City of Refuge – Art Sale and Exhibition for Victims of Torture

Since 2011, reports of a series of organized kidnappings for ransom have emerged from Sinai. Refugees from various countries (mostly Sudan, Ethiopia or Eritrea) who fled their native lands due to political persecution and genocide are transported to Sinai by Bedouin traffickers paid by the asylum seekers to bring them to the Egypitian-Israeli border, hoping to cross into Israel. Instead, for months they are held hostage in camps by the same members of Bedouin tribes whom they paid to reach the border. Typically, the hostages are forced to give up phone numbers of relatives and are tortured with the relatives on the phone, in order to obtain ransoms in the range of $20,000 – $40,000. If the families can’t pay, the hostages are killed.

Today there are about 7,000 survivors of these torture camps living in Israel. Most of the survivors, citizens of Eritrea and Sudan, suffer from severe trauma and are in need of medical treatment and physical and psychological support mechanisms that will help them rehabilitate their lives. However, just like the rest of asylum seekers, survivors live in Israel without any status or rights. They are not eligible for rehabilitation services, they do not have official working permits and they do not have access to health and welfare services. This situation exacerbates their condition and is likely to deteriorate their already critical physical and mental state.

A work from the exhibition by Uri Gershuni

A work from the exhibition by Uri Gershuni

In the last three years, ASSAF – Aid Organization for Asylum Seekers and Refugees support services have been given to more than 600 survivors. These services include: advocacy, providing rights & services, and psychological support and guidance given both individually and in groups by an assigned social worker. The relief ASSAF organization provides to men and women victims of torture is almost the only support available in Israel for them today. This art sale aims to raise money to continue ASSAF’s work with victims of torture.

The art sale will take place in “The Lobby – Art Space” at Arlozorov 6, Tel-Aviv from the 22nd to 24th of September. Opening Hours: Thursday: 19:00; Friday: 11:00-14:00 and Saturday: 11:00-21:00. Among the artists: Adi Brande / Aim Deuelle Luski / Alex Levac / Ami Faytchevitz / Anat Maoz / Angelika Sher / Anisa Ashkar / Arik Miranda / Assaf Evron / Assaf Rahat / Assaf Shoshan / Assia Aldema / Avital Cnaani / Bar Dvir / Ben Kadishman / Chelli Goldenberg / Dafna Shalom / Dan Haimovich / Dana Darvish / Dana Yoeli / David Adika / David Benarroch / Einat Amir / Einat Sarig Reich / Einav Ziv Ayalon / Eitan Ben Moshe / Elad Kofler/ Eli Singalovski / Eliaz Slonim / Ester Schneider / Gal Litvak / Galia Gur Zeev / Galia Pasternak / Gideon Smilansky / Gilad Ophir / Giora Bergell / Guy Pitchon / Hadas Kedar / Hanna Sahar / Hila Laviv / Hilla Ben Ari / Hinda Weiss / Ilit Azoulay / Iris Kadishman / Jonathan Gold / Joseph Dadoune / Know Hope / Lee Yanor / Leor Grady / Mati Elmaliach / Maya Gelfman / Meirav Heyman / Michal Heiman / Miki Kratsman / Miri Davidovitz / Moran Kliger / Mosh Kashi / Nelly Agassi / Netally Schlosser / Nir Harel / Noa Gross / Nurit Shani / Oren Fischer / Orit Hasson / Orly Maiberg / Osnat Osterlitz / Raanan Harlap / Rami Maymon / Ronni Setter / Ruth Agassi / Sally Krysztal / Shahar Marcus / Shai Azoulay / Shaul Tully Bauman / Shoshanah Ciechanowski / Tal Givony / Tal Yizrael / Tamar Karavan / Tamir Sher / Tova Lotan / Tsibi Geva / Uri Gershuni / Vered Nissim / Yael Argov Hacmun / Yael Balaban / Yael Kafri / Yair Barak / Yair Garbuz / Yana Rotner / Yifat Bezalel / Yigal Shtayim / Yoram Kupermintz / Yuval Barel / Zeev Engelmayer / Zoya Cherkassky.

The event in Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/1223709201004989/