Once again, I walked back in Biblical history to paint a mural in the Holy Land. Beersheba, as it is called in the Bible, was the southernmost part of the Kingdom of Israel. It is mentioned in the Bible that both Abraham and Isaac dug wells in this location. You need water anywhere to survive, but it seems especially important in the middle of the Negev Desert. Jacob had his dream about angels ascending and descending a ladder in the vicinity as well. When the Children of Israel returned to the Promised Land after slavery in Egypt, Beersheba was first in the territory given to the tribe of Judah and later became part of the territory of the tribe of Simeon. As if any place needed more Biblical history, Beersheba was where the sons of Samuel were judges and where the prophet Elijah fled to when his life was threatened by Jezebel.
The Holy Land is a puzzle; one too difficult for me to resolve. Talk to a Jew and you will be told that Israel is their Promised Land. It was where God told Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob that His people would dwell. And Golda Meir, a former Prime Minister of Israel said, “We have no place else to go.” Talk to a Palestinian and you will learn that there is no Israel. The whole region is called Palestine. The Jews are an occupying force that stole their land.
How can you solve a puzzle like this?
The Dagania School in Be’er Sheva (as Beersheba is known today), is trying to be part of the solution. It’s a bilingual school, and in this part of the world, that means Hebrew and Arabic. There are only eight schools like this in Israel, and this is the only one in the Negev Desert. In this elementary school with around 300 students, classes are mixed with Jews and Muslims along with a very small smattering of Christians. Students study Hebrew and Arabic. All religious occasions are celebrated. Best of all, in this environment, children work together and become friends. As far as I can see, it’s the only way for the two groups of people to survive. The easiest way to love your enemy is if you meet with them, speak with them, work with them, play with them, eat with them, and paint with them.
I discussed the mural a little with the principal before I met with two classes of students for ideas about the mural. Since I was looking for a large background word, and I really couldn’t pick between Arabic and Hebrew, we went with the English world PEACE. In the hallway of the school was a quote with a unique font. It combined Arabic on the top and Hebrew on the bottom. I realized that this must be the text in the center of the mural. It is roughly translated as “Sharing Life Together.” It was a perfect fit, and we had a plan. After I talked with the students, I had many suggestions for illustrations as well as words that I might want to scatter about the wall.
The actual wall outside, at the playground, was the roughest wall I’ve ever painted on. Now, I have vowed in the past that I would never paint with oil-based paint after struggling with it in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. So much for my vows! I had a terrible mess on my hands with it during my last mural in Taybeh. But, I’m making another vow. I will never allow myself to be talked into such a horrible surface ever again. Be’er Sheva wins. It was the most difficult mural I have ever painted.
I created my usual complex design, but I quickly realized that I would have to scrap a lot of it. The wall was difficult for me to paint, and I had a lot more experience than my elementary assistants. Additionally, it just slurped up the paint and took forever to fully cover.
From left to right on the mural, here’s what made the final cut for the design. The background word is PEACE. In the middle of the P is a dove from the school logo. There is also a girl studying. Next are symbols of the three main religions represented in the school with a Christian cross, a Jewish menorah, and an Islamic crescent moon. Continuing right, there is a boy with a drama mask, a musical note, and a ping pong paddle. Finally, there is a girl playing soccer. The girls’ team were local champions. I was a witness that soccer was truly the local passion. It was played every recess. Whenever an artist from America was hit by the ball, or a container of paint was knocked over, I cried out, “Goal!”. I think my humor eluded them.
All of my helpers were eleven-years-old or younger. All were adorable. Not all were so skilled in painting. My favorite assistants all spoke enough English that I could communicate with them. I had one boy who returned over and over to help me. I called him “Number One”. Did he love painting with a stray artist from America or did he enjoy missing classes? That’s a toss-up, and I may not want to know the truth. But, my day was always brightened by my number one right-hand helper at my side.