Acknowledgement
This book would have not been published but for the encouragement of two great New Yorkers: Professor Steven Fine of Yeshiva University and the erudite Dr. Ilil Arbel. With Steven I spent hours exchanging ideas, views (and jokes) on Jewish and Israeli symbolism. In my fascinating conversations with Ilil we shared family history, both wondering and admiring our grandparents’ strange, but beautiful decision to leave Siberia and immigrate to Palestine in 1920. I enjoyed listening to her great wells of Jewish mythology while sharing with her my knowledge of Israeli visual culture. Steven approached me once and jokingly scolded me: “Why do you insist on writing and publishing your ideas in a 4000 years old language? Isn’t it time you publish in English?” Ilil’s meticulous editing of my text made his advice come true.
Alec Mishory
Tel Aviv, May 2019