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Jan. 25, 2008
Vancouver rabbi among lions
Jewish museum exhibit focuses on life in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe.
BAILA LAZARUS
A woman having her hair done might not jump to mind as the scintillating subject of a photo exhibit, nor does an image of a man pouring a coke for a little boy. But these images are far from mundane: they represent the continuity, resilience and normalcy of a community that has suffered tremendous hardship, and which is disappearing – the Jews of Bulawayo, Zimbabwe.
The photos are part of a close-up look by Toby Asmoucha at the world of her brother, Rabbi Nathan Asmoucha, who was the country's sole rabbi from 2003 to 2007. They are currently on display in the show Rabbi Among the Lions at the Jewish Museum and Archives of British Columbia. Both siblings were born and raised in Vancouver.
"I wanted to see what my brother was up to," said Toby Asmoucha, who spent about three weeks in Zimbabwe. "I didn't know if it would be a project or not, but from everything I'd heard, the community was very interesting. The camera was a way to get to know people.
"I wanted to see my brother in a different light than I normally do. I really saw him grow into a leader in the community."
As it turns out, the people in Zimbabwe, along with her brother, are the real focus of the show. Now a community of 100, down from 8,000 in the early 1960s, the Jewish population is comprised mostly of the elderly. Many of the photos are a sensitive, if offbeat, look at these people in their natural environment. Hence we see Eric Bloch pouring a Coke for Yoel Asmoucha in one of the few kosher homes in Bulawayo; there's a simple close-up of the caretaker of the Hebrew Congregation, Mr. Sibanda, with a face showing wisdom mixed with curiosity, as though he's wondering why he's important enough to have his picture taken; and we are shown the inside of Carmel School, which is used as a private school for the whole Bulawayo community, including only five Jewish students out of 200.
For Nathan Asmoucha, who left the community last August, seeing the images together puts him right back in Bulawayo.
"Sometimes, it's like a dream," said the 37-year-old rabbi. "I can still remember the anticipation of going, and now it's over. I wanted to be there when transition came and things were getting better, but it didn't happen."
Zimbabwe is under a repressive regime, in which farmers (including Jewish farmers) have had their land taken away, and store owners have been jailed for pricing food higher than the government allows. As well, the high incidence of AIDS has led to the need for support groups for families of terminally ill patients. On top of everything, a month after the rabbi arrived in September 2003, a mysterious fire destroyed the Bulawayo Synagogue. Asmoucha did what he could to help everyone in the community.
Some of Asmoucha's longtime Vancouver friends were at the museum Jan. 20 to hear him talk.
"I remember when he left," said filmmaker Michael Dayan, who attended yeshivah with Asmoucha in Israel. "According to The Economist, Israel and Zimbabwe were the worst places to go to. He has such commitment, he'll go places nobody else would."
While in Bulawayo, Asmoucha taught Hebrew, conducted services and led the Jewish community, while participating in local culture. The title of the exhibit is actually a reference to Antelope Park, a rehabilitation project that is breeding African lions. A photo in the show, "Rabbi and the Lions," shows Asmoucha walking casually along a dirt road, with lions by his feet, as though he were taking his dogs for a stroll in Yaletown.
"Nathan was so relaxed," said sister Toby. The lions just picked up on his [calm] way."
Rabbi Among the Lions runs until June 12 at the Jewish museum in the Jewish Community Centre of Greater Vancouver. Call 604-638-7289 for more information.
Baila Lazarus is a freelance writer, photographer and illustrator living in Vancouver. Her work can be seen at www.orchiddesigns.net.
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