Tidings Blog

Global Days of Listening is the project of Afghan Peace Volunteers (APV) who invite people around the world to talk directly on the 21st of each month via livestream and Skype sessions with youth in Afghanistan and other war-torn countries, to listen to the ordinary voices of those whose homeland is occupied with violence. The next Day […]

Now a dying species, letter writers were a staple of Lahore culture when I was growing; they were literate and multilingual in a society where the majority was illiterate.  Despite the competition from technology and literacy, letter writers still survive, offering to fill out government application forms for example. The letter writers of Lahore sit […]

Begging: a profession? a misfortune? a job? a scourge? a spiritual practice? an industry? a stain on society? freedom of choice? Like tipping, the subject of my previous post, begging creates an unequal relationship between giver and receiver, an unbalanced one-way exchange with the amount of money transferred depending on the generosity and intentions of […]

Raza Rumi is a Pakistani writer, blogger and political analyst who spoke to me from Lahore, where he lives. He is also an adherent of Sufi thought and adopted the surname “Rumi” as his nom de plume, in tribute to the great 13th century poet and mystic. In our wide-ranging interview, Raza spoke eloquently and poignantly about his country […]

The latest here and more here

Listen here for Yusuf’s Story broadcast in 2006 Yusuf’s story is relatively simple: before 1967, Batir was in Jordan. After the Six Day War, it became part of Israel’s occupied territories. Until two years ago, Yusuf was able to move and work between Batir and Israel. Today, Batir is enclosed by the wall and Yusuf has to […]

Earlier this year Alon Goshen-Gottstein, my father’s neighbor in Jerusalem who also became my friend, asked if I would make one of my leafages for an upcoming gathering–Friendship across Religions–of world religious leaders being planned in Oxford by his Elijah Interfaith Institute.  It was for a book cover, he said.  But I didn’t know it had also been made into a […]

You can see earlier (2007-2010) Tidings blog posts here.

Don’t step on the crass   I was driving with a friend in her newly acquired used car.  She was proud of the low mileage and so I said: “It’s really nice.  How much did you pay for it?”  She missed a beat or two and I understood I shouldn’t have asked.  Then, in a slightly […]

“Once you know, once you no longer have the luxury of ignorance, you have to take a stand.”  – Mother, peaceful protester and protagonist of Just Vision’s new film series  Home Front: Portraits from Sheikh Jarrah My thoughts exactly–as reflected in “An Accidental Activist,” a chapter I am honored to have included in the just published book: Beyond […]

About Hazel

Born to German Jewish refugee physicians in Lahore (now Pakistan, then British India) Hazel has lived, studied and worked in many places–India, England, Australia, Israel and the United States. She makes her home in the woods of the eastern end of Long Island, New York where she produces the art of leafages, the radio sounds of Tidings and writes about growing up Jewish in Lahore. Read more about Hazel…

About Leafages

"Credo" statement

Leafages by Hazel Kahan are made from real leaves, vines and tendrils interwoven with calligraphy, decorative pen and ink flourishes and imaginary Latin botanical names. Leafages contain a philosophical or inspirational thought, quotation or verse from sages, poets or religious texts. Some leafages are specially created for an individual, a couple or a family with words or leaves reflecting their personal narrative. They are available on the Leafages shop on Etsy although the supply is low right now, all my energies having been absorbed by the book I’ve been writing. Do come back soon when the shop will be full of new leafage abundance or contact me.