FRAMED HAS BEEN WITHOUT ITS OWN HOME FOR ALMOST SIX MONTHS NOW. WHAT IS A CULTURAL SALON WITHOUT A HOME ANYWAY? AND ACTUALLY, WHAT IS ‘HOME’?
Is it where I was born? Where I grew up? At my parents’ place? Is it in my grandparents’ homeland? Is it where my children and my husband are?
I was a bit anxious about this period of the nomads for Framed…
But somehow, and perhaps not very surprisingly, I find that I feel quite “at home” in nomads – as a vagabond.
When I moved to Berlin 6 years ago, I didn’t want to leave our apartment in Tel Aviv. With all the economic, cultural, political hardship and chaos around, I still felt at home. It was hard for me to give it up. Three months after we moved, I already hosted the first Framed event in our apartment (I had no such plan ahead of time, it came about organically) and I suddenly realized that there was a possibility to build a better home for me and my family for this period of our lives. I could not see or understand that such a possibility existed while living in Tel Aviv. I had to take a chance and fly across the sea to find out.
My husband’s grandparents (on his mother’s side) were born and lived in Germany until World War II. Their daughter Edna, was born and raised in Tel Aviv, by the sea. Aharon, my husband, was later born in the same house. Edna’s grandchildren (our children) were born in Tel Aviv but have spent most of their lives so far in Berlin, speaking the mother tongue of their grandparents whom they never had the chance to meet.
I have a strong urge to take root wherever I am. To acclimate quickly to new situations; to build a family and a home no matter what, despite of and thanks to the nomads.
To grow and flourish you need to take root. There is no doubt. It doesn’t work any other way. But sometimes, you have to take out the whole plant, with its roots, and move it to a bigger pot, change its soil, let it grow deeper and taller. And to not be afraid to keep moving, like animals in the wild. Like everything else. Nothing remains static.
So for now, Framed continues to wander around Berlin and I trust it will be for the best. Because it’s core is determined and dedicated people whose good intentions are sincere and we have an understanding, inclusion, appreciation and love between us. In my experience so far, when you have a strong and supportive family you can keep going forward, knowing that even if it sometimes feels like a setback, the opposite is true.
And now without any further metaphors or additional musings, I will report (if you haven’t understood by now) that I still haven’t found a new home for Framed.
But – we did find some fantastic locations that will host our Cultural Salon for the upcoming events.
I highly recommend that you don’t miss these!