Lending a helping hand to the Ear

The race is on to reopen HaOzen HaShlishit ahead of the Jerusalem Film Festival, at which time if activists do not find enough subscribers the archives will be sold off.

By BARRY DAVIS
The contents of the HaOzen HaShlishit DVD and videotape library are currently at the Cinematheque. (photo credit: BARRY DAVIS)
The contents of the HaOzen HaShlishit DVD and videotape library are currently at the Cinematheque.
(photo credit: BARRY DAVIS)
Almost a year to the day after the seemingly permanent closure of the Jerusalem branch of the HaOzen HaShlishit (The Third Ear) DVD and videotape lending library, a flicker of hope has appeared on the horizon.
Around April of last year, the HaOzen HaShlishit faithful – who week in, week out, made their way down the steps to the delightful basement repository of around 26,000 films, hidden away in a small courtyard at the Liberty Bell Gardens end of Emek Refaim Street in the German Colony – were jolted by a printed sign next to the entrance that succinctly and unemotionally declared the enterprise was going out of business.
To cite the legendary Monty Python dead parrot sketch, in which John Cleese unleashes seemingly dozens of ways of describing the said feathered creature’s demise, on June 30, 2013, HaOzen ceased to be, shuffled off this mortal coil and began pushing up the daisies. After 18 years of doing – mostly – brisk business, the place closed its doors for the last time. Or did it…?
At the time, HaOzen owner Mickey Dotan was not overly optimistic, noting that he ran the place at a loss for a full two years. But, when the going got tough, some tough and determined Jerusalemites got going.
“After HaOzen closed, a group of Jerusalemites who did not previously know each other got together to clarify the situation,” explains Abu Tor resident Adva Magal-Cohen. “I called HaOzen to find out if it was really happening, that the place was really closing down. They said yes and that I could call Tzippi Shatz.”
The latter initially stopped the rot by managing to put the brakes on the grand sell-off of the library’s treasures, which had already begun. “It only lasted a day and a half but quite a few films had already gone,” continues Magal-Cohen. One thing led to another and before long film lecturer Magal-Cohen had gotten together with philosophy lecturer Prof. Yakir Levin, film producer Udi Leon and psychologist Shatz.
The four convened and decided to spring into action. Over the past year they have attended umpteen meetings with all kinds of senior municipality officials, and eventually made some headway. “[Cultural department head] Ofer Berkovitch was a great help to us,” notes Levin, “and [ Jerusalem Mayor] Nir Barkat also supported us all the way. Basically, the senior people in the municipality have all been on our side. And Mickey Dotan has been very supportive, too.”
Naturally, there were numerous logistical matters to be handled en route. For starters, the priceless film collection could not stay at the defunct basement venue for long. But relocating them would require a substantial financial outlay, not to mention organizing the actual move.
“It cost thousands of shekels, which we got from donations from all sorts of people – some gave NIS 500, some NIS 100 or NIS 50 – but we raised enough money to pay for the packing and loading, and for the transportation and unloading and storing at the Jerusalem Cinematheque,” explains Magal- Cohen. “It wasn’t easy.”
The cause has also been helped by an offer of financial management and other logistical services from the Ginot Ha’Ir Community Council in the German Colony.
As things stand, Magal-Cohen, Levin et al have to find 300 people who will commit to paying a monthly subscription of NIS 100 for the next 6 months. As of Sunday evening, they were a quarter of the way there, and Levin was optimistic about the chances of success. “We are trying to get some institutions on board, like Hadassah University Medical Center. If that happens, we should be well on our way.”
But the sands of time are rapidly running out. In order to reopen the lending library from the Jerusalem Cinematheque, monthly revenue of NIS 30,000 has to be secured – to pay for staff, storage, the purchase of new films, utilities and various other costs. Should the funds not be secured, Dotan says he will sell off the DVDs and videotapes at the forthcoming Jerusalem Film Festival, which opens on July 10.
“I used to go to HaOzen with my son, from the time he was in second grade,” says Levin. “He’s now 17. We’d go there every Friday. When the placed closed down my son said a part of his childhood had gone with it. HaOzen is important to so many people. I hope we manage to save it.”
For more information: ozen3jerusalem@gmail.com