Entrances around the world

mounted and framed. Fortuitously, a Rotary Art Show was advertised, in which I entered the framed collage, titled Spanish Entrances I was more than a little surprised when I learned that someone had bought it. That was in 1990. I have been photographing entrances and doors ever since.

Do any of the collages have a Jewish theme?

There are three collages of photos taken in Israel: June in Jerusalem, 1995; Israel is Real, 2007; and April in Israel, 2007 Of particular interest is the collage titled Jewish Monuments, Memorials and Memories, Hamburg and Berlin, Germany, 2002, which is accompanied by explanatory notes. Some of the collages, such as Spanish Entrances, feature synagogue doors.

Where to next? What else would you like to photograph?

I’d like to concentrate on photographing interesting murals, especially as murals by excellent artists seem to be becoming a highlight in our city of Melbourne. How and when can people see the exhibition? When is it on till?

The exhibition is open during Leo Baeck Centre office hours, between 10am and 2pm Wednesday to Friday, and after Saturday morning services until Sunday, 23rd April.

The Menorah on the Arch of Titus in Rome. This photo is the centrepiece in the collage Roman Holiday, 2005. One of the most significant Roman artefacts to have survived, the Arch of Titus has been of significance for Jews and Christians for nearly two millennia. The image of the seven-branched menorah that appears on the Arch was chosen as the symbol of the State of Israel in 1949.

KYLIE ORA LOBELL COURTESY: AISH.COM

Josh Aryeh is helping sick children live out their dreams.

When Josh Aryeh was a child growing up in the Five Towns, New York, he was surrounded by wealth. He got picked on in school for not having what the other kids did. So, he decided that when he grew up, he’d become Bruce Wayne. He’d be incredibly rich and own private jets, beautiful houses and, of course, exotic cars.

As he got older, his priorities shifted, but he retained his love of sports cars. He ended up working for wealthy friends and would enjoy driving their fancy cars when he was running errands for them.

One day, Aryeh realised that if he loved these kinds of cars when he was a child, other kids must love them too. He started calling different organisations who help children with cancer to see if any of the kids would want to ride in one of the sports cars – with permission from the owners, of course.

Aryeh received a call from the family of an eight-year-old girl in Queens. She was sick and her dream was to ride around in a Lamborghini. He drove over there, excited to see the little girl’s reaction.

“When she saw this bright yellow convertible Lamborghini, her face lit up,” Aryeh said. “She had one of the biggest smiles you’ve ever seen. Her parents took her out of her wheelchair and we drove around for 15 minutes.”

After returning to the house, the girl’s mother started crying hysterically. Aryeh was worried.

“I said to her, ‘If I did something wrong or insensitive, please let me know.’ I thought it was maybe something I said. She said, ‘No, you don’t understand. My daughter got cancer when she was four. She’s had over 20 surgeries. She was partially paralysed from an infection. This is the first time I’ve seen her smile since her diagnosis.’”

Aryeh saw what an impact he could make and he wanted to do more.

“At the end of the day it was just a car,” he said, “but I realised I could make a huge impact. I shifted my focus from wanting to be Bruce Wayne to using these cars for a greater purpose.”

Aryeh decided that he was not only going to drive up in a nice car; he was also going to dress as Batman. He’d heard about Lenny B. Robinson, a Jewish man who would visit sick children in hospital dressed as Batman. Sadly, Robinson was killed after he got out of his Batmobile on the side of a highway and another car hit him.

“I never got to meet Lenny, but I wanted to continue his legacy,” Aryeh said. “I decided to become Batman as well.”

Smiles Through Cars

Today, Aryeh has formally established his organisation, Smiles Through Cars, as a non-profit. He volunteers all day Sunday through Thursday, going on hospital visits and sending his friends out in superhero and princess costumes.