velveteen rabbi: I wanted to work with some kind of syllabics, since that’s an interesting form of poetic counting. I did some reading, and learned about the Filipino form called the tanaga, which has four lines of seven syllables each. I decided to try my hand at a poem with seven lines of seven syllables, like the Omer’s seven weeks of seven days.

COUNT

Soon we'll start to count each day
the weeks until first harvest.
Not grain; instead, discernment.
Refine away the heart's dross
on this labyrinth's curved path.
When we get to forty-nine
will we be poised to receive?

Introducing Ya'el

Sovereign Union

Aboriginal Tent Embassy

philSTAR Transit: “All my lines are in Hebrew so I had to learn the language and certain pronunciation of words that’s very difficult to acquire because we were doing tutorials over Skype. But when we started shooting in Israel and hearing people speak in Hebrew, I found it easier to pronounce or actually make something like the phlegm sound. It was very difficult although I can do it with French; it’s still so different from Hebrew. I have an Israeli actor playing my boyfriend, Omer Juran. He helped me how to deliver my lines with right pronunciation and emotion. Tita Irma played like a real mom to me during our shoot in Israel. She helped me a lot and I’m so thankful to her. During free days, we explore Jerusalem together.” ~ Jasmine Casandra Ojales Curtis-Smith

"Filipino-Israel"

Journal Online

“Transit”

Jasmine Casandra Ojales Curtis-Smith: I went to the open auditions for Cinemalaya. I didn’t know anybody and I just want to try my luck and experience ‘yung applying for a project where you don’t know anyone. I wasn’t expecting anything when I talked to Director Hannah Espia. Nang paalis na ako, they called me back and said ako raw ang gusto nila for the role of Filipino-Israel girl named Yael in the story. I couldn’t believe it. First time ko mag-try out, nakuha agad ako.  

I was so happy when Direk Hannah told me I was her first and only choice. But it’s a difficult role kasi I’m supposed to be born and raised in Israel and I don’t know how to speak Tagalog. All my lines are in Hebrew, so they got me a dialogue coach. We shot in Israel for nine days. But even before we got there, my Israeli coach was already teaching me on skype how to speak my Hebrew lines correctly. Ang hirap! I have to memorize them pa.  

My mother in the story is Irma Adlawan and I have an Israeli actor playing my boyfriend, Omer Juran. Omer was very helpful in helping me deliver my lines with the right pronunciation and emotion. Si Tita Irma naman, naging mommy ko talaga siya sa Israel shoot. She helped me a lot and I’m so thankful to her. ‘Pag walang shoot, we explore Jerusalem together. I love her.