Stay Clear of the "BLUE AND WHITE" ART GALLERY

Stay Clear of the "BLUE AND WHITE" ART GALLERY
1 Cardo Street
Old City of Jerusalem
ISRAEL 97500
I would like to make it know to anyone who is going to visit jerusalem, Israel to stay clear of the blue and white art gallery located in the cardo street. I purchased a painting there in September of 2005 and was mis-lead by the owner of the gallery regarding the artist who did the painting. I was lead to believe that the painting I was interested in was painted by an artist called Ben Avraham Nhamani who’s work is known and can be researched. What I was sold was painted by an unknown artist by the name of Ben Avram- Edward pilip.. I was also informed that the artist was voted the number one artist for the past three years and that the Government of Israel was going to make a stamp from the very painting I purchased. Nothing that the owner told me turned out to be true! I learned about this deception several weeks later on my last day in Israel.
After returning home I could not find any information on the Internet regarding the artist that did my painting. Ben Avraam is only represented by the blue and white gallery. I contacted several art appraisers who told me that they had never heard of Ben Avram . I also found out that his name is Edward pilip.
When I went to the blue and white art gallery website after my return home, I found that the prices shown for this artists work were substantially lower than the price I paid for the painting. After a lot of digging, I also learned that the owner had, in the past, been convicted of forgery.
The owner, Mr. udi merioz, has promised to refund money, send additional paintings, but has yet to keep any of his promises. Several of the tour guides and other people I’ve communicated with over the past few months have known of the galleries reputation and that Mr. udi merioz is dishonest and has a shady past - so this is not the only time that a tourist has been deceived by the blue and white art gallery and Mr. udi merioz!
Make sure that your guide or tour company does not deliver you to the door steps of a fraudulent establishment!
A traveler from Las Vegas

This message is spam, posted by a competing gallery (The Judith Gallery) in Safed. The poster has been spreading this same msg across multiple sites and shouldn't be believed.

Before my visit to Israel, Rabbi Wallfisch from New York has recommended I should visit the Judith Gallery in Safed, and particularly see the exhibits of Ben Avraham. On my trip I went to Jerusalem too, where I was mislead and offered to purchase paintings by Edward Philip (who calls himself Ben-Avram, and not Ben-AvraHam) which is represented by the Blue and White gallery. I found out that behind this agenda stands a whole campaign of accusations and malicious intentions to vilify the good reputation of the true Ben Avraham. By doing so, Blue and White gallery is putting the entire art world to shame.

After a very intensive research I discovered that Edward Philip which calls himself Ben-Avram was born in Iraq and not in Bombay as he claims. The real Ben-Avraham is from Safed and therefor he signs Ben Avraham Nhamani Safed on all his paintings. The motives Ben-Avraham puts in his paintings are unique; His technique is completely different from any other painter, especially from the paintings by Philip Edward.

A lithograph of Ben—Avraham is displayed in the Israeli Presidential Residence in Jerusalem, which was received by the 6th president of Israel – Mr. Chaim Herzog.
Many other original paintings have been given to important personalities such as:
Minister of Foreign Affairs of Israel, Mr. David Levy - during the celebration of the Israeli's 40th year of independence.
Prime Minister of Israel Mr. Shimon Peres;
A member of the Israeli parliament Mr. Shimon Shitrit;
The president of Israel Mr. Ezer Weizman received in his formal visit to the "Abouhav" synagogue in Safed.

You can find the proves in the official website of Ben Avraham:s
www.ben-avraham-nhamani.com

When my group visited Judith Gallery we were honored to have a Kleizmer band playing in the gallery. Visiting the gallery is not only for buying fabulous artworks, but also for an entire cultural experience.

Shlomo Cohen, New York.

I bought some art to Mr Udi Merioz and found him very honest.
He offered me the best price I could find for a Chaggal lithograph, and had absolutely no issue to pay online with my Visa Card.
When I went to Jerusalem a couple of years later for my kid Bar Mitzvah, I visited Udi Merioz shop with my family and when he noticed that my kid was interested in one f his hand made mezuzzot, he offered him a mezzuzah as a gift.
Udi Merioz has really been a nice guy, fair and honest to me.

I have purchased art from Udi Merioz, and his father before him and have been treated with nothing but respect and I have good feelings about every transaction I have had with him. Others who I know have had the exact same feeling.
He has gone out of his way to find us what we wanted in each instance, and I have nothing but good to say about the Blue and White

I have visited Blue & White Art Gallery many times and have purchased many things there and find them to be wonderful people who always treat me with dignity and respect. I highly recommend them.

We have only had outstanding service and honesty with Blue and White art Gallery!!!! When we were there we had ordered 2 lithographs but due to illness there supplier one of the lithographs could not make it to the store for us to pick up before we flew back to the states (Which of course is the one we wanted the most.) First they offered to mail it to us once it came in. But since we were planning on comming back soon we told them that we would pick it up next time we were in town. They then GAVE us for FREE the one that was in stock for our inconvience!!! WOW!! Then after returing to the states last Dec (2007) The doller has been falling and falling to the point that we dont know if we will be making it back this year. We then emailed The Blue and White and told them our situation and that we would not be comming back but we really wanted to have the one lithograph that we didnt get. They then still allowed us to buy it at a group discounted price and shipped it without delay to Nebraska!!! Wonderful Company and Business!!!! Keep up the outstanding customer service!!!

I purchased 3 paints from this gallery and LOVE THEM, The people were kind and very professional.

I too have bought many pieces from Udi of the Blue and White Gallery. He is an absolute gentleman and runs an excellent operation. I couldn't imagine a visit to Jerusalem without stopping by the gallery to see what's new. Udi is a fine business owner with high integrity...and a extremely talented artist in his own right.

We have bought many an fine painting from the Blue & White. We really enjoy them. Our guests always comment about them. Their service is great.

We just had a friend move stateside, so we shipped all our Oils from our Jerusalem home. we look forward to recovering our empty Jerusalem walls from their fine shop

We were treated wonderfully by the B&W Gallery. They were very kind and accomodating.

Well I am not sure about blue and White Art gallery myself as I have never been there But I do know another artist who is selling his work here and makes a lot of clams that are not true or it is twisted to make you believe this may be true our should I say he has mastered the art of stretching the truth a bit and just happens to only feed you the bit you want to here and not add in the missing bits. I can say this first hand as I am related to this person who makes the clams So before any person goes and waste there money to make another rich just he make sure you have done your home work first and if there is a clam there painting are held in government in Israel or around the world then seek this out first to make sure what is being feed to you is not a just a big lie. I am not able to say more then this or go any further into this or able to tell you who he is. but I am sure if you type this Artist here on the net you will find who he is and you will soon see how hard it is to try and trace his oil painting he clams are in Government around the world. Caveat emptor the Latin word here for Let the buyer beware.
do not feed the pocket of some who only wishe is to get rich while you are left with not what you paid for. be carful. this is all I will say about this here.

The Blue and White gallery has become one of my favorite places to visit in Jerusalem. The art there, including the Agam dreidals and mezuzot, are fairly priced. Many of the owners original feltwork paintings are some of the best I have ever seen. I have come to learn that the merioz family has a long standing and excellent reputation in Jerusalem. I have always been treated with the greatest care and respect while visiting the gallery. I would tell any friend to add it to their travel plans. Shana tova!

Well only you would know as I said never been there But related to an Artist and I know first hand what goes on. Just all if you go over to Israel Please do your home work first. If you do not know what you are looking at and not sure if you are being riped off. there are lots of Places to see if what is said is 100% the truth. But if you are after just a Nice Photo to take home them it is O.K but do not be fooled into thinking that you may always get the real thing Home work first. But to be fare there are others as well doing the same thing to make money out of People who have no Idea what they are looking at. again if there is a clam do not just rush in go away and do a bit of reseach or before you come to Israel do this at home on the net your self

My family and I have been to The Blue and White Gallery on a previous trip to Israel. We were treated with kindness, respect, warmth and intelligence. We bought an Agam art work at a very good price and when Udi heard our daughter was about to be bat mitzvahed and that my parents were Holocaust survivors, he sold us a very special tallit at an amazing price. Udi and Israel and the entire staff are warm, wonderful and caring people. We will be returning to Israel next month and will certainly be visiting them again. I have nothing but wonderful things to say about them and recommend them to any friends that visit Israel.

We met Udi at The Blue and White Gallery in 2004 and found him to be charming. At the time of our visit, we bought a beautiful dreidel. There were two of Udi's lithographs that we also loved, but our budget was a bit tight. The following year, we ordered them from him, and they arrived safely and in a timely fashion. Today we just ordered three more lithographs. Our entire association has been nothing but cordial and professinal. We are delighted with Udi and his business. As an added bonus, since our first very small purchase, Udi has sent us cards each year for the major holidays. When we return in 2012, we are going straight to the Cardo to see Udi.

I go to The Blue and White Art Gallery in the Cardo in Jerusalem whenever I've been in Jerusalem and have purchased some wonderful works by Agam, Chagall, and Udi Merioz, the owner. I've also purchased unique items (tzedakah box, challah cover, seder plate cover) as well as art work there.
The items we've purchased are perfectly framed, packaged, and shipped.
Even more important, perhaps, are our visits with Udi, meeting his family, and the way everyone there makes us feel welcome. He is a wonderful host as well as a superb artist.

Mayfield Heights Ohio

I have visited B&W on many many occasions.
I was a regular when Udi's father z"l was running the place and continue to go a cpuple of times a year. I have bought Ben Avram water colours in the past and have had much pleasure from them. This year I bought two beautiful oils. I could not make up my mind which one I liked and he gave me both and said to pay for the second any time I wanted. This does not sound like the actions of a 'crook'.
It appears that there is some kind of confusion as to the identities of Ben Avram, but I get mixed up between Manet and Monet and how many painters named Smith are there? There is only one Ben Avram who was associated with Chagall.
We are not talking huge amounts of money here anyway and the whole point of a painting is that it lifts your spirit and makes you feel good. This being the case, it doesn't really matter who painted it. If you like it and can afford it, then buy it. If you don't know, and you need advice, I say you can trust Udi. I think Udi Merioz is an absolute gentleman and he has never done or said anything to make me feel this is not true. He is probably a good salesman but there is nothing in the gallery so expensive that anyone could end up seriously overpaying. I too can confirm that B&W's prices for Chagall etchings were about a quarter of the price for the same thing in the art 'auctions' on the Queen Mary 2 and other cruise ships. Who are the real villains?
If you are in Jerusalem, hot and thirsty and in need of an artistic spiritual uplift, go to B&W. You will get a glass of iced water, a cup of coffee, a warm welcome and no pressure to buy.
Adrian Korsner, London England (and now Netanya)

I don't understand why you guyz keep talking about how graet your time was in the different galleries etc...
I thought the topic at hand is the fact that there are two artists with similar names, no?
Stay on topic people!
Ben AvraHam Nhamani - a well known, established Safed artist.
Edward Phillip Ben Avram - somewhat less known Jerusalem based artist.
That's it!

What puts the art world to shame is the use of another artist's name, I don't care if he left out the "H" - Ben Avram is commiting a grave miss use of another's name!