Latest news with #Passover
Yahoo
8 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Snapping Tel Aviv: Alex Levac on capturing the city that never sleeps
Israel's city that never sleeps was founded over Passover, 1909, during the counting of the Omer leading up to Shavuot. Photographer Alex Levac sees things the average person on the street doesn't catch. When we meet up at his Tel Aviv apartment, a stone's throw away from the beach, I ask the evergreen octogenarian, who was awarded the Israel Prize for his groundbreaking photography 20 years ago, where the notion of snapping incongruous yet complementary overlaps first emerged. 'I don't know. Perhaps I got it from the French photographers, like Robert Doisneau and Henri Cartier-Bresson,' he suggests bringing the lauded humanist documentarists into the philosophical equation. 'But, it was mostly a British photographer called Tony Ray-Jones.' Those men were powerful sources of inspiration, who shined a bright light on his own path to visual expression, Levac says. 'I didn't invent anything. You know, you see something you like and you think, 'I'll try to do something like that.'' The above lauded trio may have sparked the young Israeli's imagination and sowed the seeds for one of his main lines of thought and endeavor, but it was something of a slow burner. 'I left Israel for London in late 1967,' he says. 'I left Israel for a year and stayed 14 years. But I came back from time to time, to visit family and friends.' And snap a few frames, he may have added. Levac studied photography in London in its Swinging Sixties heyday, and subsequently worked in the field in Britain. But the time and, in particular, the place were not aligned with Levac's native cultural continuum. 'I don't think, then, I looked for these [idiosyncratic] confluences. That didn't interest me outside the Israeli context.' But the idea of getting into that after he returned here to roost was gestating just below the surface. 'I thought that it was more interesting to do in Israel because I am more familiar with the culture and the visual language.' Evidently, there is more to what Levac does than observing quotidian jigsaw pieces align themselves and pressing the shutter release button at exactly the right happenstance microsecond. 'It is not just a combination of all sorts of anecdotal elements. There is, here, also a statement about the Israeli public domain.' The dynamics of human behavior, of course, can vary a lot between differing societies. In Israel, we are much more physically expressive than the average Brit or, for that matter, Japanese. ONCE RESETTLED in the Middle East, the mix-and-match line of photography soon took on tangible form, without too much premeditation. 'I don't remember exactly when it started but I took one of the first shots one day when I was in Ashkelon. I lived there at the time with my first wife. I started seeing a lot of contrasts on the street, coming together at the same time.' It was around that time that still largely conservative Israel got its first tabloid newspaper, Hadashot, which shook up the industry and Israeli society, and introduced it to risqué material and full-color photographs. Levac was soon on board and, before too long, also found himself in hot water as a result of the now-famous news picture he took. 'That was Kav 300 (Bus 300),' he recalls. The said snap was of a terrorist being led away from the scene after IDF soldiers stormed an Egged bus in which passengers were being held captive. The initial official IDF report was that all four Palestinian terrorists had been killed in the attack. However, Levac's picture provided irrefutable evidence that one of the terrorists was still alive after the operation was over. 'They shut the paper down for a while after that.' Brief hiatus notwithstanding, Levac had, by then, established himself as a bona fide photojournalist here. 'I had a regular column in a Hadashot supplement called 'Segol' (purple). They had very visual-oriented editors at the time, so photographers were given a lot of column space. Then I got my regular weekly spot. I've been doing that for around 40 years, every single week. That's crazy!' That may be wonderful, but it comes with a commitment to produce the visually left-field goods, week in and week out. 'Sometimes I can just pop out and I'll find something really good, very quickly. Other times, it can take a while, and there are times I come back without having taken a photograph,' he says. After all these years, Levac's sixth sense is constantly primed and ready to pick up on some unexpected sequence of events that could fuse into an amusing or captivating frame. Anyone who has seen his candid snaps, which have been running in the Haaretz newspaper for the past three-plus decades, will have a good idea of his special acumen for noting and documenting surprising, and often humorous, street-level juxtapositions. 'By now, I see those kinds of things more than I see the ordinary stuff,' he smiles. 'I also look for that, like Gadi.' GADI ROYZ is a hi-tech entrepreneur and enthusiastic amateur photographer. Levac recalls that 'Gadi came up to me one day and told me he'd attended a lecture of mine and began taking photographs,' he recalls. At first, Levac wasn't sure where it was leading. 'You know, you get nudniks telling me how much they like my photographs and all that,' he chuckles. 'You have to be nice when people do that, but it can get a bit tiresome.' However, it quickly became clear that Royz was in a different league and had serious plans for the two of them. 'Gadi didn't just want to be complimentary; he said, 'Let's do a book together.'' Producing a book with high-quality prints can be a financially challenging business. But, it seems, Royz didn't just bring boundless enthusiasm and artistic talent to the venture; he also helped with the nuts and bolts of putting the proposition into attractive corporeal practice. In fact, the book, which goes by the intriguing name of A City of Refuge, is a co-production together with Royz, who, judging by his around 40 prints in the book, also has a gift for discerning the extraordinary in everyday situations, and capturing them to good aesthetic and compelling effect. The city in question is, of course, Tel Aviv, where Levac was born and has lived for most of his life. 'Gadi said he had the money to get the book done,' Levac notes. That sounded tempting, but Levac still wanted to be sure the end product would be worth the effort. 'We sat down together, and I saw some of his photographs. I liked them, so I said, 'Let's go for it.'' And so A City of Refuge came to be. There are around 100 prints in the plushly produced volume. All offer fascinating added visual and cerebral value. There is always some surprise in store for the viewer, although it can take a moment to absorb it, which, in this day and age of lightning speed instantaneous gratification, is a palliative boon. The unlikely interfaces, which can be topical or simply contextually aesthetic, may be comical, arresting, or even a little emotive. Every picture demands a moment or two of your time and, as Levac noted in the dedication he generously wrote for me in my copy of the book, can be revisited for further pondering and enjoyment. The book is great fun to leaf through. One of Levac's more sophisticated items shows a man sitting on a bench with a serious expression on his face, which is echoed and amplified by a childish figure on the wall behind him of a character with a look of utter glumness. There's a smile-inducing shot by Royz (following in Levac's photographic footsteps) with a young, heavily pregnant woman walking from the left, about to pass behind a spiraling tree trunk with a hefty protrusion of its own. Royz also has a classic picture of Yaacov Agam's famed fire and water sculpture, in its original polychromic rendition in Dizengoff Square of several years ago. The picture shows two workers cleaning the work, each on a different level. The worker on the top level is visible from his stomach upward, while his colleague, on the street level, can only be seen from his waist down. Together, they looked like an extremely elongated character, something along the lines of a Tallest Man in the World circus performer. It is often a matter of camera angle, such as Royz's shot of a wheelie bin in Yarkon Park with a giant hot balloon-looking orb looking like it is billowing out of the trash can. And Levac's delightfully crafted frame of an elegant, long-haired blonde striding along the sidewalk led by her sleek canine pal, which appears to have an even more graceful step, poses a question about the human-animal grace divide. I wondered whether, in this day and age if – when we all take countless photos with our smartphones, of everything and everyone around us – his job has become harder. 'Quite the opposite,' he exclaims. 'Now that everyone takes pictures, people notice me less, which means I can do what I want and snap with greater freedom.' Long may that continue. ■
Daily Mirror
5 days ago
- General
- Daily Mirror
House where Jesus' Last Supper took place 'close to being discovered'
Has the site of the Last Supper been found? (Image: Getty Images) The house where the Last Supper may have taken place is still standing in Jerusalem 2,000 years later, according to archaeologists. They believe the Biblical event took place in the 'Upper Room' of a two-storey house with limestone walls and a red, sloping roof that remarkably still stands in the city after two millennia. The room is briefly mentioned in the Book of Luke 22:11-13, when Jesus Christ asked for a large, furnished upper room where he and his disciples could eat their Passover meal. The Bible recounts the story of the Last Supper in 33 AD, when Jesus sat with his 12 apostles and revealed that one among them would betray him - identifying that man as Judas Iscariot. He also told his followers that his death was near and Jesus was crucified by the Romans shortly after being arrested. According to The Daily Mail, the location has been depicted in several artworks dating back to at least the fourth century AD - which was also when Christians first started visiting the room to honour Christ's last moments of freedom before his crucifixion - thousands of people still visit the Upper Room every year, reports the Mirror US. Experts believe the house it was held in is still standing (Image: Getty Images) In the story, Jesus blessed the bread and wine, and explained it symbolised his body that would be broken and the blood he would shed for the forgiveness of their sins - it is still referenced symbolically today during Christian services incorporating the eucharist sacrament. The Upper Room, believed by archaeologists to be the site of the Last Supper, also known as the Cenacle, was originally a prayer room capable of accommodating over 120 people. This location is briefly mentioned in the Book of Luke 22:11-13, where Jesus asks for a large, furnished upper room where he and his disciples could share their Passover meal. This two-storey house is situated in Jerusalem's old city on Mount Zion, positioned above the southern gate. It was built with large, branching columns that supported a vaulted ceiling and a sloping red roof that remains visible today. However, due to the lack of archaeological excavations at the site, it remains unconfirmed whether the building existed during Jesus' time. In 1884, while constructing a new church in Madaba, Jordan, Greek Orthodox Christians discovered what is thought to be the earliest map of Jerusalem, dating back to 560 AD. The map was created as a depiction of the Holy Land, showcasing the Cardo Maximus (main street) and two sacred structures at the southern end, identifiable by their red roofs. They say they're close to locating it (Image: Getty Images) However, it wasn't until 2017 that David Christian Clausen, an adjunct lecturer in Religious Studies at the University of North Carolina, noticed something unusual. He was drawn to a building with the same red, sloped roof as the Cenacle, located in the exact same spot. Scholars were stunned when they stumbled upon a drawing from sixth-century Italy in 1846 that portrays Jesus ambling through Jerusalem's southern gates on a donkey, with what could potentially be the site of the Last Supper, known as the Cenacle, in the background. The discovery gives gravitas to the narrative found in the Book of Matthew, depicting Jesus' entry into Jerusalem as a fulfilment of Zechariah's prophecy; this prophesy anticipated a 'Second coming of Jesus Christ' and the revival of the dead. Adding depth to this story is the citation: "Tell the city of Zion, Look, your king is coming to you! He is humble and rides on a donkey and on a colt, the foal of a donkey." Another clue emerged in 1585 AD with the find of a fourth-century sculpture that seemingly shows Jesus post-resurrection, standing before Mary Magdalene with a structure sporting a distinctive slanted roof behind him. However, the Book of John suggests Jesus ventured back to the Upper Room after his resurrection, a detail that might connect the depiction with the gospel narrative, although not every expert is on board. There are dissenting opinions suggesting the image may actually depict Christ with an unnamed kneeling woman pleading for healing, as opposed to alluding to his triumph over death. A depiction of Jesus at the Last Supper (Image: THE CHOSEN) In an epic project reminiscent of a Dan Brown thriller, the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) launched a trailblazing examination of the Cenacle in 2019, using cutting-edge laser scanning and high-definition photographic techniques to peel back layers of history and uncover the original appearance of the site believed by many to have hosted the Last Supper. "I felt like I was in the book by Dan Brown, 'The Da Vinci Code'," said Jerusalem district archaeologist Amit Re'em, sharing his intrigue with Fox News. "We needed to decipher the ancient symbols." Carefully surveying every nook and cranny, the researchers crafted 'create accurate models of the space', unveiling unusual characteristics including 'obscure' artwork featuring Agnus Dei or 'Lamb of God' emblems, alongside the Lion of Judah iconography on the ceiling. "The lion was the symbol of King David," Re'em highlighted to Fox, with a nod to historical texts that align Jesus as a scion of King David. The veracity of the Cenacle as the true venue for the Last Supper has yet to be pinned down, pointed out Re'em, citing a lack of concrete archaeological proof. The dilapidated state, poor lighting, and numerous renovations at the site have long stood in the way of a thorough investigation, according to the IAA. "From time to time, when we have an opportunity, we're continuing to document other parts of the holy complex," explained Re'em to Fox. "I hope that maybe, in the future, we will have the opportunity to conduct a small-scale classical archaeological investigation."
Irish Daily Mirror
5 days ago
- General
- Irish Daily Mirror
Room where Jesus held Last Supper for disciples 'close to being found'
The house where the Last Supper may have taken place is still standing in Jerusalem, 2,000 years on, according to archaeologists. They suggest that this significant Biblical event took place in the 'Upper Room' of a two-storey house with limestone walls and a red sloping roof, which remarkably remains intact in the city after two millennia. The room is briefly mentioned in the Book of Luke 22:11-13, when Jesus Christ asked for a large, furnished upper room where he and his disciples could partake in their Passover meal. The Bible recounts the story of the Last Supper in 33 AD, where Jesus sat with his 12 apostles and revealed that one among them would betray him - identifying Judas Iscariot as the traitor. He also forewarned his followers about his impending death, and not long after, Jesus was crucified by the Romans. As per The Daily Mail, the location has been depicted in numerous artworks dating back to at least the fourth century AD, around the time when Christians first began visiting the room to commemorate Christ's final moments of freedom before his crucifixion. Thousands continue to visit the Upper Room each year. In the narrative, Jesus blessed the bread and wine, explaining that they symbolised his body that would be broken and the blood he would shed for the forgiveness of sins. This act is still symbolically referenced in Christian services today through the Eucharist sacrament, reports the Mirror US. The Upper Room, where it's believed the Last Supper took place - also known as the Cenacle - was originally a prayer room with capacity for over 120 people. Its location is briefly mentioned in the Book of Luke 22:11-13, when Jesus asked for a large, furnished upper room where he and his disciples could share their Passover meal. This two-storey house is situated in Jerusalem's old city on Mount Zion, positioned above the southern gate. It was built with expansive, branching columns supporting a vaulted ceiling and a sloping red roof that remains visible today. However, due to the lack of archaeological excavations at the site, it's unconfirmed whether the building existed during Jesus' time. In 1884, Greek Orthodox Christians unearthed what's thought to be the earliest map of Jerusalem while constructing a new church in Madaba, Jordan, dating back to 560 AD. This map was designed as a depiction of the Holy Land, showcasing the Cardo Maximus (main street) and two sacred structures at the southern end, identifiable by their red roofs. It wasn't until 2017 that David Christian Clausen, an adjunct lecturer in Religious Studies at the University of North Carolina, noticed something unusual. His attention was drawn to a building featuring the same red, sloped roof as the Cenacle, located in the exact same spot. Researchers were intrigued, knowing they needed additional evidence to confirm the site as the true location of the Last Supper. A sixth-century illustration found in Italy back in 1846 depicted Jesus entering the southern gates of the city on a donkey, with the Cenacle visible in the backdrop. This scene resonates with the narrative in the Book of Matthew, which describes Jesus' entry into Jerusalem, fulfilling Zechariah's prophecy that foretold the 'Second coming of Jesus Christ' and the resurrection of the dead. The story goes on to say: "Tell the city of Zion, Look, your king is coming to you! He is humble and rides on a donkey and on a colt, the foal of a donkey." Another ancient portrayal of the locale emerged in 1585 AD when a fourth-century carving was discovered, showing Jesus before Mary Magdalene post-resurrection, with a structure featuring a distinctive slanted roof in the distance. According to the Book of John, Jesus made his way back to the Upper Room following his resurrection. This imagery aligns the meeting of him with Mary Magdalene to the scriptural account; however, not all archaeologists are persuaded. Some contend that the sculpture portrays Christ before an unnamed woman who kneels before him seeking healing, rather than signifying his return from the dead. In 2019, the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) embarked on a mission to peel back centuries of modifications to the Cenacle using cutting-edge laser technology and advanced photographic imaging, aiming to uncover its original state during the time of the Last Supper. "I felt like I was in the book by Dan Brown, 'The Da Vinci Code'," shared Amit Re'em, Jerusalem district archaeologist for the IAA, with Fox News. "We needed to decipher the ancient symbols." The experts meticulously scanned every inch of the room to 'create accurate models of the space', which led to the discovery of previously unnoticed features within the Cenacle. The detailed imagery brought to light 'obscure' artwork, including depictions of the Agnus Dei, or 'Lamb of God,' and the Lion of Judah adorning the ceiling. "The lion was the symbol of King David," Re'em elaborated to Fox, noting that: "According to ancient scriptures, Jesus was a descendent of King David." Despite these findings, Re'em emphasised the need for further research to confirm the site's historical significance, acknowledging the lack of archaeological proof that the Cenacle hosted the Last Supper. The IAA has previously cited challenges such as inadequate lighting, worn walls, and numerous renovations as obstacles to more extensive investigation of the site. "From time to time, when we have an opportunity, we're continuing to document other parts of the holy complex," Re'em mentioned in his conversation with Fox. "I hope that maybe, in the future, we will have the opportunity to conduct a small-scale classical archaeological investigation."
AFP
6 days ago
- Politics
- AFP
Deepfake video of Trump 'cancelling Pride Month' deceives South Korean users
"Trump: June's Pride Month is cancelled," reads a Korean-language X post on May 21. It features a video of Trump making similar statements and announcing the US would "no longer participate in deliberate moral inversions" by celebrating Pride Month in June. June will be known as "confidence month, or maybe just June," he says in the video, before making crude remarks about gay sex. In the United States, Pride Month is celebrated in June to commemorate the 1969 Stonewall Uprising, a series of protests led by a group of lesbians, drag queens, transgender people and young, gay men against the police in Manhattan that became a turning point for LGBTQ rights (archived links here and here). Image Screenshot of the false post, taken May 23, 2025 Trump recognised Pride Month in a tweet in June 2019, during his first term in office (archived link). However, Trump notably overturned various executive orders issued by his predecessor, Joe Biden, that prevented discrimination against LGBTQ Americans and issued an order requiring federal agencies to remove the option for any other gender identity other than male or female on passport applications (archived link). Similar claims were shared in other posts in Users left comments indicating they believed the video was genuine. "I thought someone made this for fun, but Trump really said this," one user wrote. Another said: "Leave it up to Trump to tell it how it is." But Trump's speech in the video has been manipulated using AI, A keyword search found the video was first shared in an X post by user Maverick Alexander, whose bio states mostly shares "satire" (archived links here and here). The last frame of the video includes a disclaimer that reads, "This is a deepfake, but let people dream". Image Screenshot of the frame in the original deepfake video that displays a disclaimer This frame has been cut out from the version shared on the Korean-language social media posts. Several inconsistencies in the deepfake video also indicate it has been manipulated using AI, including a slight mismatch between the audio and Trump's mouth movements. A separate reverse image search on Google found the deepfake clip matched a YouTube video posted by the Trump White House on April 13, 2025, wishing Jewish people a happy Passover holiday (archived link). At no point in the video does Trump mention Pride month or LGBTQ people. A comparison between the two videos shows both Trump's attire and the background -- including the layout of the picture frames on the table behind him -- were identical. Image Screenshot comparison between a frame in the deepfake clip shared by Maverick Darby (left) and the Passover video posted by the Trump White House on YouTube (right) AFP has previously debunked false claims targeting Pride events in South Korea.
CBS News
24-05-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
Suspect in arson at Pennsylvania governor's official residence to seek delay in next court hearing
A man accused of trying to burn down Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro's official residence is seeking to delay his next scheduled court appearance because he is receiving mental health treatment, his lawyer said Friday. The suspect, Cody Balmer, had been scheduled to appear in court next Wednesday for a hearing to determine whether prosecutors have enough evidence against Balmer to take the case to trial. But Mary Klatt, the chief public defender of Dauphin County, said Balmer's hearing will be postponed because he is receiving treatment. "Everyone wants to ensure Mr. Balmer is mentally fit when this matter comes before the Court," Klatt said in an email to The Associated Press. Balmer is currently being held at the state prison in Waymart, the only state prison with a mental health unit for men, according to the state Department of Corrections. Balmer, 38, is charged with attempted homicide, arson and other offenses for setting a fire that tore through a section of the state-owned residence's first floor and forced the governor, his wife, children and members of his extended family to flee in the middle of the night, hours after they celebrated the Jewish holiday of Passover with a Seder in the residence. Shapiro, who is Jewish, is viewed as a potential White House contender for the Democratic Party in 2028. Balmer told police that he had intended to attack the governor with a hammer if he had encountered him that night, police said in a court filing. No one was injured in the blaze, which fire officials say caused millions of dollars in damage to the heavily protected residence. Balmer has not entered a plea. Balmer has been held without bail since turning himself in to state police after the April 13 fire. Klatt has said he would be evaluated to see if he is competent to stand trial. Balmer's mother and brother say he suffers from mental illness, something that Balmer denied in one brief court appearance. Authorities say Balmer expressed hatred for Shapiro.
