He lives in Kiryat Ekron. Big, good-hearted man, always steady and calm Lev Spivak - in the small town of Kiryat Ekron. You know how I met him? It happened when he was much more romantic than now. No, Spivak is a real romantic, he will never become a rude practitioner, but in those days he believed in miracles. He decided that the country needs art, and he, Lev Spivak, is able to help. To be precise: at that time I already knew his wife Ella, the elegant, Silver Age women-style, mysterious person. She looked bohemian and artistic, stylishly smoking her cigarettes. A beautiful couple, I thought, looking at Ella and listening to Lev Spivak's dreams and beliefs. He inspired respect and left people perplexed. And decided to become a non-commercial producer. He found creative people, our people, not foreigners (a naive man, who wants to look at them? Our people are our people, there's always enough time for them) ... High-quality and bright people. And he began his naive and chivalrous business. Enthusiasm and conviction, as well as logic and inspiration were not enough. Actually, the 'no man is a prophet in his own land' law acts as inevitably as the law of universal attraction. Since then, I call Spivak Don Quixote (not to his face, of course) ... Once we met at a truly serious crossroads: he took over the Azerbaijani-Israeli International Association 'Aziz'. And the wheels came off. He has begun travelling across our noisy, bright, unpredictable country. He constantly came up with something, organized events (exhibitions, concerts, presentations, holidays). Together with faithful to him and tireless Yegana Salman and Shaul Siman-Tov, he fills the life of the community with energy. "Where are you going?!” - "There will be a concert in Nesher ... And after it we have to go to Holon ..."
Writers, lawyers, musicians, politicians, people working in many different professions wait for him, love him, send him suggestions and aspirations.
... He was born in Baku. A seaport city, light and international. A very beautiful one. This tasty and cozy city is always in his heart. If you had ever walked with Spivak (as I did!) through Baku squares and streets, you would also fall in love with this city. He knows everything here. Understands. Appreciates.
His childhood was the childhood of an ordinary Jewish boy. "Music? Yes, I attended music school to learn piano, and they had to put up with me for a year. They couldn't stand it anymore, as I have no ear for music...". "Sport? Any successes? - "Rowing, shooting, mountaineering ... Not an Olympic level - but still something." He obtained technical education. He worked as a master at the factory. In 1990 made aliyah.
- How was your life in Israel? Was it difficult?
- It was exciting.
I must tell you that I have never received such an exciting answer to this question over the years of my journalistic work. But this is who Spivak is. Ho does not complain. He does not cry. He is not used to feel down, complain, be mad, criticize someone strongly and justify himself. A mix of game and battlefield - that's what life means to him. Lev knows how to enjoy life. Its little and sweet gifts. "My first job was harvesting tangerines." "They turn out to be thorny," he says with a smile.
He lets go people who betrayed him, who were not real, easily. He does not judge, does not reproach, shows luxurious, royal generosity.
I saw Spivak choosing gifts to his beloved Ella: he is touchingly worried, trying to put himself in her place to predict her reaction. To imagine how she would look at his gifts.
I saw Lev Spivak talking to a loot and ignorant man. He shouted, was hysterical and convinced that the whole world (or at least half the world) belonged to him. Lev spoke to him gently, calmly. Treated him like a child. As if someone whispered to him from behind: be calm, and it will go away ..
And the next day, he pretend nothing happened, Spivak didn’t play an offended person, a tenderfoot, a prince who was insulted ...
- What kind of people do you dislike the most?
- Those who blame their failures on others.
- What kind of people do you like the most?
- Smart.
That's it. A strong and kind person, Lev Spivak, lives in a small tpwn of Kiryat Ekron.
It's good that we have him ...
