only interpret what I see, but also show the mood of the subject, or my own, at the time of painting. These apply not only to conventional painting, but to abstract ones as well; and it may be that in the abstract, they play even a more prominent place.

Taking the three forms of expression together, I convey what is within me by utilizing and tantalizing different senses.

Renate
http://www.promisedland-renate.com

AN EVENT ON THE 15TH OF AUGUST

You may have realized by now that I am an extravert, but at the same time, I am shy of accolades. This makes little sense. So how come? Thinking about it I came to the conclusion that it is the result of my upbringing.

My parents, and the society I grew up in, believed that a person should do his/her best and not seek hooray, fame or special acknowledgment. The reward, this premise advocates, lies in the satisfaction of a job well done.

I am telling you that because it took me a long while, and much internal debate, to decide and write about an event that happened to me on the 15th of August of this year.

Few months ago I was approached by the multicultural arm of our City Council if I wanted to participate in, and be interviewed for an event related to local writers of international background.

Realizing at long last, the need to give exposure to my book, I talked myself into it and agreed.

Time passed and nothing happened, so I forgot all about it. Then, out if the blue, I was interviewed twice. Some more weeks passed in complete silence, and a professional photographer came and took some photos of me for the production of a small book related to the above; and the 15th of August of this year was set for its launching.

At 6pm on the day, Gerry and I and several of our friends arrived at the Council Chambers of the City of the Gold coast to be warmly greeted at the door.
There were clusters of couches set around coffee tables throughout the hall and an enlarge photo of each participant in the book, hung on the wall.
Pinned to each photo was a copy of the book, opened at the appropriate photo page that was followed by a five pages article about the depicted person.
Here I was luckier than others, as the photo on the wall differed from that in the booklet, which I posted here for you to see.

Taken by AA Xpose media
As I looked through the book, I realized it has nothing to do with writers, but with people the multicultural arm of our City Council decided worthy of note; and who were depicted in the book as “Exceptional yet ordinary people”. This surprised me greatly. I felt honoured, yet somewhat uncomfortable.

Getting back my balance, I surveyed what is going around. I saw at the far corner people congregate around a table full of titbits and drinks; and circulating waiters moving between festively dressed guests; all talking, meeting new and old friends in a relaxed atmosphere.

A single short official speech opened the event, and every so often, interspersed between food, drinks and friendly chitchat, each of the eleven involved was asked, in random, to address the visitors. This kept the evening informal friendly and very sociable and it was great.

As each of us spoke, the diversity of the group came to light. Each came from another country and another culture; From the Maori of New Zealand to Iran, to Israel, Europe and so on – displaying a successful melting pot of people who integrated into the Australian cultural scene that now call Australia home. It was an evening to remember, and I thank the organizers of this wonderful event.

Renate
Artist, poet & the Author of
From the Promised Land to the Lucky Country

http://www.promisedland-renate.com

TRIBUTE TO A SOUL MATE

In this last post about marriage I’d like to pay tribute to my husband, my love and my life long friend, Gerry, by posting the poem I wrote in Hebrew and in English, for our 39th wedding anniversary.

Before I get to the poem itself, I would like to tell you how I went about presenting it to him; for he happened to in Europe and I in Australia on this particular day.
So let’s go back in time:

Here I am buying a card with 3 red roses painted on a white background. I print the poem out in both languages; and mail it all to Europe.
Having done that, I phone Gerry,
I sent you a letter, I say, don’t open it till I asked you to, and leave it next to the phone.
I know very well that he will do as I asked, and he does.

On the day, which happens to be a Sunday, and ready with a beautiful love song on a tape recorder, I phone. I hear Gerry lift the receiver, and with not a word I start the music.
Gerry listens for a minute, and hangs up.
I phone again,
He answers again, and the receiver goes down again.
This is getting too difficult. He will never stay on the phone for long enough to find out what it’s all about!
I phone again.
He lifts the receiver again.
I say – listen and don’t lower the receiver; now, open the envelope, take the two pages out and follow my reading.
The music is playing and I intersperse it with the poem in the appropriate point of reference, in the two languages, as rehearsed.
He follows my reading.
I have finished reading – there is silence on the other end; a long protracted and meaningful silence. Then I hear him say,
I could never give you a wonderful present like this one…
I am happy and relieved. All went well.

Gerry and I two weeks before our wedding

TO YOU MY LOVE

I looked into your eyes
Your heart leaped with love.
I looked unto your smiling face
Its radiance bewitched me.

My hand in yours, with joy,
My heart trembling,
Our first steps together, like infants,
So many moons ago.

Into the ocean of life,
With arrogance of youth, naiveté,
We spread our wings,
We reached to the sky.

Like waves verse calm,
High mountains and deep valleys,
We’ve known the heights of love and passion,
The lows of despair.

Like thunder and lightning verse,
The rising sun on a spring morning,
We drew strength from each other,
We enriched our lives.

Mature and some-what wiser,
We lost the arrogance,
We unmasked naiveté
and Now my love;

There is so much in my heart
I know not how to express
For I am lost for words
Not knowing...

In my hands;
A horse- shoe, driftwood,
Flowers and green twigs,
A nesting bird.

I present them to you, for that,
Which I fail to put into words.
I present them to you,
My love.

 Renate Dec. 1993

Gerry and I last year – after 54 years of marriage

Renate

http://www.promisedland-renate.com/

LOVE IN MARRIAGE,

It took me a long time to gather and organise my thoughts on this particular subject, for it is the most important element in a successful marriage; and the most difficult to writing about. It is the one that underlines everything within it; and is the glue that keeps it together.

Unfortunately the word ‘Love’ has been over-used and abused and does no longer express that which I think it should. It has become a substitute for words like sex; lust and desire, and is used as a form of greeting etc.

Love it self, takes many forms: There is the love of a parent for example, which is very different to the love between a couple; and a couple’s love does change with time and circumstances. So what do I see as love in marriage?

First and foremost, I see marriage, in our western society, as the natural progress of a love relationship that started with a strong attraction two people had, and still have, to one another. A step up if you will. A step of what the Chinese call – ‘becoming whole with the other’; or a step where ‘one has found one’s soul-mate’,

If I dissect and look at love from a detached angle – I can see it as being a very selfish act. You love one, because he/she makes you feel good, makes you feel wanted, makes you feel worthy and so on. You love one to satisfy your need to lavish another with all the goodness of your heart; emotionally, physically and materially, which in turn makes you feel well about yourself.

It is true that some loves aren’t being reciprocated. This is very sad indeed, and has no place in marriage.

You get married because you think your other half will give you all of the above and more. This, however, applys to that other half as well, and here, some of the compromise and adjustments I spoke of before, come in.

.

Being possessed by love, full of admiration adoration, and passion, you get married, and love turns a corner. Now you want to build a nest where love can flourish. This corner is the first of many, where everyone that follows brings new and exciting experiences, regardless if good or bad; for you grow together with each. Here the operative word is – together. If you do not do it together, you grow apart.

Before we got married, Gerry wanted to wait till he will be well established; to look after me in a manner I was not accustomed to. For me, this was an odd notion. I felt strongly that I do not want someone to ‘look after me’. I wanted the right to achieve and enjoy the process. Thus, we did not wait, did everything together, and it turned out to be the right decision.

As we go through the various stages of life and mature, love adjusts and matures as well. It becomes, to a very great extent, a deep friendship of mutual understanding, admiration, reliance and trust.

This process, however, depends on the individuals involved; because one can fall in love and one can fall out of love according to the way he/she synchronizes its thought processes. You can see the good and the best in your beloved, or you can look, and for sure find, that which you don’t like or which irritates you, and what you eventually hate.

Through out our 54 years of marriage we never thought of not loving each other. We never looked outside the square of our marriage. We always worked together for our mutual progress within that marriage.

We always trusted each other implicitly, and I do mean implicitly;

Marriage is a contract. If you don’t want to keep it, don’t get into it.

With us, the door was and is always open; neither of us needs to stay. We got into this contract because we wanted to. Because we loved each other and still do. And as I said before – without love – there is no marriage.

During all the years, we constantly found and still find things we want to do and achieve. We rarely, if ever, sit idle waiting for life to pass us by. We talk a lot on different subjects we encounter, share, learn and experience new things and new developments; and stay alert to that which is around us.

We dance with passion and socialize, and at the same time give room to each other according to each needs and wants. AND most importantly – we do laugh at ourselves. We can see the funny side of us and of each of us; and often, it is very healing.

We hug, kiss and laugh and always touch or stroke each other when we pass by, bar for when we are mad at each other, which does come up here and there in any relationship; and are not shy of asking very personal question and sharing very personal thoughts. This does not mean that we do not criticise each other as well – we do.

Yes another thing I just remember, from time to time, spontaneously and out of the blue, we tell each other in various forms that we love them.

All of the above comes naturally to us and it reaffirms that which we got married for in the first place.

We live in a disposable world, but love is not a disposable commodity. It is too emotional, precious and dainty to be discarded or done away with, without deep and long lasting hurtful consequences to all involved.

Renate

Artist, poet & the Author of

 From the Promised Land to the Lucky Country  

http://www.promisedland-renate.com/

THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE ALPHABET SYSTEM OF WRITING.

Having looked more into the beginning of writing, I found that in large, the basic knowledge of the roots of writing, have not changed. This was till I saw a documentary about a place named Aratta, which is being unearthed by archaeologists in the high mountains of today’s north Iran - south east to what was Sumer in Mesopotamia (today’s Iraq).

For generations Aratta was thought of as only a myth, an epic Mesopotamian tale. Today Aratta has become a reality; where excavations reveal a very healthy and rich kingdom that apparently had an alphabetic writing system already in 2500BC!

As this new information is still in its infancy, I will return to the common data, which is very fascinating indeed. So here we go -

Pictorial writing, which the Chinese and Japanese still use, is very difficult to learn and use. The old Coniform and hieroglyphics were even more difficult to handle, as their transportation from place to place was too cumbersome; for recording movements of goods, commerce; and contracts among nations. The need to simplify brought about the alphabetical system, where few letters can be used in different combinations, to mean different words, and are easily learnt, used and transported.

The alphabetical system started in Canaan (more or less today’s Israel, Lebanon & the Sinai), by the Semitic people who lived there. Tradition puts the Phoenician as the first to start this system, followed by the Hebrews. Both were part of Canaan and both languages were very similar.

As everything else, the alphabetical system went through trial and errors till it settled with 22 letters. These were, in the progress of time, changed, added to or replaced, to accommodate for the sounds the various tongues have.

At the beginning all letters followed one another. There were no spaces between the words, or any identifying marks for the beginning or end of sentences. This makes a lot of sense in my opinion as it followed the manner of speech. If you pay attention to the way we speak, you will find that we do speak in a running fashion.

When writing began, it was written to all direction: right to left; left to right; up and down and even at one stage; back and forth with the eye movement. Even though it shortened the time needed for the eyes to return to the beginning of the line to start reading the next, it was probably dropped because of the need to learn writing in both directions. At the end it has settled to be written and read from right to left. Surprise? You should be. We do take our way of writing for granted, don’t we?

The truth of the matter is that all alphabetical writing, in whatever form and shape developed from this one corner of the world, and Semitic writing was already found in Egypt next to Egyptian Hieroglyphics, dated to around 1900BC.

By what I understand, the pictorial Hieroglyphic as well as Cuneiform were the base point from where the alphabetical system started. It took the schematic drawing of an object, simplified it and used it as a symbol of the first sound of the displayed object’s name. For example, and just to clarify, Take the word ‘Door’. Draw a schematic door. Name it – D. Now you have a letter that depicts the ‘D’ sound. Now, you can place it anywhere where the written word needs that sound – Drive, said, riddle and so on… Ingenious, isn’t it?

Following the same line of reasoning, the written words had no vowels or any other means of identifying that vowels give. In reality one can read words without vowels, as readers of Hebrew and Arabic, as well as some users of emails and SMS will attest.

The vowels are a Greek invention. They developed through changing the use of some existing letters and by addition of some new ones. The Greeks were also those who changed the direction of writing to go from left to right.

As I wrote before, all alphabetical forms of writing developed from the Semitic writing; be it the Latin, which we use, the Greek, or the Russian forms of writings, and even the various Asiatic ones.

Like everything else, writing had to develop, and evolve, to meet the changes in society and specific needs of every tongue. It also had to change; according to the logic of each group of people, Looking at those changes one can hardly believe that all alphabetical systems have come from the one same root. Today, Hebrew and Arabic are still written and read from right to left. So when I write or read Hebrew, I go from right to left and reverse the order when in English, \

Renate

Artist, poet and the author of

From the Promised Land to the Lucky Country

See my website at -

http://www.promisedland-renate.com

ISRAEL'S ACHIEVEMENTS IN THE FIRST MONTH OF 2008

Israel, with a population of around 7 millions, and only 20,770 sq km of land, is one of the 100 smallest countries in the world. (Even smaller than New Jersey).

Even though so small, Israel contributes in a large way to the betterment of our daily life.

On the right side of this blog there is a column about Israel achievement, which I have posted about a year ago. Since then, Israel has achieved many other things of which I have no record. However, I was lucky to get a list of her achievement during the month of January of this year alone, and thought you may like to read it as well. So here it is:

1. Scientists in Israel, found that the brackish water, drilled from underground desert aquifers, hundreds of feet deep, could be used to raise warm-water fish. The geothermal water, less than one-tenth as saline as sea water, free of pollutants, and a toasty 98° on average, proves an ideal environment.

2. Israeli-developed designer-eyeglasses, promise mobile phone and iPod users, a personalized, high-tech video display. Available to US consumers next year, Lumus-Optical's lightweight and fashionable video eyeglasses, feature a large transparent screen, floating in front of the viewer's face that projects their choice of movie, TV show, or video Game.

3. When Stephen Hawkins visited Israel recently, he shared his wisdom with scientists, students, and even the Prime Minister. But the world's most renown victim of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), or Lou Gehrig's disease, also learned something, due to the Israeli Association for ALS' advanced work in both embryonic and adult stem cell research, as well as its proven track record with neurodegenerative diseases, the Israeli research community is well on its way, to finding a treatment for this fatal disease, which affects 30,000 Americans.

4. Israeli start-up, Veterix, has developed an innovative new electronic capsule that sits in the stomach of a cow, sheep, or goat, sending out real-time information on the health of the herd, to the farmer via Email or cell phone. The e-capsule, which also sends out alerts if animals are distressed, injured, or lost, is now being tested on a herd of cows, in the hopes that the device will lead to tastier and healthier meat and milk supplies. <<>

5. The millions of Skype users worldwide will soon have access to the newly developed KishKish lie-detector. This free internet service, based on voice stress analysis (a technique, commonly used in criminal investigations), will be able to measure just how truthful that person on the other end of the line, really is.

6. Beating cardiac tissue has been created in a lab from human embryonic stem cells by researchers at the Rappaport Medical Faculty and the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology's biomedical Engineering faculty. The work of Dr. Shulamit Levenberg and Prof. Lior Gepstein, has also led to the creation of tiny blood vessels within the tissue, making possible its implantation in a human heart.

7. Israel's Magal Security Systems, is a worldwide leader in computerized security systems, with products used in more than 70 countries around the world, protecting anything from national borders, to nuclear facilities, refineries, and airpo rts. The company's latest Product, DreamBox, a state-of-the-art security system that includes Intelligent video, audio and sensor management, is now being used by a major water authority on the US east coast to safeguard the utility's sites.

8. It is common knowledge that dogs have better night vision than humans and a vastly superior sense of smell and hearing. Israel's Bio-Sense Technologies, recently delved further, and electronically analyzed 350 different barks. Finding that dogs of all breeds and sizes, bark the same alarm when they sense a threat, the firm has designed the dog bark-reader, a sensor that can pick up a dog's alarm bark, and alert the human operators. This is just one of a batch of innovative security systems to emerge from Israel, which Forbes calls 'the go-to country for anti-terrorism technologies.'

9. Israeli company, BioControl Medical, sold its first electrical stimulator to treat urinary incontinence to a US company for $50 Million. Now, it is working on CardioFit, which uses electrical nerve stimulation to treat congestive heart failure. With nearly five million Americans presently affected by heart failure, and more than 400,000 new cases diagnosed yearly, the CardioFit is already generating a great deal of excitement as the first device with the potential to halt this deadly disease.

10. One year after Norway's Socialist Left Party launched its boycott Israel campaign, the importing of Israeli goods has increased by 15%, the strongest increase in many years, Statistics Norway reports.

Renate

Artist, poet and the author of

'From the Promised Land to the Lucky Country'

To look inside my book Click here

To see more of my book click on this link

http://www.promisedland-renate.com 

ANIMALS AND THEIR YOUNG

I wanted to tell you about the experience we had with our cat and dog in growin their young. I fellt that the best way of doin doing so is by copy the stories out of my book ‘From the Promised Land to the Lucky Country’, which is available on www.amazon.com No. 1419633074.

Our cat 'Pooss"

One day, the kids find a very hungry looking black and white stray cat, amongst the trees at the back yard. She has a badly healed and ugly looking injury along one of her back legs. Taking pity on her, they adopt her and name her ‘Pooss.’

Pooss becomes pregnant, and her first-born is an albino with practically no hair. She nurses it for a couple of days, till she delivers two more. Then, she disappears with the albino and returns without it.

Pooss turns out to be the best mother I have ever seen. She instructs her kittens in the ways of a cat, teaching them to hunt, walk in a line, and take their turn while she encourages them to jump down from high places. She is not shy of reprimanding them when they dare step out of line, and spanks them or puts them in the corner when they deserve it - only to lick them afterwards. And you know, she never read a book about how to bring up her young.

Our dog Tara

… Tara has started digging under the clinic building and is taking all the sand out of there. We are worried the building will fall over if she continues this way, and the children are working hard returning it. Yet Tara does not stop. She is determined, leaving us no option but to succumb and hope for the best.

The building does not collapse, and Tara has her den. Once she enters, she refuses to come out, and in there she has her pups. However, she needs to be fed and we need to know what’s going on. So the children are taking turns crawling under the building. A day passes, and nothing happens. The following day, we have our two pups and think that’s it, but Tara is not coming out. We increase her feeding to about five times daily, with meat, milk and cheese in big amounts, and she finishes it all up. A day later, she has another couple of pups, and every time the children go under the house, they find some more. At the end of four days, Sharon crawls out very excited,

‘I have counted ten or eleven. But I’m not sure. Its difficult to see.’

Gill goes under the house, counts, and thinks there are eleven, but is not so sure either. Now, all we can do is wait and see.

At long last, Tara comes out and urinates for about half an hour and returns to her den. She has no more pups, but we have a tribe.

Tara stays under the house for some more days feeding her brood until she thinks they can venture out. Now, we can see their progress. We notice she does not care who feeds and who doesn’t. She has eight active tits for eleven mouths and it is not enough. Therefore, we make sure to rotate the pups and see the little ones are not disadvantaged. Each time one of the bigger ones falls asleep, we pull a little one from underneath the heap of pups, and put it on top to suck at a vacant tit. That way we lose none.

Eleven pups to look after are a lot, and Tara has not a minute’s peace, so she institutes an imaginary line of demarcation the puppies are not allowed to cross. Each time one of them dares to try, she opens her mouth over its head, shakes it and roars. The little one then cringes and disappears as fast as his little legs will carry him.

Even though still very young, you can already see their individual characters...

If you have a animal story, why not share it with me.

Renate

Artist, poet and the author of

'From the Promised Land to the Lucky Country'

To look inside my book Click here

To see more of my book click on this link

http://www.promisedland-renate.com 

Keeping the marriage alive

So how do we keep a marriage alive when our responsibility towards the survival of our human specie has been fulfilled?

What reason is there for living; when our children purport to know more than we ever did or do; and where our collected and collective wisdom has no use to anyone?

Well, we do what all generations before us could not do – we liberate ourselves back to our youth, with the added bonus of a life long experience.

Now we can learn, grow and experience anew. We can venture into new pursuits of our own choosing and at our own volition; and thus enriching ourselves, the society we live in, and the world at large; in a fresh and unique way.

For me, getting to this stage in life was enlivening; as I am sure it is to many a woman. It gave me the time and the opportunity to express myself and do all that I could not do before. It gave me the opportunity to be myself and live my own life.

For the man in my life, who had to stop work due to a car accident, retirement was a forced and traumatic event, which took a hard and painful toll. He lost all he loved doing, felt useless and dejected, and took years to heal.

Most men find retirement hard to swallow in any event, and the battle in this instant was even greater, since Gerry did never want to retire in the first place.

Now the question is, how do you adjust to this new situation? What do you do, or how do you go about it?

Once Gerry got better, I approached him and said,

Till now we did what had to be done as well as pursued your interests (which were in the realm of both his chosen professions), now it’s my time; and he agreed.

Not only did he agree, but he also started to actively take over the running of the household, one thing at a time. This was not easy. He had to learn all he’d never done before, and the way I did it. Slowly, he got the hang of things and changed them according to his own way of thinking.

On top of it, he took closer interest in my newly developed interests and encouraged me to continue with my pursuits.

Nowadays, he does all shopping and errands, and most of the household chores, while I join in whenever I can.

As a matter of fact, when any of us notices something to be done, we just go ahead and do it, or help the one who is already at it, if time permits. If we not, we ask to be excused for whatever the reason is.

With these important parts of daily life out of the way, we realised the need each of us has for a private space of his/her own - an uninterrupted time to be oneself for oneself. Allowing for this private space was, and is, one of the most important pillars in keeping a healthy marriage.

As importance as the above is, it only forms a base for a smooth and cohesive daily life. It does not keep the marriage alive, does it? So how do you do that?

Well, we did and do that by continuing to be who we are, and by doing what we always did, but - without the handicaps of direct family responsibilities of looking after children, dogs, cats, fish, you name it. We have only the two of us to look after, just as we were at the beginning:

We talk and debate a lot, laugh a lot, and dance passionately. We do old things, new things, and exciting as well as not so exciting things. We go for new projects, travel places, meet with friends all over the world and communicate via cyberspace with old and new acquaintances.

From them we learn of changes in places we left behind and of ways of life we have never encountered. In short – we live with all the gusto we did before.

BUT now, we do it with an added bonus. A bonus of knowing one another so much better - AND we like what we know, as well as what we see; even though it has wear and tear signs here and there.

Now we are free to ask each other questions we did not dare ask before; question relating to our most inner feelings, for example. We can share in the different reactions and feeling each of us has from his/her unique prospective; and by doing so, learn more about each other. AND we are not shy of laughing at ourselves and at one another, in good spirit and with no malice.

Having gone through all the above, I can see still one important subject to cover, which is the love in a long marriage.

This I will leave for my next posting on the fascinating subject of a long and happy marriage.

Renate

Artist, poet and the author of

From the Promised Land to the Lucky Country

to look inside my book

Click here

 To go to my website
http://www.promisedland-renate.com 

WRITING

In one of our monthly ‘Poetry in Paradise” group meeting, I read a love poem I presented Gerry with, on our 39^th wedding anniversary. When members realised I wrote it in Hebrew as well, I was asked to read it in that language.

Since the poem was too long to be read to people who do not understand the language, I opted for a short one I had in both languages as well; to be presented at a later date.

Then, I thought it would be wise to say few words about the structure of the language, as the Hebrew is so different from the English. On top of it, being the language of the Bible and so very old, a quick rundown about its long history may be interesting.

As per usual, I looked deeper into the subject before talking about it, to make sure my information is correct. This led me to the fascinating subject of the origin of write.

It is funny, but we do take writing for granted, as we do many other things; and we never think how they came about.

Many of us, me included, think or thought that the Egyptian hieroglyphics were the first form of writing. But I learnt that it wasn’t so. I learnt that the first to write were the Sumerians in Mesopotamia, where Abraham came from.

Their type of writing, called ‘Coniform’, started because of their need to record their commercial activities.

They started by dabbing reed ends into wet rectangular shaped clay tablets before they dried out and hardened. One dab stood for number 1, two for 2 and so on.

Many of these tablets were found, and are on display in the British museum in London; They are huge; standing larger than man one next to the other; and next to tablets etched with full size figures of the those Sumerians who used it – An extra ordinary and very impressive sight indeed.

In those days, Egypt had a backwards society, and the Sumerians, the world’s first civilization, apparently brought writing to the Egyptians with their commercial endeavours; thus instigating the development of the Hieroglyphics. Those Hieroglyphics were, at the beginning, used primarily for religious purposes.

The Cuneiform and Hieroglyphics recoding systems were very cumbersome and not transportable, and there was a need for an easier way of writing to develop. This need brought about the development of the Alfa Bait system, on which I will enlarge in my next posting on this fascinating subject.

Renate

Artist, poet and the author of

From the Promised Land to the Lucky Country

See my website at -

http://www.promisedland-renate.com

Marriage –When kids and the Jobs are gone – what then?

Once children have come of age, they need to ‘fly out of the nest’ so to speak. They need to leave their parents’ home and build a life for themselves. This is nature’s way.

There are, however, instances where the parents do not want to let children go. I think that that comes from fear of not being needed or wanted any more. But children have the right to their own lives; mistakes and success. They deserve to experience all facets of life with all the ups and downs it brings.

The question of ‘what shell I do now?’ does come up at times; a vacuum one may not know how to fill.

For us this was never a problem, because we married each other - not the kids. They were the product of our love, not the aim, neither the centre of it.

With them gone, we had a chance of another honeymoon; filled with the experience, knowledge, and may be some wisdom we may have gained, within the years.

Now came the time to solely enjoying one another’s company, grow and develop and experience new things and ventures.

I am a great believer that we should experience and learn all we can while on this earth. I do not think one gets a second chance at that; not in this time and place in any event. So why waste it?

I must confess at this juncture, that the most difficult time one has to endure and adjust to, is the time when a partner, or both, stop work. This is not as hard on women as it is on men.

Women are better in multitasking, because they have to, and can therefore always find something to occupy themselves.

Men, most of who did only, or practically only, one task at a time, are often lost once they retire. Having lost their job, they often lose their station in life, and at times, the friends they made during their working years.

Those men who did not prepare themselves for their ‘golden age’ are in real difficulties, and not knowing what to do with themselves, they nag their spouses to the ends degree.

There are also those who think that even though they have nothing to do, their wives should continue to look after them: cook, clean, launder, serve them and so on. This never works, and is very contentious.

It is the hardest time in a marriage, as far as I am concerned, and can only be solved by discussing and putting down parameters for both to live by.

A couple must acknowledge the uniqueness of each other, allow them the time to pursue their individual goals, and respect their need of their private space.

Renate Artist, poet and the author of From the Promised Land to the Lucky Country To see more of my book click on this link

www.promisedland-renate,com

To look inside my book Click here

ANIMAL STORIES

It’s a long time since I posted animals stories, or mentioned them in any shape or form. Today, I’d like to air some of what I think and feel, which I have not voiced before.

From day to day we find out more about the animals that share our world, and I often wondered, why we humans think we are the top of creation; shying away from recognising animals’ abilities we do not understand.

More surprising is the fact that we equate and judge other species by our own criteria and our own abilities, which do not include that which we do not see, feel, hear, or acknowledge.
Even more surprising is the belief some of us have, that it is our god given right to do, or use, other species in any way we please;
We human, enslave them, hurt them, and experiment on them for a so called “our own good” - How disgusting!

Many animals I came across do amazing adjustments to live and survive in our midst:
We never learn to adjust to the language our dogs speak - they adjust to us.
We put animals in circuses to entertain us - teaching them tricks that are out of their natural range of movements, and they do – even when it hurts them.
AND we take away their freedom, by putting them in zoos; for us to watch every single movement they do,
We deny them the right to live the way nature intended, AND we put them in laboratory cages to cut them, maim them, induce illness in them, genetically change them; under the rotten excuse of ‘Scientific Research”, just because they cannot object, or if and when they do - we shoot them!

I have said my piece here and I hope many of you are enrage just as I am.

Having said that, I’d like to show you some of the amazing things animals do and how they interact with us, and at times, form friendships across the species divide, by their own want and volition. So here I go:

Our son and family had a cockatiel in a cage, to which, as you already know I strongly object. However, they were going for holiday and gave us the bird to look after while they were gone.
It came in a large cage that same evening; with clothe to cover the cage for the night, a packet full of food; and a string of instructions to follow.
Come morning I take the clothe off the cage as instructed, said hello and good morning to the bird, refresh the water, put some food in the dish , and go back to my morning chores.
The phone rings. The tone is not the usual one our phones have, but it is constant.
I lift the receiver - there is no one at the other end.
I shrug my shoulder, put the receiver down, and return to my chores.
The phone rings again and it is the same story.
After a couple of more calls, I decide to follow its root, and end at the bird’s cage.
Getting there, the ring stops, and the Cockatiel is talking to me.
I say hi and return to my tasks.
The phone rings again.
I come to the cage and the bird is talking to me again.

I try this couple of more times, and realise the bird want to converse with me;
it has learned people come when the phone rings!
I decide to try and communicate.

Gerry and I have a whistle we used to use, before the days of the mobile phone. It was a fairly long and some what complicated segment of a song. I wanted to see how the bird will react.
I told her all about it and then whistled it. She listened intensely, with her head bend to one side and to the other. As I stopped, she said some thing to me that I understood her asking me to repeat it. As I finished, she started to repeat it.
Each time she asked for a repeat, I obliged, and she continued to learn.
She got the first and last parts correctly, but had difficulties getting the middle, which was somewhat more complicated.

We continued to communicate that way for the 10 days she was with us, and it was beautiful. I am sure that if we would have been together permanently, we would have had a large vocabulary between us.

My daughter in law, Lynne, had a Goldfish that we suspect of not being a goldfish at all. It continued to grow and grow and was still alive seven years later.
As it continued growing, it got a bigger aquarium, even though he was on his own. He did not like company and used to eat those that were brought in to keep him company.

To make sure he will not be bored, Lynne put him on the kitchen bench, so that he can be a part of the activities around.
He had a silvery golden colour and two large protruding eyes that followed every move around him.
Every evening, at 5pm on the dot, he will nock on the glass and remind Lynne that it is time for him to get his meal!

I have received the following from EllieBlue on Stumble upon. She was replying to my post about Crows:

Renate,
I too have a high regard for crows. We had one as a pet. She was knocked out of her nest during a storm. She was very affectionate but naughty. She would sneak visitors’ biros etc from their pockets and my mother's pegs from the clothesline. She loved it when we set up a dish for her to bath in.

~Hugs~
Sandra

To finish off, here is a link to a clip of an elephant painting

www.youtube.com/watch?v=_LHoyB81LnE

Enjoy.
Renate
Artist, poet and the author of
From the Promised Land to the Lucky Country
To see more of my book click on this link
http://www.promisedland-renate.com
To look inside my book Click here

LIVING WITH SNOW

While many in the northern hemisphere are still living in snowy condition, we in Australia left our summer, which was no summer, behind; and have officially entered autumn.

Seeing on the news the heavy snowstorms some of you went through, reminded me of our snow experiences when we arrived in Davenport Iowa to study chiropractic. You see, we never lived with snow before.

I thought you’d get a kick out of reading about some of the ‘living with snow’ adjustments we went through. I have therefore copied a small section out of my book – “from the promised Land to the lucky Country,” that illustrates, in a small way, the many surprises we got. I hope you get a giggle or two out of it.

“Living with snow is new to us, and deep winters of below freezing point are something we have never encountered. Of black ice or sleet, we did not even hear. From what we have seen in films and on TV, snow is white and beautiful. We know that people wear heavy winter clothing at snow time, but it never occurs to us how cold it really is, or what being that cold feels like. The coldest we have ever experienced is the occasional 5°C, and that at night, while tucked nicely in our warm beds. And here we are - completely unprepared for what’s coming.

Early on a sunny morning, with not a cloud to be seen and with the house nice and warm, I decide to empty the rubbish. Walking out of the kitchen door, I have the shock of my life when I find myself hitting the footpath with a heavy thump. Sitting there on a very sore, cold and wet behind, I cannot for the life of me figure out what made me fall. Ignoring it, I step off the path and go to the bin next to the drive. There, I slip down the black-ice-covered ramp, and cannot get up again. Lying sprawled on my tummy in full daylight, trying to crawl up the lawn, all I can see is frozen water droplets and nothing to grab hold of. Finally, I give up and walk very slowly along the public footpath and around the corner to the front steps. At the steps, matters aren’t getting any easier. The steps are as slippery as the car ramp is, and sloped as well. In desperation, I hang on to the single pipe side-rail that is just as frozen. With all the might and determination I can muster, and with hands burning as if I have just been cooked alive, I succeed in getting to the front door exhausted. “

Renate
Artist, poet & the Author of
From the Promised Land to the Lucky Country  

To read reviews and testaments go to http://www.promisedland-renate.com

To look into the book Click here

NEW REVIEW AND ACCOLADE

Hope you who celebrate Easter had a happy time and enjoyed the gathering family and friends.

To those of you, who celebrate the Pesach to come – Happy Pesach.

Few days ago I got a lovely accolade about my book as well as a 4 ½ star view, and I am proud to share them with you,

17.3.08
From the Promised Land to the Lucky Country' - Renate

Renate writes the engrossing story of her life from the pre-Hitler good times in Germany through great traumas and adventures in different parts of the world to a satisfying retirement in Australia.

"I was born with a silver spoon in my mouth that was snatched from me before I had time to get used to it, and therefore I did not really miss it."

She writes in an open, honest way of the changes in Israel/Palestine where she grew up and experienced the War of Independence, to adjusting to a new life in Australia. She embraces the changes and the challenges of running a private hospital while caring for a young family. We share in her joys and adventures, which take her round the world.

Interspersed throughout the book are some of her poems, which express deep emotions. This book "From the Promised Land to the Lucky Country" gives a fascinating insight into a remarkable life.

All the best
Elga Kenins (Gold Coast Australia)

20.3.08
Hi Renate,
I'd like to give the book a rating of 4 and a half stars. I thought it was a fabulous book and deserves to do brilliantly.
Elga Kenins (Gold coast, Australia)

To see more about my book click on this link
http://www.promisedland-renate.com

To look inside my book Click here

Renate
Artist, poet and the author of
From the Promised Land to the Lucky Country

My 77th Birthday.

I have arrived at the age of 77 and it hit me,

In three years time you’ll be 80! Wow! Sounds awful!

Then I thought again,

In reality, it is not awful at all - it is an achievement:

I look at the mirror and there are signs of wear, tear, and marks of experience, as well as some extra kilos I can do without. But there are no ailments, no medicine to take; and a blood pressure of 120/80 is nothing to complain about.

I go for walks, body surf and dance –turning and twirling with delight – which is pretty good, and very enjoyable –
I know, I should do more of that…
BUT the computer does not let me, it seems to demand more and more of my time. This is bad, isn’t it?
I hear a voice whisper,

‘Don’t think you are only one who does that,’

Yes. You are right, but that does not change the fact. It only says that you should not do it either, doesn’t it?
It’s true. I should move away from the computer and leave some things for tomorrow…
But… can I? ….

This dialogue is getting me nowhere. I’d better turn my attention to the box I carry on my shoulder,

Well, I decided to keep it. The grey matter within it seems to do a good job, so why change it? As a matter of fact, it seems to be working overtime and is getting better each day.
Does that surprise you? It shouldn’t. You know the saying,

‘Use it - or lose it?,’

I decided:

Better to use it, than to lose it.

As a matter of fact, there are many things I can do today I could not do when I was younger. I have the tools years of accumulating knowledge bring. I can weave together, unknowingly, new understandings, plane new ventures and set new goals without the demands of a growing family and job obligations.

I can achieve all I’ve never dreamed of before - I have reached the golden age. I arrived, and plan to stay here for another fifty years or so, to be able to fulfil all I have put in front of me.

Having come to this conclusion, I look back into my past, and think, Lucky you, you have, in spite of all the difficulties, which are really just challenges, chosen the best period in history to come into this world, and to experience life in places and times your ship docked you in.

Why is that?

It’s because I have been lucky, fortunate or whatever you care to call it, to pick out of the barrel parents who taught me how make hard decisions; How to face adversities without running away; and never complain when the going is tough. They did this by example, by their own actions - not by words.
Not only that, but above all,

They gave me a second change at life by choosing to leave Germany the year Hitler came into power.

By doing so they did not only save my life, but they also gave me one full of purpose and aim to aspire to. They brought me into a society bursting with camaraderie that worked very hard to re-establish Jewish life in the Land of Israel; make the desert bloom, and resurrect the State of Israel – a once in many life-times chance not many get.

I also was fortunate to get out of this barrel a wonderful partner: my life long friend, lover, and the father of our children, who is still with me doting over me.
He taught me how to fly an aircraft instead of flying off the handle at every little thing.
He also taught me to put all the cards on the table and discuss matters sensibly, which made our marriage work.
With him, I had the honour of understanding Chiropractic, which changed my health fortune and my way of looking at life and at the universe at large.

And how lucky am I to witness the first Radio that came into our lives, the first phone connected in our area; the first T.V show when many countries did not have it as yet. Fly in propeller driven aircraft, be a part of every development since, and be able to sit here and write to you from afar though the net.

Now, at 77, I do all that I had no time for when I was working and had the family to attend to.

Since retirement, I wrote a book, which I am trying to promote; as well as about 45 to 50 poems; and painted about the same number of paintings, that I have started to put into a gift book of poems, painting and Life (or thoughts – not so sure about which word I should use here – inputs are invited).

I made my own website and blog, where I write as regularly as I can. I learn all I can on subjects I like, socialize regularly, and travel every so often.

At times I am lost not knowing what to do first, as I would like to do it all at the same time. But I know that is not possible.
I find the days not long enough, neither the weeks nor the years, and think that about another fifty years will do it for me.

So, did I choose the right and places I lived? I think I did.

Now, I'd like to wish a

‘ Happy birthday’>
To all who are having their 77th this month.
I do sincerely hope that you are getting frustrated from over doing rather than under doing

Renate
Artist, poet and the author of
From the Promised Land to the Lucky Country
To look inside my book Click here

A thank you note to an insurance company

You would not believe it, but we have a wonderful insurance company. It restored our trust in an industry, which unfortunately, dished out to us throughout the years, more ill will then good.

Do you remember the water that rained down our family room ceiling, in my post about homecoming?

Well, our insurer – The Australian Pensioners Insurance (APIA), who caters for people over 50 on part time work or retired, was amazing.

The minute we informed them of our problem, they sent their assessor out. The following day, we got reimbursed for money expended on a plumber we engaged first off, and a couple of visitors; who set up four huge fans in strategic positions; to dry the wet ceiling, carpet and walls; and who immediately took one of our rugs for cleaning.

Three days later, when all dried out, the rug came back, and the fans where taken away.

Being around Christmas time, the company was unable to find tradesmen to finish the job before the holiday; and they were beside themselves.

Soon after, a woman plasterer arrived to close the cuts Gerry cut into the ceiling and one of the walls while looking for the source of the water. She was followed by a painter and a carpet cleaner. All we had to do throughout all this process; was to answer phone calls to arrange suitable dates and times, be home to open the door for tradesmen, and confirm the quality of their work, which was superb.

And I must stress - all tradesmen, bar none, were professional to a tee, friendly and obliging. A real pleasure. What more would one want, and how refreshing! What a company -
Thank you APIA.

Renate
Artist, poet and the author of
From the Promised Land to the Lucky Country

To look inside my book Click here

Marriage 4th Posting - The family unite and children

This is my forth posting on the subject of marriage.
When I started, I thought I could encompass all I have to say in one or two posts, but it seems I was wrong, so here I am again, looking at 'children within the family unit.'

We waited five years before having our first child.

Our marriage started on a rocky economical base with an income one could barely survive on, which resulted in immigration to a new country two years later.

Our life in the new country was fraught with language difficulties, professional re- examination to comply with the then Australian government laws, and unemployment. To top it all up, we fell into an environment that was emotionally as well as economically foreign to us. We had to grasp a completely new way of thinking and adjust to a completely different social structure and behaviour. AND, naturally, we lost the standing and support of the society we left behind. We were all alone at the bottom of everything, searching for answers. This delayed our family building by five years.
Most couples do not have to make the adjustments we have had to make. Therefore, a couple of years or so should suffice to adjust to each other and create a financial base on which to build a family.

Once a child comes to the world, it joins an existing, functional family unit. And I must stress - joins an existing functional unit. It comes into this unit as a participant, with all the requirements, privileges and responsibilities it entails, and according to its abilities and needs.
He/she does not, nor should ever; assume a centre position like that of a king or queen, which enslaves its parents.
This was the premise with which most of my generation grew up; and with this premise - all fell in to place.

Why did this premise work?
It worked because the parents’ duty is to prepare their offspring to become decent, responsible human being who fit into their society with no difficulties. The society will accept the grown child as a participant, under the terms I have mentioned before, and the home is its the training ground. It is where the child learns how to behave and interact with others; and children with siblings, receive an extra bonus, and fare much better.

Children try their parents day in and day out. With these trials, which try and tire parents to ends degree, they learn what works and what doesn’t; what is accepted and what is not. It teaches them the parameters of right and wrong and moulds their behaviour and character for life.

I often hear, ‘But he is so little’, ‘but she is so sweet’ and so on. Yes that may be so. But they do not stay small and sweet; and if one does not deal with them correctly from the first cry, they may turn out to become ‘the monsters from hell’ - a phenomenon that is, unfortunately, already with us.

Does that mean we should not love our children? No. It does not. On the contrary, it means that if we love them, we should do the right thing by them.

The first and most important thing they need is a home where the parents’ love makes them feel secure. Then, and only then, comes the job of preparing them for life outside the home. This job, as I see it, covers more or less the following, and may be much more:
First and foremost –
We should never suffocate them with over indulgent or over indulgence - we should not let them have everything they want.
We need to guide them to self-sufficiency and encourage them to fulfil the goal they have chosen
Help them, in around about way, to find a far-away star to aim for – a reason for living.
Do not deny them the satisfaction of achievement…
Guide them on how to overcome adversaries, but at the same time also to acknowledge the existence of others who have their rights, wishes and wants as well.
Teach them to be charitable…
In short – mould them into becoming good productive and happy adults.

Renate
Artist, poet and the author of
From the Promised Land to the Lucky Country
To see more of my book click on this link
http://www.promisedland-renate.com

A year service in the RAAF

We are every excited.Our youngest grandson is continuing family tradition.
He was accepted, after fierce competition, for a year in the RAAF, under a new trial program the Australian armed forces have instituted for high school graduates.
What the national statistics are I do not know, but here in Qld one in every twenty-three appliances passed the tests.

The chosen youngsters are already in camp undergoing a 5 weeks basic military training.
By the end of this training they will be stationed, few months at a time, in a couple of other camps where they will be introduced to some aspects of their chosen force, and will undertake courses leading to officer ranking.
At the end of the year they will be able to choose if they want to stay in the forces or return to civil life.

The importance of this program, from our family point of view, cannot be underestimated. We feel that most of today’s youngsters are missing out on the normal difficulties, adversities and challenges, which bring to self-fulfilment and self-worthiness.

It is true that there are those who look for and find challenges, but these are in a minority.
We see the disturbing growing phenomenon of needless vandalism, over indulgence in alcohol, and even worse, the use of drug as well as suicide, which comes, in many cases, out of boredom.
We see young and beautiful human specimens who lack a good reason for living; and it hurts.

I do not by any stretch of the imagination think that the armed forces are the answer to every ill in society, but it is a step in the right direction. The feedbacks we are receiving are very positive; our grandson loves the challenges he is facing and the friendships he has already made.

I am well aware that a lot depends on the individual, and that may be, not all of them will make it. BUT, and it is a BIG BUT - these youngsters are getting the chance, and a jumping-board that will kick start them into self awareness and realization that life has something to offer, something to look forwards to.

I cannot but applaud the Australian government and its Forces for instituting this wonderful program.

Renate
http://www.promisedland-renate.com

Abraham 2

Even though I never stay on one subject twice in a row, the importance and relevance of comment below prompted me to reply in a form of a post; and I’ll start with the comment itself,

Hi Renate,
That is such a clear and easily understood explanation... I love it.
What a pity so many people don't recognise their own decision making decides the path of their future -
"...that by making their own decision they have taken their own future into their own hands. And, by making their own decisions, they have also taken responsibility over their actions, individually. The onus has now shifted to each of them according to their individual deeds..."

- and then they run to their lawyers to sue whomever, whenever a disastrous outcome has been the result of their silly, stupid thoughtless decisions actions in the first place!

Signed by Silkhobby.

I think that Abraham by embracing the whole of the universe in his monotheistic understanding gave us not only the understanding that the universe as a whole is inter-depended, but also the understanding that every action taken individually or as a group; has ramification that effect the whole of creation. Hence, our responsibility as an individual, and as a group or society, is of prime important.

We only need to look into what is happening today. We can see so vividly the outcome of human action taken during the last say, 50 years.

For example,
The pollution we have created through the use of fossil fuel, The mono-agriculture of annuals that brought about deserts and dust bowls, as well as salinity in the land, and much more.The list is endless.

And here comes the responsibility of the researcher in any other field of endeavour, as well as that of the various industries and commerce to look outside the small sphere of his/hers/their area of interest and see the broader and more embracing, long term results or influence of their action.

And here also comes the responsibility of society as a whole: It needs to become more responsible and responsive towards the world and the environment that give us life by sustaining it.

And here Abraham greatness lies. He understood this already 4000 years ago, and it guided us through the ages.

However now in the last hundred years or so, we have decided to forget it, for we think we know better, AND we, the society at large, are already ripping some of the unpleasant consequences of our actions.

Renate
http://www.promisedland-renate.com

Abraham

Having read several books where Abraham is mentioned, featured or talked about set me thinking:

How come that Abraham, after 4000 years, is still here with us when all others ended in obscurity? He was never a deity or a person one prays to or for, nor is he religiously revered, and there is very little about him in the Bible itself.

So what is it that has kept him alive? What type of a man was he that warrants this very unusual honour?

I tried to build a picture of him, to understand his accomplishments, to figure out what did he give to the world, which made him unforgettable.

There is a lovely legend about Abraham, from the days when he was still called Avram (Abram),

Avram’s father, Terach, made and sold clay gods. One day he asked his son to look after the shop while he was gone. On his return, he got the shock of his life,

Avram, he shouted, Why are all those idols broken?

They had a fight and the big one won, replied Avram.

Don’t be stupid. They are just clay figurines, said Terach

And Avram replied,

Yes. They are; so how come they are gods?

And so, monotheism was born.

I know that, I said to myself, Abraham was the father of monotheism.

But what does it mean?

It means that by him leaving the world he lived in, he created a one all embracing entity for his family to follow exclusively.

It means that from then on his descendents no longer touch clay figurines and call them gods. They no longer allocate different powers to different things. Instead, they pray to that single entity they call God.

A God that makes contracts and rules to be obeyed by both sides, under which he has the right to give when obeyed, and to deny when breached.

A God no one can see, neither touch - a philosophical understanding that embraces the whole of Creation – A God that is abstract.

This is all good and fine, but again, I asked myself,

What does it really mean?

It means that from that day on his decedents, and all others who cared to follow, realized that they are no longer a part of a world in which their future, deeds, or path in life are predetermined. They understood that they are able to think and act for themselves, because they made a contract, an agreement; a personal commitment they need to abide by. They learned to think ‘outside the then existing box’ so to speak.

But what change did it bring to people’s daily lives? What did it entail?

What it changed was, that by making their own decision they have taken their own future into their own hands. And, by making their own decisions, they have also taken responsibility over their actions, individually. The onus has now shifted to each of them according to their individual deeds –

From that minute on they have become accountable for every move they took, under a contract to that unseen all-embracing God.

With the birth of his son, Yitzchak (Isaac), Abraham takes a step foreword. He now looks into the health of his people by combating, to a large extend, the rampant venereal diseases of his time through compulsory circumcision.

Having done that, he directs his attention to end the very prevalent practice of human sacrifice. It is with the dramatic story of ‘the sacrifice of Isaac’ that he changes religious offering from humans to animal, and human offerings are no longer acceptable.

We in the western world take all these things for granted.But the foundation of the world we live in come from Abraham, that had the courage to follow his own believes and understanding; and as Paul Johnson in his best seller book ‘A history of the Jews’ asks, ‘what would have happened to the human race if Abraham had not been a man of great sagacity, or if he had stayed in Ur and kept his higher notion to himself…’

Renate

http://www.promisedland-renate.com