Jerusalemites: Daniel's story

Daniel is an artist. He is one of the people who had to leave an artist community which was his home for many years.

“The Osishkin house” existed for five years. It was a community of six people who lived there each time (a week, a month, a year). They were 90% of artists that’s why the house was very artistic. This community is being destroyed as most of the houses in Jerusalem so the city loses its character. There were two houses like this but they got their approval to being destroyed and there are new ones replacing them for rich people, Americans and French. So, Jerusalem is losing its character and the young people of Jerusalem the same as in Tel Aviv are losing reasonable places to live. Those who used to live there are the artists who are the top artists of this city, responsible for creating and organizing all the festivals, art and cultural events of Jerusalem. So now, what are we going to do? To rent an apartment in Jerusalem is more than 2,000 shekel monthly… And this community was very important to the social life as well as political in Jerusalem. We don’t want to ruin that! And what is important socially and politically is important for the whole region, for the whole world. What echoes in Jerusalem, echoes around the world! When it’s peaceful here, it’s peaceful around the world, when it’s war here, the war takes the world. The new mayer of the city is much, much, much better than past two mayors. He does a lot of good for the city. You know, it’s nice that people come to live here, they make “aliyah” but they come and go, and we stay here and live, so we want to rebuild our community! There is one, important date for this city - the 17th of May - Jerusalem Day. This is the day when our extreme society goes into the Muslim quarter of the old city and demonstrate their sick rights. They scream “This is Israel, not Palestine,” isn’t it fascist? They are fascists. So this year we’re going to do our own parade against them. Our demonstration will be a complicated contradiction towards peace, love and unity! Save the date: May 17, when everybody gets united!”