Dr. Katya Mandoki: Caressing the land with every step

Dr. Katya Mandoki finds profound meaning in her photographic work in Jerusalem, viewing her walks through the city as an act of "caressing the land." This philosophy, inspired by Vietnamese Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh, guides her observations as she captures the essence of everyday life.

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I try to walk as if caressing the land by every step. I heard this suggestion attributed to the Vietnamese Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh, advice I carry with me always, especially as I walk through the streets of Jerusalem with my camera.

Mandoki's connection to her Jewish identity began with challenging childhood experiences in Mexico City. A formative moment occurred in kindergarten when she was told, "If anyone asks, say you are Jewish," leading to exclusion and an accusation from a friend that her people "killed God." This early encounter with antisemitism, a trope passed down through generations, marked the beginning of her lifelong quest for self-understanding.

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I cannot find the words to convey how immensely fortunate I am living in Jerusalem, specifically during these difficult times, which are not only historic but biblical, a continuation of the strife of the Jewish people to preserve and develop a culture of values that loves and celebrates life above all and expresses gratitude.

Further shaping her identity were experiences with a hostile nanny who threatened her and her brother with hell for being Jewish, and unkind sermons from a priest that instilled fear. Her father, an atheist, forbade them from attending church, viewing religion as a private matter. The discovery of Holocaust survivor testimonials in her home library, despite her family's silence on the matter, deeply impacted her, especially as relatives had perished in Hungary.

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If anyone asks, say you are Jewish.

Mandoki's journey has led her from a secular Hungarian background in Mexico through experimental art and aesthetics studies to her current focus in Jerusalem. Her camera lens now seeks the "prose of everyday life," a pursuit informed by her philosophical inquiries and a deep-seated gratitude for life and culture, particularly amidst the current historic and biblical times in Jerusalem.

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My mother says you killed God.