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Bomb Shelters Going Up In Washington Square

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Preview of The Bomb Shelter

If you spot some bomb shelters and hear sirens in Washington Square Park tomorrow don't panic, but take a moment to immerse yourself in the new multi-media installation, titled The Bomb Shelter. It's meant to connect New Yorkers to what Israelis went through last week during the bombing of a Jerusalem bus stop and repeated rocket strikes.

A periodic siren will sound and participating park goers will have 15 seconds to get from where they are in Washington Square to the shelter—the same length of time that those facing rocket attacks in Israel have to reach safety. As they rush into the shelter amidst the sound of blasts, immersive video continues the heart pounding experience as an actual Qassam rocket barrage hitting Sderot unfolds around them—all from the perspective of being in the crowd suffering through the attack.

The shelters were designed by some of New York's top graffiti artists, including COPE2, SKI, 2ESAE and KA, and the exhibit is sponsored by the Birthright Israel Alumni Community. The executive director Rebecca Sugar says, "After so many years, it becomes easy for Americans to just read past the headlines. We hope this will help people better understand what it is like to live under terror and renew their passion to see it end." Take part in their message tomorrow, from 1 to 4 p.m.

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Comments [rss]

  • Of course, but when you distinguish "Jewish Zionists" then you're making more of an anti-Semitic statement than a political one

  • Which Zionists, IN ISRAEL, are we talking about? The African or Icelandic Zionists? How many of the Zionists in Israel are anything but Jewish? What, there's a bunch of Asian, Buddhist Zionists in Israel? Jamaican Rastafarians, rooting for Israel to slaughter another Muslim family?

    Standard brilliant comeback from the usual suspects - "anti-semite!"

    I also realize there are Jews who DO understand how their "homeland" commits the most heinous of murder and other atrocities against perfectly innocent Palestinian women and children.

  • Guest

    Chel'at ha'min ha'enoshi.

  • Lech tiezdayen

  • fair enough

  • Of course, but when you distinguish "Jewish Zionists" then you're making more of an anti-Semitic statement than a political one

  • It is completely possible to be anti-Zionist and not be an anti-Semite.

  • Guest

    Ben shel elef zona.

  • Hapes mi yenanea otha

  • "Why not put up a 20-foot wall around the park, regularly cut water and all food supplies from entering, set up a squalid refugee camp inside, next bulldoze the Parks Department rest station, then kill a few toddlers as they play, to connect New Yorkers to what Palestinians go through on a daily basis for decades from the Zionists who expect our sympathy."

    Bingo, FTW! Fuck the Jewish Zionists, fuck 'em, fuck 'em, fuck 'em! They slaughter innocent Palestinians on an _hourly_ basis. DIME and white phosphorous bombs dropped on civilian women and children. Their list of crimes, including murder, is endless.

    Fuck em. Israel is like a tumor on the global community. Perpetual deceit and murder - what a record to be proud of!

  • But non-Jewish Zionists are cool, because your anti-Zionism is really just thinly-veiled anti-Semitism.

  • No, no Zionist is cool. The very idea that "god" says some spot on earth is anyone's ultimate home, is utter bullsh*t, and will lead to the destruction of the planet, and of humanity. Already is.

    Anybody claiming that "(our) god likes us best, and says we have a right to this land, so you can leave or be killed..." is a cancer on society. Medieval no less. It's a caveman level of thought.

    But then again, so are almost all religions, let alone the Abrahamic ones.

    If some kind of nuclear war is started in the middle east, it will most likely be started by Israel; they have a pretty obvious track record for taking the first shot, justified or not.

    What I see as almost inevitable, is the entire world burning down or being poisoned, directly because of Zionist Jews. Because of their totally self-serving religious beliefs. Nice job!

  • "the soccer field" cleared away from dilapidated tenements in The Bronx. now local residents can experience what it's like to be a Palestinian child playing football. There are no sirens, and there is no time to run while a mortar round tears them and their entire family limb from limb.

  • Guest

    Lech telakkek coos mitkalef shel para.

  • Eema shelcha Kemo yadeit coolam mekabliem seivuv!

  • AmYisraelHai

    so long as you keep things accurate and have murderers with a missile launcher that just fired at Israeli towns in the middle of it all....

  • Start a Gaza installation where stuff randomly blows up after a plane flies overhead.

  • carry13

    is the irony of all the fighting here (in the comment section) lost on everyone? This is why there will never be peace- its all "im right, you're wrong" on both sides. How about this- they are BOTH WRONG. THEY ARE BOTH KILLING EACHOTHER.

  • Those grafitti artists should be ashamed of themselves. Anyone who can think for themselves enough to be part of that sort of counter-culture should also be aware of the real situation over there and not swayed by establishment propaganda, never mind become a part of it. Why should great grafitti artists be a part of this anyway. In what way is their input relevant? This whole situation is horrible.

  • PaulaNYC

    And we care about this little sliver of sand box because....???

    What, PRECISELY, is America's VITAL INTEREST in protecting Israel??? (Aside from electoral votes and contributors in NY, NJ, FL, and CA?)

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