How can you live your life normally without your normal surroundings? ·
That was the central question of Room 710: Far from Home, Close to the Heart, a photography exhibition that opened on August 1 at the Sherover Foyer of the Jerusalem Theatre, showcasing the temporary homes of senior evacuees from the North and South.
The exhibition was produced by the Shefer Association, supported by the Welfare and Social Security Ministry and the Jerusalem Municipality’s Senior Citizens Administration.
The senior citizens have been living in the central region for almost 10 months after beIng forced to leave their homes in places like Shlomi and Kiryat Shmona by the Welfare Ministry’s Senior Citizens Administration. Currently, with evacuated families having been moved into apartments, many of the evacuees who still reside in the hotels are in their sixties and older, CEO of the Shefer Organization Ayala Wohl, said.
To raise awareness of their plight, the organization created the exhibit which will be displayed at the Jerusalem Theatre until the end of the month.
“We wanted people to know more about the situation of those who have been evacuated from their homes, especially the elderly,” Wohl said, adding that such a change in ones living situation is challenging for anyone, particularly for those more advanced in age, who may be very used to their surroundings.
“We wanted to show, first of all, that it is hard, but also that they have a lot of strength and the ability to deal with the situation. They know how to handle hard situations.” Wohl said.
Photographer Refael Shachari and writer Hilit Krause Israel went to the apartments and hotel rooms of the senior citizens to document them in their new spaces with items from home that connect them to the lives from which they were uprooted.
Shachari spoke on their inspiration behind the exhibit
“Each time I entered their rooms, I felt awe, as these spaces are their homes, the most intimate and personal places,” said Shachari, in a statement released by the Shefer organization.
“The meetings were intense, but I felt they were letting me into their hearts and homes, making the photography authentic – and relaxing me. This allowed me to view each person – and the [larger community of] tens of thousands of evacuees – with greater sensitivity, realizing that each one of them needs a home.”
Every photo conjures up a clear picture of who each person is and of what they have left behind. Some brought petunias to brighten up their spaces. Others brought prayer accoutrements: tefillin, tallit, and siddurim. Some had well-loved stuffed animals from their grandchildren scattered about their rooms.
It can be extremely isolating to be far from one’s home for an undetermined period of time, especially for an age group that is often more prone to loneliness. Along with their partners in the ministry and the municipality, the Shefer Association has been working to provide the senior evacuees with a sense of belonging.
At every hotel, they are four hours of planned activities every day. On Monday, an event was held to showcase the exhibition, designed to get the evacuees involved with the community and with culture, helping them to maintain their independence.
“I’m sad because it’s been such a long time [since they’ve been home]. But on the other hand, I think, ok, we’ve done something for these people,” said Yariv Man, deputy general of the Administration for Seniors in the Welfare Ministry.
“They’re not just people who come to the hotel and then go [home]. They’re part of the community, and we wish that they will go back to their homes as soon as possible,” he added.
Throughout the event on Monday – a socializing and bonding activity for the evacuees and their families – these seniors repeatedly proved just how involved with the community and culture they were. They posed for pictures with Welfare Minister Yaakov Margi and listened to his speech afterward. The Lady Stern Hotel women’s choir opened the event. They spoke with other attendees and showed their pictures to proud family members.
Playback group Or Ha’or performed an improvised show using stories from the audience about the bits and pieces the evacuees left behind.
The exhibit, paired with the event, was witness to the vast strength and capacity of the subjects.
“It gives a message of hope that even in hard times, we found ways to cope,” said Wohl about the exhibit. “Even in a small hotel room, a person can bring flowers and bring hope. Also, the power of the people together is very helpful.”
Maintaining a sense of normalcy after October 7 is difficult for any citizen of Israel, let alone for older citizens forced to abandon their normal lives. Their resilience in the face of the war is exemplary.
Room 701: Far from Home will be exhibited in the Sherover Theatre Foyer at the Jerusalem Theatre complex, through August 31.
