Aud lets us in on the bees’ connection to honey, cities, and the human condition.
Fifteen stories above the heart of Jerusalem, Propolis is bringing new life—in the form of thousands of honeybees—to the Holy City. For Yossi Aud, this biodynamic urban beekeeping facility is a manifestation of his life’s passion: bees. Aud has traveled the world studying natural beekeeping practices, and now he brings all of his expertise to Propolis.
How did you begin your work?
I didn’t choose this job, the bees came to me. Years ago, many bees came to my garden - thousands every day! I became interested in them and began to learn about them, and it just clicked. I started to learn about biodynamic beekeeping in Berlin, Holland, and England.
What is biodynamic beekeeping?
Biodynamic beekeeping is a method for people to keep bees almost the same way as in nature. We let them live as naturally as possible, and we can take a little from the spare honey. Nature is like this - give and take. When people usually think about beekeepers, they immediately think about people going to take honey from the bees. I keep bees, but I’m not a beekeeper because I don’t take honey from our bees. Propolis is about returning the disappearing honey bees to cities and environments through biodynamic beekeeping.
© Yossi Aud
What do you think is the most interesting fact about bees?
Bees bring us most of the abundance in the world. They give us most of our plant growth through pollination, and in turn they are in charge of our food, the quality of the air, and the quality of the land—which is all determined by plants. When you come to realize that such a small insect is in charge, you have to learn from them!
What is the significance of having bees in Jerusalem?
We are returning bees to cities because we want to bring back the quality of cities. In Jerusalem, there is a lot of conflict between people, religions, and nations, and when we look at how bees behave, we can understand how we have to act together, and break down the walls between us. So we are making a bridge of bees. Jerusalem is the center, but we have projects in schools, kindergartens, and factories from Tel Aviv and Jaffa to communities in Jericho and Jenin.
© Yossi Aud
What is the biggest secret of bees?
That they work together in harmony. There are more than 50,000 bees in every hive, and yet they work in cooperation with each other, the land, and the organisms around them. From this we can learn about community on all levels, making things together and collaborating - whether in families or at work.
What would you say to someone who is afraid of bees?
Bees don’t sting birds, they don’t sting the ibex, and they don’t sting the cat or dog. Why? Because the bees don’t see these animals as enemies. When we keep bees by the conventional methods, they see us as enemies, because we give them antibiotics, manipulate them, and take their food. So if we let the bees live wildly, they don’t see us as the enemy and we live together like they’re living with all other animals.
What is your favorite honey dessert?
I eat honey, but I eat honey as the bees want me to. If you take honey from beekeepers who keep bees in inhumane ways, it not only hurts the bees, but also the quality. Instead, you could eat a quarter spoon of fresh honey every day; if you ask me, that’s how the bees want you to.