DCJCC Jewish Volunteers D25 2007

Each year the DC Jewish Community Center organizes a massive community-wide volunteer effort at Christmas to reach out to the city's neediest citizens.
I have been covering it (pro-bono) since at least 1994.

These photos are from the Community For Creative Non-Violence (CCNV), Change Inc, DC Central Kitchen, Miriam's Kitchen, and the DCJCC's blood drive.

Autumn observed closely

A selection of the thirty-five interesting fallen leaves that I collected recently on my walks in Glencarlyn Park.

Color spectrum surprise

Portrait of a young woman

Healing the world; one life at a time

I was privileged to document a surgery team, working to repair the birth defect of an infant.

Dead baby snake and 'Hippie Cheerleader'

Two recent images. The mortal coil of the serpent was discovered in Ruth's yard, the other being was observed alive and well, spreading cheer and harmless minor confusion at the Takoma Park (MD) Folk Festival.

Holy Holy Holy/Kadosh Kadosh Kadosh, Adonai tziva'ot, melo kol ha'aretz k'vodo/Lord, the whole world is filled with your glory

DeOnte' Rawlings's Shrine

This one got to me.

DeOnte' Rawlings, 14 years old, was shot and killed last week by an off-duty Washington, DC police officer, James Haskel. DeOnte' allegedly had stolen Mr. Haskel's personal minibike, and fired a gun at the officer's car when confronted. Haskel repeatedly returned fire, killing the boy. Witnesses gave a variety of contradictory reports. There is a bullet hole in Officer Haskel's vehicle, but DeOnte's alleged weapon has not been found as of yet.

To say the least, the neighborhood was upset. The officer is on leave, and DC Mayor Fenty and Police Chief Lanier are promising a thorough investigation.

Fourteen...

This shrine, in the alley where DeOnte' was killed, is no more than fifty yards from the shrine for little Destiny Walker. Condon Terrace is a very rough place to live... or die.

After a quiet conversation about the recent sad events, I wished peace to the women whose home is next to the shrine.

Zion Destiny Walker, and two more Washington Monuments

Zion Destiny Walker, not yet three years old, was beaten to death last month by her mother's boyfriend. I met her uncle by the shrine. He explained the terrible facts gently, with quiet grief in his voice. We spoke of the horrible mistake, the tear in the soul, the pitiful waste, that such violence brings about.

I ran into my old friend Marcus next to the dumpster graffiti memorial for two young men. He told me in his neigborhood, about one guy a year still gets killed. Thank goodness Marcus is doing well, positive, working, and rapping with his hip-hop and go-go crew, The Committee. We had a very meaningful conversation.

The headless and choked teddy bears at the other shrine...

All three of these shrines to slaying victims are in the Anacostia section of Washington, DC.

May we all be destined to walk in a better place...

By any other name

Bon Air Rose Garden, Arlington, Virginia
For Arlington County Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs Department...

and for the sake of beauty

RIP Lil Bo + (two more Washington Monuments)

The monument to Lil Bo, in an alley behind the Chateau nightclub in Anacostia, is three years old. A neighbor passing by informed me that his friends gather on anniversaries of his death to drink and celebrate his memory. They maintain and carefully arrange the bottles in formation, and keep the vacant lot reasonably clean and free of trash. I made a rough estimate of more than 700 bottles in this shrine, mostly pretty pricey liquors.

The shape and the purpose of the site reminded me of circular neolithic stone tombs I visited in Ireland. Dromberg, Sligo, Loughcrew. An echo of Stonehenge...

Lil Bo's girlfriend was pregnant with his child at the time of his murder.

The other site was on Adams St NE. I know nothing else. Another sad mystery. An eyeless clown on a pole.

Stoney Lonesome Farm

Esther Mandelheim Elliot and her husband Pablo run Stoney Lonesome Farm, a family owned organic operation in Gainesville, VA, not far from Washington, DC.

I photographed Esther for a cover story for Lilith, a highly-regarded Jewish women's magazine.
She is originally from Russia, growing up in St. Petersburg, and later in White Plains, NY.

Great people, doing good work, growing wonderful produce. They run a friendly and capable community-supported agriculture (CSA) business, helping local folks get the best farm-fresh vegetables direct from the farm to their tables.
Check 'em out.
Their website is: http://www.slfarm.us

Lilith magazine is at: www.lilith.org

Ruth's Roots: Part I

Ruth & I visited Bardonia, New York, a community that's really just a few neighborhoods in Rockland County: a quiet suburb of New York City that she moved to from the Lower East Side when she was ten.
We visited her old home, her synagogue, and schools.

Then we had pizza.

Memory. Learning. Bonding.

Driving & Daisies

Ruth driving, daisies spinning.

On the road again...

Bread & Puppet

Visited Bread & Puppet's museum in Glover, Vermont. Thousands and thousands of huge papermache creations in a 145-year-old barn. Forty plus years worth of giant puppet heads.

In the words of my friend John Moremen, "I dig it the most!"

These folks are dedicated to creating 'cheap art' - gently prodding our tense and addled society to resist the dangerous vices of greed, hatred, and violence. They tour widely, and continue to provide spectacular, provocative, and wise messages to our divided, adrenaline and money-fueled world.

I first encountered their puppets at Nixon's Counter-inaugural parade in 1973.

Do not pass Go. Breathe. Eat an apple.
Then link at your leisure to:
www.breadandpuppet.org