photography – Page 37 – Lorin Duckman Today

Minyan Image Hung on Wall at Temple Anshei Shalom

I made this image as a prayer aid, something to take the minyanim to a higher level. My talit, worn at my Bar Mitzvah, given to me by my father. My kappa, swiped from a box somewhere, bearing the name of some people whom I don’t know who gave it to people who attended their wedding. Tefillin from Sholem Lipskar who presides in Bal Harbor, whom I have not seen for years. He thought we were related and deserted me during my assassination. The prayer book is from a Rabbi I knew in MA. It belonged to his grandfather. It is open to the page we all read when we put on the boxes. Today, they hung it in the little sanctuary at Anshei Sholem where we belong.

I made all the light in the image in a studio. It’s artificial. Only God makes light. He did that first so we could observe the wonder of his creation.

May we all, this shabbos, use that light to see clearly, focused on human rights and justice, loving our families and communities and making the best of our short time hear on earth.

Why War

We stood in mourning at the American Cemetery with people from all over the world. All came knowing the dead even if we weren’t related by anything other than our sadness. Kids mostly lie at rest. Carerra marble stones don’t have dates or places of birth. The dead came from somewhere in the US. Had mothers, fathers, sisters and brothers. Deprived of their life for no reason other than their desire to stop the madness and mayhem of State murder, all believing they were doing right for the right reasons. Many of their brothers lie else where, closer to home. We felt them, too.

There is silence in the place, people in the graves have muffled voices. I wanted to unearth the remains, hug the bodies and say thanks. But when I went with the group and saw this statue, my eyes dried a bit and my heart filled with rage. I looked at the figure and it said to me, arms and voice raised, “WHY WAR.”

Back To Boynton

Home. Haven’t really settled in, even though we have been here for a year. Went to Paris last year. Did a couple of weeks here and there. I almost died following gall bladder surgery. We don’t have a routine and I have cruise pounds. Who do you call? Bicycle Doctor. They make house calls to repair and restore bikes. Our antique bikes, bought in Brooklyn and maintained, will outlive us. I want us both to live a while, a wish supported by Sharon and a select few. So, let’s get it on and take off some pounds.

Alternate Sources of Power

Before we convince ourselves of our rightness or righteousness, let’s not forget the world around us, most of which is water, above which the wind blows. Other ways exist to supply power than fossil fuels. And, you don’t need to be a weatherman to know which way the wind blows.

American Cemetery, Normandy 2016

All Americans owe a debt to these men, mostly young, who changed the course of history. They gave their life for me. Families of Jews made the decision to bury them with their brothers. 149 Carrera marble Mogen Davids stand, marking their graves. No rocks to mark my visit. I left my tears. Some leave roses.

Vets on our tour and others laid wreaths for all. Most who came on the Beaches are now dead. No way to mourn them enough or apologize for our inhumanity. When we ask why we do this, we know the answer.

A monument was erected to the fallen on Omaha Beach. Soldiers did better on nearby Utah Beach. I try not to believe the dead were sacrifices, though things like that happen in wars. Sad but true. And to think these guys were volunteers….

Cora Duckman, Dead for 20 Years

So, my Mother died during my hearing. She had a heart attack watching Governor Pataki rail at me, demanding I resign. As I sat shiva, newsmen prowled outside until shooed by Kendall, out neighbor. My brother blamed me for her death. Family deserted me. Few came to our home.

I was refused an extension of time to appear, a point noted somewhere in the decisions supporting my removal. I never really got a chance to mourn or grieve.

Today, we are traveling through Europe. A rabbi has been brought aboard to lead the seder. At his lecture on Jewish values, I asked the assembled crowd if people would join to make a minyan. Yes, women are invited.

We got 8. Found Kaddish prayer on my I Pad. Rabbi asked if I could read Hebrew. I said, “yes, as long as I don’t cry too much.” I did cry and we did say Kaddish.

Day#9, Pula

During the Roman times, the Emperor and his landed gentry buddies would bring gladiators into this arena where they would fight and kill peasants and lions. People cheered for their sides, just like many still do today when they watch sports.

They drank wine, wenched and partied, ignoring their responsibility to civilization.

They have telephones now, though I doubt anyone uses them.

Day#4 Athens

So, you are asking, why travel. One reason is to see the antiquities. Go back to where organized governments started, albeit ones that didn’t treat all people, especially women equally. They had slaves, too, some of whom had talent and built this place. Seeing it in art and history books just ain’t the same, despite the crowds, the climb and the weather. I felt the togas.

Like all civilized places, they had arts and a theatre. Plays, music and circus. No slayings. Maria Callas even sang there, as did Sting.

Viking Star_2016 Day#2

After a while, the cities look the same. Canons from the war. Scarf seller. We went to Troy. Saw the ruins. Helen’s face launched a thousand ships. Brad Pitt fought there. No more water, Hector. For the tourists, a wooden horse. A fort was unearthed, along with the remnants of 9 cities built on top of each other. The men fought. The women, cooked and cleaned and worked in the bordello. They had water to drink and bathe in. Then came the malaria and they were wiped out.

Viking Star_2016 Day#1

So, we travelled for 30 hours, arriving at the boat in Istanbul totally wasted. My head ached. My eyes burned. I walked dead, not knowing if I was alive or a person from another planet.

We cancelled the two day layover due to terrorist threats. No need to be a hero. Most on the cruise did likewise. I don’t regret it, but I really wanted to return to the Blue Mosque, Topkapi and the Cisterns. Security is evident and overwhelming. Maybe we didn’t have anything to worry about.

But, shooting an image, making a photograph, always brings me back to life. The suite we live in for the next 50 days has a terrace. I set up the tripod, put the camera in place and shot as the sun went down. Two large martinis also helped.