Very cold night

Last night was super cold. More because of the wind. The up side of that is the wind played the harp some, an it was stronger than usual, but there were just moments, not the whole night. Most of the time when the wind is playing the people are not close enough and don't notice or don't understand.

Second Ending

Some stories never seem to end. The girl that has been trying to stop me from playing came by twice this week pleading with me to stop playing, but she didn't do more than that and left after a few minutes. Last night she came again. She was more persistent but still didn't do anything physically My friend went with her to her rabbi, who is quite close. The rabbi told my friend there was nothing more he could, he told her to stop bothering me and she wasn't doing what her rabbi said. HE said we should call the police. Well, till that point she wasn't doing anything physical so there was nothing the police could do, but then when I made it clear to her I was not going to stop playing, she went back to doing what she did before, taking my money etc. Another friend standing by called the police but they never came. They did say, I remember, the last time they were there that I had to go down to the police station. So in the meantime, others were trying to help, talking to her. Nothing seemed to help. Then, this one young lady came along, spoke to her a while. and it seems she sot through to her. She said that if the rabbi said it was OK then it was OK. She left. We shall see if that is really the end of the story.

She came back - End of the story

I still don't know her name, but she as back again last night. I invited her to play my harp, which of course she refused. She touched it like she wanted to do something to it, but couldn't. Then when someone was holding my money basket to guard it, she would put her hands on the strings so they would not play. Three nice guys were there helping me and trying to talk to her and then a few of their friends came along. They told me to play and they created a human wall to keep her from me. Others came along and there was at least 10 or 12 people. This went on for a while. In the end, she went and got her rabbi. He came and spoke with the young men who were being my bodyguards for some time and to the young lady. He never spoke to me. He told her she was not to touch my things.

Greetings from Naomi via her sister

I was very tired yesterday and almost didn't go out last night but I'm glad I did. Naomi Sharon's sister is here and brought me greetings from Naomi. Nomi is in N.Y. studying on her masters. Well, she took her harp out in NYC ( I forget exactly where she said) and played. She said she wouldn't have done that if it hadn't been for my influence. I'm happy to have played a part.

She came back

The girl I wrote about on Jan. 9 came back night before last. She is so determined that I not play. I tried talking with her. I told her she was nice and I liked her except that she was giving me problems. She said she liked me too. But God was telling her I shouldn't play. So in the end, I had to call the police again. She actually encouraged me. They came and spoke to her and took her with them and said they were going to talk to her more. She did not come back later. She wasn't there last night. We shall see.

Birthright

I think I see almost all the ones that come on birthright , or at least they see me, because they all come to Ben Yehuda, I think. Now, I can't just every person on the street play my harp when I am out there. First of all, I am playing. but wouldn't it be neat if all the young people coming to Israel for the first time on birthright had the experience of playing on a harp, a traditional instrument of Israel? It could be in a historical setting near the old city. I could play a short set, and the ones who wanted could have a chance of 5 or 10 minutes on the harp. I could give guidance to those who wanted or needed it. But as I have written before, many people can do quite well on their own, especially if they are already musicians. I have one place in mind, just outside the city wall, or in the City of David is a possibility. I played a gig there once and there is a lovely park. When they are not playing on the harp they can be exploring the city. Baruch, if you read this, what do you think?

Birthright from Australia

Birthright from Australia was out Wed. night. Baruch was leading a group of about 30 young people. t was fairly quiet on the street so I let Baruch sit down at the harp. He was very hesitant because, as he said , he was the opposite of musical. Well, like everyone who thins they can't do anything on a harp, Baruch was pleasantly surprised. Then I let a few of the youths with him have a go at it. Neither of them had musical training

ANOTHER WEEK

You haven't seen me on the street this week much because I have been staying out of the cold to fight a cold. I did play a few hours on Wednesday night without catching a chill. I'm trying to avoid what happened last year when I didn't play for 2 months because of bronchitis. I'm not near a bad as I was last Feb. I hope to be playing more this week.

Last night I wasn't on Ben Yehuda because I was playing at a wedding. Hadas's mother told me she dreamed about having a harp at her wedding since she was a little girl.

End of a Difficult Week

This has been an especially difficult week on Ben Yehuda.The rain and the cold kept me off the street most of the week before. This weeks troubles started last Saturday night. After Mara, the harpist from Delaware left, I sat back down at the harp and began to play again. This young girl who had spoken to Mara came to me and was telling me I shouldn't play. It was not proper. She didn't really speak, she sort of whispered and I could barely understand her but she kept pointing up like pointing to God. She was really pleading with me to stop, in a very quiet way. When I didn't stop, she started tapping me on the arm, trying to get me to stop. I don't remember it so well. I had no idea of what the week would be. She finally left after some words.That was actually not the first time. A few weeks before she told me that I should not play but did not make such a big thing out of it. Well, the next night she ws back but instead of tapping me on the shoulder she started taking my basket that I collect money in. She did not want the money, but when she picked it up, I would stop playing. This went on for quite some time. Finaly a nice couple called the police for me. She just was not going to leave. While waiting for the police Edward came along. Edward is a Russian violinist and told me the girl is from Moscow. He tried talking with her but it didn't help. Then the police came and spoke to her. In the end Edward led her away and she didn't come back that night, but the next night she did. The police were called and they led her away but 20 minutes later she was back. The police were called again but didn't come before it was time to quit. Another friend trying to help suggested she pay me not to play and she accepted. She said she would give me a certain amount every night not to play. It would have been worth it what she offered but I couldn't do that. I believe I am supposed to play there. The next night it was more obvious how ill she was. Many many people tried talking to her and in front of 5 police officers, when I started to play, she could not stop from picking up my basket, even after the police told her she can't do that. I was watching her face and it was like she was driven. So they took her with them and I hope she will get the help she needs. She had a sweetness about her.

Guest harpist from Delaware

Last night a group of young girls with Birthright stopped by to hear me and one said she had studied harp in middle school for 3 and a half years and had a Lyon and Healey folk harp. Of course I invited her to play and she did quite nicely. She hadn't studied for a while but hoped to get back in to it. I hope last night will have encouraged her.

I didn't get her name because another lady came up to her and was talking to her and before I knew it the harpist had left. I didn't realize who this other lady was at first but she had been there the week before. She was trying to get me to stop playing, saying it was indecent of me as a woman to be out playing on the street like that.
I just got her email , The lady from Delaware is Mara Finestrauss.