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Jerusalem II
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Jerusalem II

(The Intro below is from Jerusalem I )

In 1974 I was sent to Jerusalem by Time/Life Books who wanted to put out a series of “Great Cities” books. They didn’t know if it would fly so they asked me to shoot for a few days and come back and edit the film. The way this worked is that they designed a mailer, sent it out to thousands of people and waited.
There was enough positive responses to satisfy them so they sent me back for six weeks to shoot the book.

This was in many ways the most depressing assignment I ever had.

The Arabs really don’t want to be photographed.

The Israelis unabashedly pose for you.

The religious Jews (Hasidim) definitely didn’t want to be photographed.

The Christians were boring.

The weather was terrible.

And the food was awful.

The first shot I took was of a Druse police officer–he jumped up and started yelling at me that I was trying to make him look bad.
And so it went. As you know, no matter how bad things are, you persevere. I have always thought the secret is just “putting in the time.” Plodding through the crap.

The food never got great but gradually I found better places to eat. It was December and the light was dim but the sun did start to come out and I got used to working with the people, or they got used to me. I’m not sure which it was.

It was amazing to be walking in, through, and on history. Stations of the Cross, The Dome of the Rock–one of the holiest places of Islam.

To give you an idea of my travails, the Dome of the Rock contains the rock from which Mohammed left this world. Holy place indeed.

Three guesses what dumb photographer dropped his irreplaceable lens cap on the said rock?

I looked up at the guard on duty, apologizing profusely. He stared at me, gave a world-weary sigh, then motioned me to go get it.

I knew a journalist, name Dan Drooz, who acted part time as my guide and driver. We had heard from many people that once or twice a year (if that) there was an amazing light that appeared only in Jerusalem, but it only lasted a very short time. I heard but didn’t quite believe it. Then one day it did happen: Jerusalem is mostly built of limestone and it did glow and it was marvelous but I needed to get to where I could see it at a distance. Cut to Dan: Driving wildly to find a point of view with me telling him to go this way, now left, now right.

Did I mention that I have, together with my entire family, including my mother and father, the world’s worst sense of direction?

Inevitably I told him to make a turn that led us into a courtyard of a a group of homes where we dropped our car’s front wheel into a deep hole. We were stuck.

An older Arabic woman came out of one of the houses and started screaming. Dan tried to talk with her but she only ran into her house.
A minute passed and suddenly six of the biggest Arab guys I have ever seen come out toward us and one says in English, “Why are you stuck in our courtyard with a wheel in the hole? Come in and have tea.”
We thanked him but explained about the light. Without another word he motioned to his group; they suddenly surrounded the car and picked the damn thing up and moved it to level ground.

Dan’s jaw and mine were so open with awe, they started laughing and wishing us luck in our quest. Off we went.

Of course by the time we got out the light was gone, never to be seen again.

On bad weather days I would go to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. This is one of the holiest churches in Christendom.

Various religions share the church, which is a warren of rooms, staircases, and what have you. They include Eastern Orthodox, Armenian, Franciscans, Syrian, Copts, and Abyssinians who live on the roof, and many more.

On good days I wandered: The Western (or Wailing) Wall, the schools, the markets, the kids, and everything and anybody that didn’t chase me off, and some that did.

It ended up being a great experience and I’m so glad to get a chance to share it with you. Perhaps it will be a new book someday soon.

 

Man Shining Shoes, Jerusalem
Man Shining Shoes, Jerusalem
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Five Arabic Men Talking, Jerusalem
Five Arabic Men Talking, Jerusalem
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Arabic Elderly Man, Jerusalem
Arabic Elderly Man, Jerusalem
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Doorway and Columns, Jerusalem
Doorway and Columns, Jerusalem
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Portrait with man in Background with Headcovering, Jerusalem
Portrait with man in Background with Headcovering, Jerusalem
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Chasidic Jew and Arab in Street, Jerusalem
Chasidic Jew and Arab in Street, Jerusalem
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Mea Shearim Graffiti, Jerusalem
Mea Shearim Graffiti, Jerusalem
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Jewish Man at Green Gate, Jerusalem
Jewish Man at Green Gate, Jerusalem
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Western Wall with Single Figure, Jerusalem
Western Wall with Single Figure, Jerusalem
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Man with Lemon and Child, Jerusalem
Man with Lemon and Child, Jerusalem
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Western Wall Firelit Paratroop Symbol, Jerusalem
Western Wall Firelit Paratroop Symbol, Jerusalem
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Man, Eyes Closed with Book to Face, Jerusalem
Man, Eyes Closed with Book to Face, Jerusalem
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Man in White Sox, Wheeling Stand, Jerusalem
Man in White Sox, Wheeling Stand, Jerusalem
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Western Wall with Close Up of Bar Mitzvah Boy, Jerusalem
Western Wall with Close Up of Bar Mitzvah Boy, Jerusalem
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Arabic Boy Selling Bread to Nun, Jerusalem
Arabic Boy Selling Bread to Nun, Jerusalem
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Bakery, People Outside, Jerusalem
Bakery, People Outside, Jerusalem
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Man Selling Bread, Green Wall, Jerusalem
Man Selling Bread, Green Wall, Jerusalem
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Long View of City with Glowing Cross, Jerusalem
Long View of City with Glowing Cross, Jerusalem
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Abyssinian Against Door, Jerusalem
Abyssinian Against Door, Jerusalem
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Abyssinian Painting, Jerusalem
Abyssinian Painting, Jerusalem
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Abyssinian Portrait, Jerusalem
Abyssinian Portrait, Jerusalem
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Abyssinian Elderly Man, Jerusalem
Abyssinian Elderly Man, Jerusalem
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Arched Courtyard, Jerusalem
Arched Courtyard, Jerusalem
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Kids at Outdoor Festival, Jerusalem
Kids at Outdoor Festival, Jerusalem
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Kids, Car, Outdoor Festival, Jerusalem
Kids, Car, Outdoor Festival, Jerusalem
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Painting at Armenian Church, Jerusalem
Painting at Armenian Church, Jerusalem
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Silhouette of Armenian Priest, Jerusalem
Silhouette of Armenian Priest, Jerusalem
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Armenian Church Chamber, Jerusalem
Armenian Church Chamber, Jerusalem
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Armenian Church with Nuns, Jerusalem
Armenian Church with Nuns, Jerusalem
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Armenian Church Mass Service, Jerusalem
Armenian Church Mass Service, Jerusalem
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Western Wall and Dome of the Rock, Jerusalem
Western Wall and Dome of the Rock, Jerusalem
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Ceiling of Dome of the Rock, Jerusalem
Ceiling of Dome of the Rock, Jerusalem
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Tile Exterior of Dome of the Rock, Jerusalem
Tile Exterior of Dome of the Rock, Jerusalem
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Ceiling of Building Near Dome of the Rock, Jerusalem
Ceiling of Building Near Dome of the Rock, Jerusalem
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Japanese Tourist and City, Jerusalem
Japanese Tourist and City, Jerusalem
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End of Jerusalem II_jerusalem-17Long8Shot8Rooftops8Jerusalem
End of Jerusalem II_jerusalem-17Long8Shot8Rooftops8Jerusalem
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