“After the meal and just before telling the HAD GADYAH story, the house took on a surreal aura, enhanced by the drowsiness of four glasses of ceremonial wine. Father would take up his oud and pluck haunting oriental tunes or a Passover melody. The seder table was a wonderful mess by that late time, with nothing in its right place —in contrast to its original beauty. Somewhere in the air, Elijah, that most elusive prophet who drinks but doesn’t get drunk, is hovering somewhere, keeping a protective eye on all the Jewish homes in town. The mosaics were no longer symmetrical nor did they follow their traditional patterns — they all moved. Mother was always there, either delegating cleaning up chores to the older siblings or putting children to bed. The house noises at that surreal moment were most reassuring.”

– Raphael Bouganim

Size: 47″ x 35″, Medium: oil on canvas