360. Hearts in the Neighbor-Hood

hood of sweatshirt, Tel Aviv

Orit is my neighbor whom I am just now starting to get to know. This morning as I went to return the plates from the food she brought me I found her covered in hearts.

This neighbor's hood proves there is love in my neighborhood.

Orit's heart would love for others to support Mishelet Lev (Make-A-Wish Foundation of Israel), which helps grants wishes to children suffering from life threatening illnesses http://www.makeawish.org.il/index_en.asp

*Content and photo © Nomi Helene 2010. All Rights Reserved

355. Heart-Felt

felt stuffed animal, Modiin

As I watched Tal playing with this stuffed animal I could see he was loving it. That being said, every time I went to take the picture his hand blocked the heart. It took many takes, but eventually this felt heart could be seen so that it could be heart-felt.

This heart seems to tell us that we should not give up on love.

This heart would love for others to support the Israeli Society for Autistic Children http://alutfriends.org/

*Content and photo © Nomi Helene 2010. All Rights Reserved

351. KenYa

sun peeking through tree, taken in Kenya, received in Tel Aviv

The sun got down on one knee and asked the tree to marry him.

The world stood still....

Ken (Hebrew for yes). Ya (short for yes) - "KENYA!" said the tree.

Mina took this photo in Kenya. Gayle sent it to me. Thank you to both for a beautiful heart!

Mina's heart would love for others to support The Leshan Educational Foundation http://www.leshanfoundation.org/our-projects/the-project

Gayle's heart would love for others to support (link to come)

*Content © Nomi Helene 2010. All Rights Reserved

341. Family Day is Approaching

paper and mixed media, Modiin

In preparation for Family Day this coming Sunday, chidren with PDD (Pervasive Development Disorder) decorated hearts and wrote messages of love to their family.

I couldn't resist asking the children what their hearts love. The following were some of the responses I got:

love

family

good animals

kangaroos

a bear that doesn't do anything

friends

rice and ketchup

the alef bet (A,B,C's)

balloons

lots of games

surprises

alot, alot, alot!

Sivan was the creative mind behind this art project.

Sivan's heart deeply cares about helping children with special needs, particularly ADHD http://www.telem.org.il/?page=treatment&id=9&m_id=2

*Content and photo © Nomi Helene 2010. All Rights Reserved

330. A Soap Opera Waiting to Happen

bath soaps, package received from Switzerland, Tel Aviv

Merci Grandmaman for everything which was in this package - and for these hearts!

These hearts are a soap opera waiting to happen.

My grandmother's heart cares about helping abused children: http://www.eliusa.org/home.htm

*Content and photo © Nomi Helene 2010. All Rights Reserved

329. Taking a Break

logo of a yoga game for kids, Tel Aviv

Sometimes we need a break:

I wanted someone to help me find today's heart.

Megi wanted to procrastinate studying for her exam tomorrow.

This heart was part of a win-win situation - all parties involved got the needed break!

Thank you Megi for sending me this heart.

Megi's heart would love for others to help those with learning disabilties via Partners with Parents http://partnerswithparents.co.il/articlenav.php?id=75#help

*Content © Nomi Helene 2010. All Rights Reserved

317. Do We Really Have Such Control?

street art, Tel Aviv

We are not born with a lock - what happened to this poor heart?

This heart would love for others to support Al-Sam in the fight against drug abuse in youth and children http://www.alsam.org.il/about.asp?id=8

*Content and photo © Nomi Helene 2010. All Rights Reserved

315. Niki

candy dish, thrift shop, Boca Raton, Florida,

received in Tel Aviv

Niki and I were flat mates in college, and thanks to facebook we reconnected. I love that she and her daughter Lily were inspired by Levavot and have found many hearts together which get posted in her photo albums.

Today I opened my facebook account to find that Niki tagged me to this image, which reads Israel on the top.

Just like this candy dish Niki has a big heart which is full of love and sweetness, and I am so happy we are back in touch!

Niki's heart would love for others to support SOS Children's Villages - Florida http://www.sosflorida.com/

*Content and photo © Nomi Helene 2010. All Rights Reserved

313. Love After a Break Up

mosaic, hanging in a school, Modiin

Sometimes we need to put the pieces together to find love again.

This heart would love for others to support Natal, Israel's trauma center for victims of terror and war http://www.natal.org.il/english/

*Content and photo © Nomi Helene 2010. All Rights Reserved

312. Playful Heart

plastic game, playground, Tel Aviv

This heart loves to play.

This heart would love for others to help abused children via the Israel Association for Child Protection http://www.eliusa.org/home.htm

*Content and photo © Nomi Helene 2010. All Rights Reserved

295. Birthday Angel

Birthday Angels logo on party kit, Tel Aviv

Today Levavot lead me to Ruthie, the founder of Birthday Angels, a wonderful non-profit organization which provides underprivieged kids in Israel with a birthday party. Ruthie's bubbly, straightforward and giving nature was almost like a blessing as she provided me with a tremendous amount of food for thought.

It is no coincidence that the heart I found on Ruthie today appears in the wings of the angel of her organization's logo - this woman is a true angel!

Ruthie's heart would love for others to support Birthday Angels http://www.birthday-angels.org/?lat=en

*Content and photo © Nomi Helene 2009. All Rights Reserved

292. The International Jerusalem Post

The International Jerusalem Post, Tel Aviv

This arrived in my mailbox today - Yipeeeeee.

These hearts are so grateful to be spreading love internationally!

Thanks again Jacob for writing this article.

Jacob's heart would love for others to support Save a Child's Heart in helping children from third world countries get heart surgery in Israel http://www.saveachildsheart.org/

*Content and photo © Nomi Helene 2009. All Rights Reserved

291. Modest and Generous Love

sweatshirt, Modiin

Ronni is a national service volunteer at a nursery school for children with PDD (Pervasive Development Disorder). These tiny hearts on her sweatshirt nearly blend into their background, modestly and generously spreading love, much like Ronni.

Ronni's heart would love for others to support Alyn Hospital, a pediatric and adolescent rehabilitation center http://www.alyn.org/

*Content and photo © Nomi Helene 2009. All Rights Reserved

288. Singing in the Rain

wet leaf on pavement, Haifa

Daniela sent me this one today with the following text attached:

"It's raining...the love is coming ;-) "

Amen!

Thank you Daniela.

Daniela's heart would love for others to support Yuvalim http://www.yuvalim.org/

*Content © Nomi Helene 2009. All Rights Reserved

283. Cuori (hearts in Italian) (Hearts Travel to Switzerland)

sweater, skin, cookies, Bienne, Switzerland

Emilia, AKA Grandma Emilia, AKA Mimilia has worked for my grandmother for 15 years, and we all love her dearly. This sweet woman makes the best home made jam and biscuits to be had.

Emilia's heart seems to endlessly give love.

Emilia's heart would love for others to help abused children via the Israel Association for Child Protection http://www.eliusa.org/home.htm

*Content and photo © Nomi Helene 2009. All Rights Reserved

274. Wall of Hearts

paper on wall, Azur

As I am working on getting the love found in Levavot out of virtual land and into reality, today I found myself in Azur, where I payed a visit to the house of Save a Child's Heart. They are a wonderfully sweet organization which provides heart surgery in Israel to children from third world countries, including Palestinian children up to age 18.

This wall of hearts aims to pay for one child's surgery, as each heart has been inscribed and purchased for a certain amount of money. These hearts stand for the possibility of life and love, and beg to be surrounded by more!

These hearts would love for you to check out Save a Child's Heart http://www.saveachildsheart.org/

*Content and photo © Nomi Helene 2009. All Rights Reserved

273. Juicy

pomella, Modiin

Today during a staff meeting Yifat pulled out the most monsterous sized pomella I have ever seen. Next thing, Gali takes out her swiss army knife. Next thing, the entire staff is eating pomella. And just like that the staff meeting got a whole lot juicier!

Yifat's heart would love for others to contribute to Schneider Children's Medical Center in helping children with heart disease http://www.schneider.org.il/Eng/Index.asp?CategoryID=95&ArticleID=151

Gali's heart would love for others to contribute to protecting Israel's environment through Adam Teva V'Din http://www.adamteva.org.il/?CategoryID=388

*Content and photo © Nomi Helene 2009. All Rights Reserved

258. Burst

burst balloon, Tel Aviv

I didn't see this one burst, but I witnessed the aftershock.

Sometimes a bubble is burst and the heart feels a little blue...

This balloon's heart would love for others to support Birthday Angels in helping underprivileged children celebrate their birthdays http://www.birthday-angels.org/site/index.asp?depart_id=70698&lat=en

*Content and photo © Nomi Helene 2009. All Rights Reserved

245. Negative Space

leaves on a bush at night, Tel Aviv

In art, the space between and around the subject of an image is referred to as negative space.

The hole in this heart is a negative space.

This heart would love for others to support Save a Child's Heart in helping children from third world countries get heart surgery in Israel http://www.saveachildsheart.org/

*Content and photo © Nomi Helene 2009. All Rights Reserved

227. Crush

berry (AKA Zanzalakh), Tel Aviv

"If you hold back your feelings because you are afraid of getting hurt, you end up hurting anyway" - author unknown

This heart has accepted that the only thing it can control is the choices it makes and the risks it takes - This heart is both relieved and afraid.

This heart would love for others to support the Jewish Agency in helping to transform the lives of children at risk in Israel http://www.jafi.org.il/projects/risk.htm

*Content and photo © Nomi Helene 2009. All Rights Reserved