Community Projects

Community projects implemented by Lee Rimon and Itschak de Lange

When the Shark and the Fish First Met

This story was written by kidnapped Israeli soldier Gilad Schalit when he was just a child in fifth grade, and nine years before he was taken captive. It is a hope-filled allegory telling of a shark and a fish that learned to play together despite all the odds.

The Edge Gallery invited Israel’s Illustrators Guild to illustrate the story. These illustrations were then exhibited and published as a children’s book.

We welcome the world’s children to submit their own illustrations of the story.

Click here for more details on the project.

Nahariya - Bomb Shelter Theater

In the summer of 2006, during the second Lebanon war, Nahariya’s residents spent long, grueling days in town bomb shelters.

Lee Rimon and Itschak de Lange went from shelter to shelter putting on puppet theater with those seeking shelter there. The response was overwhelming, inspiring and creative.

In producing the performances, there was a part to play for everyone: children, adults and youth. Some wrote the plays’ scripts, created the marionettes, sewed their costumes; we even constructed a proper building for the theater. All those in the shelter participated in the shows that expressed their fears, endurance and optimism.

Manot - a community in the mountains of the Western Galilee

Community members requested a project that would facilitate a means for parents, children and youth to artistically express themselves. Inspiration this time came from electricity poles made of wood.

Children drew winged creatures, butterflies and imaginary flying creatures. Parents cut multicolored metal pieces. The metal pieces are hung at the entrance to the community. The rooster above them all points in the direction of the wind.

Navy officers’ training school,Acre

Cadets at the navy officers’ training school in Acre created for themselves a sculpted bench decorated with sea creatures representing their world.

Days at the school are long and intensive. At the end of one such day, cadets arrived at the work site with flashlights and through remarkable team effort, created the bench with old chair frames, covers were made from nets, filling for the chairs saved from the trash as well as concrete. A colorful paint job turned the bench into the center point of the school’s main courtyard.

Safed - Theater for Immigrant Children

State School A during the Persian Gulf War

A huge wave of immigration to Israel coincided with the Persian Gulf War. We sought a way for immigrant children to integrate with Israeli kids as well as give them an opportunity to give voice to their feelings and personal stories. Immigrant children were excused from regular classes to go to the theater group. After a time, the ‘veteran’ Israeli children were also invited to take part. Of course the invitations were met with great enthusiasm and wild applause as well as the performances of the plays, which took place later before all the children.

Mitspe Hila - community in the mountains of the Western Galilee

When we began this project, so did the Persian Gulf War. In accordance with the wishes of community members, it was continued throughout the war. A sculpture site originally intended to be a heritage site for this young community also served as a gathering point for this community which did not send its children to school and whose adult members did not go to work for the duration of the war.

The community’s members intently described their struggle to prevent changes to local zoning laws that would have destroyed the local salamander pool. It was these salamanders that were the subject of the communal sculpture project.

Kiryat Shemona

This project took place in a low-income housing development with both immigrant and veteran Israeli children. Both sought ways to connect with one another. The children chose to represent themselves in a joint activity. The manner of doing this was using metal cutouts based on the children’s drawings. Metal sculptures were fashioned into a half circle together with a negative board. Upon the children’s request, the local authorities planted an olive tree in the middle of the sculpture. With paint, the center of a once monochrome neighborhood was revitalized with a colorful sculpture.

Color and Nature Events, Eilat

Once a year, at the initiative of the city of Eilat’s cultural department, a unique community art event takes place in the middle of the desert. We were invited to teach families how to create a sculpture from recycled materials.

For three years, we traveled to Eilat, at the opposite ‘edge’ of the country and chose a different theme for the event.

In just three hours, in the middle of the desert, colorful totem, animal and tree sculptures arose. In close proximity to Eilat, these creative families erected an artistic oasis.

Hazor HaGlilit - a town on the edge of the Hulah Valley

Older immigrants from the former Soviet Union have found it difficult to integrate into this community. The Jewish Agency invited us to create an ‘environmental sculpture’ together and for the immigrants. The small park at the center of the community where the immigrants would play chess, was selected as the site for the project.

A local furniture factory donated metal chair frames. We added and built our own table frame. Slowly and with much dedication, we covered the frames with cement and paint and created a colorful and attractive sculpture for the use of the community and that reflects their interests.

Kerem Ben Zimra - a community with views of Mt. Hermon

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We were invited to this community by its residents who wanted to strengthen the spirit of community through art. This was the genesis of the ‘Meeting Tables’ community art project.

Working with a gamut of age groups: adults, youth and children, a delightful corner near the community’s club was chosen for the project. There we placed the mosaic-inlaid tables, which we created with board games.

Alma - a community in the Dalton Heights with views of Mt. Hermon

The community of Alma invited us to work with children and youth and to initiate a long-term art project. The children wanted to create a work of art that would be visible from afar and that would give them some input into the community.

The children decided to focus on the center of the community in a large square near the grocery that they frequent on a daily basis. The buildings near the grocery had been abandoned long ago and proved to be a special challenge. We searched for a colorful and surprising theme for the art project and the decision was made to establish a zoo of sorts in the community.

Trays for Israel

.An Israel-wide project for children in cooperation with the Ministry of Education in celebration of 50 years of Israeli independence in partnership with Projective

Israeli children were invited to take part in a national exhibition and prepare a tray for Israel. Every child, according to his/her tastes, talents how they view the country and what they wish for its future.

The project encouraged values like environmental protection, use of recycled materials and was accessible to all of Israel.

The exhibition was shown at the Israel Museum in Tel Aviv.

For more information, click here.

Rehaniya - a Circassian village in the Dalton Heights

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The community center of this community is without a doubt, the sports field and leisure. The dream is to bring here all sports professions. Through this project, we realized this dream. Together with local youth, we drew all kinds of sports, then moved to metal sheets, cut them into shapes and painted them lively colors.

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The sports field’s fence was decorated with a virtual Olympics.