Center for Supportive Bureaucracy

OfficialCatalog

2015

K775EmpoweringClerksNetworkDepartmentofUnderstandingOfficial2015Catalog

WhatistheCSB?In first grade I got punished for writing they fucked in a story in my

little yellow memo pad. I was trying to describe a naive family movie scene I saw on TV, got sent to the principals office but was so scared I hid in the bathroom instead. Eventually a shrink stated that I was bored and should attend second grade. After that experience, I stopped my creative writing attempts for twelve years. Whatever shame or other complexes my first grade teacher had around sex, my goal as an artist is to politely, publicly and profoundly tell her to go fuck herself, metaphorically. She and other people like her may pause us from expressing ourselves, but they will never stop us. To make sure they dont fulfil their vicious goal, the Center for Supportive Bureaucracy (a subdivision of Alfassi Books Community Publishing House) is dedicated to serve and protect your life path and creative experiences through various official forms, certificates, declarationsandplayfulpaperwork.

Enjoy,

OriAlon

MatchmakingUnitI came back to writing during my army service. A miracle happened

suddenly I found myself on an isolated army base in the desert, just me and an Hermes Baby typewriter, alone in the medic room. It was the beginning of a complicated, passionate and exciting relationship, the longest one Ive ever had. I wrote experimental prose and fake army slogan ads which I posted around the base. Some of them created destructive tension between me and the sergeant. Though Im a polygamist when it comes to typewriters, it didnt stop me from becoming one of the worlds most popular matchmakers for writers and typewriters, carrying the message that typewriters have souls. Its hard work that requires a lot of thought, dedication and patience. Not every match leads to great writing, but Im proud to say that many of the dozens of matches Ive made so far do. Like any matchmaker, I cant tell you my secrets. But I will share with you the most important one pay close attention to the writers eyes when you introduce him or her what youthinkisTheOne.

TheserviceisofferedonaregularbasisinBeacon,NY,bySkypeandinvariouspublicevents.

LetterWritingStationI enjoy writing letters. As a little child my mom helped me to write a

letter to the Israeli president. I asked him to stop car accidents. As a soldier I wrote to the Major and asked him why we use M16s when its against the Geneva Convention. Eventually the art school headmaster refused to receive my letters and Obama hasnt replied to me, yet. The Center for Supportive Bureaucracy is constantly training new clerks who provide the desirable service. Some participants agree for the CSB to make artistic use of their words, and Letters, of all Sorts is a booklet collectionofsomeoftheletters(availableatalfassibooks.com).

The letters vary a lot in their subjects. I helped a man with a behavioral disturbance write a letter to his boss, many letters were written to the dead and some to those who were about to be born. One of the letters was written after a frustrating day for me I was waiting in a coffee shop for many hours for people to use my service and I was mostly by myself, questioning my artistic path. I was about to go home as a woman approached me and asked for my help. She ended the letter to her old lover who lives in another country sobbing. She wanted to keep both copies of the letter and was surprised that I was totally OK with that. Why are you doing that? she asked me. For people like you I answered.

EmpoweringClerksNetwork(ECN)

This unique report card was issued to me 7 years ago and is the most precious document I have. It was 2am, at the end of a semispontaneous community art festival at Makhne Yehuda" the West Jerusalem market. We were about to close the event and go home when two guys showed up with a big plastic container and invited people to their "office" (an empty vegetable stand). They had them sit on produce boxes while they issued them a new end of the year report card. I wasn't quite sure what I was getting into, but being drunk and excited for the success of the event, I went along with it. I dont remember how they introduced themselves, they asked me if there was any school year that was somewhat hard for me. I thought about it for a few minutes since I

had many bad years in school, many moments full of shame, sadness, low selfesteem and lack of true friendships. Eventually I decided to sharewiththemmyfirstgradeexperience.

Soon after sharing my traumatic episode with them I was issued a Refurbished Report Card, in which I was described as a wonderful kid, that no one should disturb from developing exactly as he already is. A lovely and creative child who is perfect just the way he is. Besides getting straight A's in all of the classes (both semesters) I was sent into the next grade freedom, and I wasn't allowed to attend the class of boredom and fixedness. I was described as a child who fulfills his huge potential and that can deal with life challenges in the best way possible. I got sent early to second grade out of love (and not out of my first grade teacher's issues around fucking) and with faith that I'd keep discovering mytrueself.

I couldn't stop thanking them. It might have been the most meaningful artwork I've ever participated in and I can't overstate how it affected me as a person, a teacher, a parent and an artist. Yes, art can be serious, expressive and sad and many other things, but it can also, using very simple tools, make people happy and empowered and explore the boundaries between "art", "lovingkindness", "therapy" and "humanity". I'm not even sure if these two guys considered what they did as art (thats a different conversation), but I would never look at my first grade experience the same way after revisiting it with them. I don't think I still have my report card from first grade, but this report card will stay in my heart forever. Our memory is tricky if we tell ourselves a story many times, we remember it as if it really happened. If I'd tell myself this alternative story about me as a child, my mind might consider it a

reality. So why not tell ourselves, sometimes, alternative versions of our past?

For years I was thinking about that work. I told and wrote about it many times, trying to figure out the magic component of it. Recently a friend invited me to her studio and gave me an old stamp collection as a gift. As she pulled it out of the shelf she found another box with blank certificates and said maybe you can find a use for these. Right away I thought of the two guys at the market, and a few days later I started issuing Certificates of Recognition. I usually phrase the certificate together with the participant during a short interview in which I ask the questions about his or hers qualities in life and areas they deserve recognition for. Once an Empowering Clerk and an eligible witness sign itandsealit,itbecomesanofficialdocument.

Many Empowering Clerks (ECs) around the world are answering the high demand for recognition. The CSB distributed hundreds of Empowering Clerk Starter Kits (ECSK2.0) with presealed blank certificates and other official documents. You can order yours at alfassibooks.com. Certificates are available in various languages and youre welcome to add translations and offer new services. The Center for Supportive Bureaucracy is now offering the G786, the EC training program, and new Local Empowering Clerks Unit (LECU) are constantly being established. After you show devotion to the healing bureaucratic process you will receive a Portable Empowering Clerks Office

(PECO) with your own embosser and fountain pen. The CSB is also offering 2 types of Forgivers License for applicants who pass the Compassion Exam, form 601(c) and many more official documents, declarations and affidavits are being developedattheCSBHeadquarters.

The Forgivers License is inspired by the life story of Holocaust survivor Mrs Eva Mozes Kor who publicly forgave the Nazis. Class A license gives permission to forgive oneself and others, Class B is for forgiving others only. Forgivers License application, Form 601(c),isavailableatwww.supportivebureaucracy.org

http://www.alfassibooks.com/

You can easily ransform your home printer into an Empowerment Processing Facility (EPF)! Simply download, print & distribute oneofmanyECNdocumentsatwww.supportivebureaucracy.org.

http://www.supportivebureaucracy.org/

FileConversion

I believe writing is sacred. I dont know if we used to write better or worse before the internet and texting era, but we definitely write differently in these forms. As I started to explore creative writing in English, I found Facebook and the local parenting yahoo group to be my ideal places to practice and have an audience. Unlike the common understanding that Facebook is for cats and politics and parents groups are for nanny recommendations, I tried to write brief essays, parenting musings and more on these platforms. It seemed to work, and even my grammer got better during that process. But after awhile, I felt that all

this effort was lost down the feed, and most likely no one will ever read it again. I guess its different when something is printed, maybe our mind or subconscious see it differently. I made the FSB (Facebook Statuses Booklet), a handmade collection of my writings on social media platforms which I send exclusively via snail mail, with stamped FPs (Facebook Postcards) for easy sharing,Printing my online musings and brief essays gave

me a sense of validation as a writer. I started to experiment in doing the same to other writers, each time trying to find the right form for the text. Alfassi Books FCS (File Converting Service) offers writers to take their most precious written documents and give them a fresh look with new andexcitingformatslikepostcards,bookletsandscrolls.

FacebookPostcard

TheGmailScroll,tenweeklynewslettersTorahteachingsby

RabbiBrentChaimSpodek.

SupportiveBureaucracyworkshopsandevents.Contactfordetails.

Alfassi Books personal Multitasking Sketchbooks Devices (MSD), designed to maximize the users creative performance by allowing multiple types of artistic usage including doodling, writing, drawing and more. Covers are usually made of old records (special orders are available.) The MSD is light, smooth and functional. Inside include record sleeves, ruled, white cotton and colorfulpaper.

Whatsthisgifteconomything??

The blood bank and Wikipedia are examples of the gift economy. Unlike the barter and monetary systems, participants dont expect to receive any money or product for their contributions, but they do it generallyinordertogainsatisfactionbyhelpingpeopletheynevermet.

Alfassi Books and the Center for Supportive Bureaucracy are based on the gift economy model. If you received a book or a bureaucratic service, you may choose to give something back by supporting us in creating new work, or choose another cause youd like to support with time, money or talent (pay it forward.) You may also choose to take your time before deciding. Almost 2000 booklets and sketchbooks were made, thousands of official documents were issued and hundreds of ECSK2.0 (Empowering Clerk Starter Kit) and ABCP (Alfassi Books Care Package) were mailed. Many thinkers state that we must experience other types of less destructive economies. In the process of distributing my art, many exchanges were made that didnt involve money or that were done in order to support good causes around the world. I managed to cover my costs and develop new works with the generous help of my audience. So far the Supportive Bureaucracy OperationSystem(SBOS7)seemstoworksmoothly.

They say America runs on Dunkin Donuts, and thats why its slightly heavy, dysfunctional and destructive. Alfassi Books CSB runs on your support. You too can become an ECN ambassador, by helping to spread the word, subscribe to receive ABCPs, become an Empowering Clerk or publish your work. Alfassi is named after 31 Alfassi St. in West Jerusalem. I used to live in that beautiful old building for five years. Together we shared friendships, Shabbat meals

and roof parties. But eventually the building was destroyed in order build a new condominium. I chose the name Alfassi so it will express that special community spirit and bring to life artworks that celebrate old and new dwelling together in creative ways. We would love to hear from you, via snail mail (60 Anderson St., Beacon, NY 12508) email (alfassibooks@gmail.com) or Facebook (Center for Supportive Bureaucracy Alfassi Books). Learn more, order and donate so we can developnewprojectsandartworkatwww.supportivebureaucracy.org.

Thankyou,OriandtheAlfassiBooksteam

Subscribe to Alfassi Books by sending a postcard with your name, snail mail address and the word YES in any language to: Alfassi Books, 60 Anderson St., Beacon, NY 12508. ABCPs arrive irregularly and contain a variety of things. Based on the gift economy model you can either support Alfassi Booksorgivesomeofyourtalent,timeormoneytoanothercause.

The Center for Supportive Bureaucracy offers a

variety of services such as Refurbished Report

Cards, Forgivers License (Class A&B,)

Certificates of Recognition, Typewritten Letters

and Certified Apology Declarations. Our devoted

staff of licensed Empowering Clerks is dedicated

to making people around the world feel good

through various official forms, affidavits,

documents,paperworkandartisticexperiences.

Ori Alon, founder of the Center for Supportive

Bureaucracy is an artist, writer, teacher and a

parentofthree.HelivesinBeacon,NY.