Photo Story: In The Garden of Humanity

The word humanity means, inter alia, compassion, brotherly love, fraternity, and feeling for a fellow human being.

Sadly, the human species often forgets its humanity and more often than not it needs to be reminded of this characteristic value.

Kindness Bench. Photo by Nurit Greenger.
Kindness Bench. Photo by Nurit Greenger.

In Boca Raton, Florida, there is a well-known gallery named Gallery 22, owned by the artist, sculpture and Jewelry designer Yaacov Heller. Mr. Heller was commissioned by the owner of the property where his gallery is nestled to create a story about Humanity. Through quotes, marked on benches, inscriptions on plaques, statues and charming garden design, Mr. Heller has created ‘The Garden of Humanity,‘ which teaches the visitor a lesson to take to heart and to never forget.

Looking Through The Garden of Humanity

The Garden of Humanity road. Photo by Nurit Greenger.
Walking through The Garden of Humanity.. Photo by Nurit Greenger.
Yaacov Heller - April 2016. Photo by Nurit Greenger.
Yaacov Heller. Photo by Nurit Greenger.
The Garden of Humanity plaque. Photo by Nurit Greenger.
The Garden of Humanity plaque. Photo by Nurit Greenger.

Anne Frank wrote: “Despite everything, I believe that people are really good at heart.”

The Garden of Humanity Bench-Faith in Humanity - Anne Frank. Photo by Nurit Greenger.
The Garden of Humanity Bench-Faith in Humanity – Anne Frank. Photo by Nurit Greenger.

The Holocaust brought about the saying “Never Again” yet, in The Garden of Humanity, which is dealing with the 20th century atrocities, from bench to bench you are reminded of the Genocides that took place. Regardless of the meaning of Never Again, to mention, the Armenia, Bosnia, Cambodia, Rwanda and Ukraine genocides and if we move to the 21st century, it is the Syria Genocide on rampage today. And the world remains silent.

Europe's 20th century worst genocide known in human history. Photo by Nurit Greenger.
Europe’s 20th century worst genocide known in human history. Photo by Nurit Greenger.
Armenia's genocide ignored by the world. Photo by Nurit Greenger.
Armenia’s genocide ignored by the world. Photo by Nurit Greenger.
Rwanda's Genocide, where was the world?. Photo by Nurit Greenger.
Rwanda’s Genocide, where was the world?. Photo by Nurit Greenger.
Bosnia's Genocide - ethnic cleansing. Photo by Nurit Greenger.
Bosnia’s Genocide – ethnic cleansing. Photo by Nurit Greenger.

On the white benches, positioned on either side of the straight garden path, the etched meaningful quotations are about the long arduous task to implement tolerance and compassion, appreciation, respect, love, lifting others in order to lift oneself, speaking kind words, counting your blessing and to never be silent in the face of evil.

Tolerance bench. Photo by Nurit Greenger.
Tolerance bench. Photo by Nurit Greenger.
Kindness Bench. Photo by Nurit Greenger.
Kindness Bench. Photo by Nurit Greenger.
Lift others to lift yourself. Photo by Nurit Greenger.
Lift others to lift yourself. Photo by Nurit Greenger.

At one end of the path there is a gazebo-shaped building dedicated to the Armenian Genocide of the early 20th century, that was ignored by the world.

The Garden of Humanity Gazebo structure. Photo by Nurit Greenger.
The Garden of Humanity Gazebo structure. Photo by Nurit Greenger.
Armenia symbol of co-existence. Photo by Nurit Greenger.
Armenia symbol of co-existence. Photo by Nurit Greenger.
Armenians were first to accept Christians. Photo by Nurit Greenger.
Armenians were first to accept Christians. Photo by Nurit Greenger.
Star of David on the tomb of Armenia Grand Prince of 1261AD. Photo by Nurit Greenger.
Star of David on the tomb of Armenia Grand Prince of 1261AD. Photo by Nurit Greenger.

The garden center piece, a tall Magen David-Star of David eternal flame stake, is dedicated to remind the world of all of the 20th century genocides.

Eternal Flame. Photo by Nurit Greenger.
Eternal Flame. Photo by Nurit Greenger.

The other side of the garden path ends with the statue of the artist’s artistic expression of humanity.

The Garden of Humanity sculpture. Photo by Nurit Greenger.

Mahatma Gandhi said: “Be the change you wish to see in the world.”

Mahatma Gandhi: be the change you want to see in the world. Photo by Nurit Greenger.
Mahatma Gandhi: be the change you want to see in the world. Photo by Nurit Greenger.

Today the world aches to see a real change for the better.

C.H.I.P's Logo
C.H.I.P’s Logo

Imagination brings innovation. Imagination brought me, the writer, to found C.H.I.P (Western Civilization Heritage Israel Program), in order to help bring about the change we all wish to see in our world.

A visit to The Garden of Humanity will give you a reason to reflect and a reason to help improve your life as well as the life of many others.

The Garden of Humanity. Photo by Nurit Greenger.
The Garden of Humanity. Photo by Nurit Greenger.
Einstein had much to say. Photo by Nurit Greenger.
Einstein had much to say. Photo by Nurit Greenger.
Einstein's saying. Photo by Nurit Greenger.
Einstein’s saying. Photo by Nurit Greenger.

During the 2006 second Lebanon War, Nurit Greenger, referenced then as the “Accidental Reporter” felt compelled to become an activist. Being an ‘out-of-the-box thinker, Nurit is a passionately committed advocate for Jews, Israel, the United States, and the Free World in general. From Southern California, Nurit serves as a “one-woman Hasbarah army” for Israel who believes that if you stand for nothing, you will fall for anything.

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