Know Hope.  The first time I saw that phrase spray-painted on a wall in Jerusalem I stopped so suddenly an old lady walked right into the back of me.  The phrase is brilliant.  Nothing I have seen before or since has better captured the sentiment on the streets of this country: a state and a people continuously fluctuating between hope and hopelessness.  Know Hope is actually the pen name of a Tel Aviv underground street artist who refuses to be identified.  He has agreed to occasional interviews, however, and on one such occasion described his

work as an ultra-political form of communication.  “Part of it is showing people that we all have hands, we all have something to say. I'm not saying that I want everyone to do street art but just to get things moving.”

MASA Acting Marketing Director, Yahel Segev holds a similar view of the art on the streets of Israel.  "Israelis are very opinionated, and because of the stress of everyday life, we say what we think." 

Ranging from light hearted to distressing, street-art in Israel is part of a national dialogue.  If not a native speaker, however, the layers of these messages can be lost in translation.

Born and raised in another country, I am only able to register many of the images I pass daily on a certain level.  I can laugh at the bunny-eared Ahmadinejad, but do I really understand the cultural forces behind the creation and application of such an image to the streets of Jerusalem?  It takes a certain kind of character, and a certain kind of experience, to be able to mock one of your biggest enemies in such a way.  I can appreciate the gesture, but do I really understand the culture behind it?

In an attempt to delve deeper into Israeli culture, beyond the conflict, the dress, the food, and the customs, I have put together a few street-art selections with translations and commentary.  Enjoy, and remember to keep your eyes open the next time you are walking around.