Ofer Barak Amar, a 59-year-old Tel Aviv resident, has turned a hobby into a small rescue operation for discarded orchids. In his two-and-a-half-room apartment, he now grows 13 orchids, none bought from a nursery. Most were found near trash bins or given to him by people who had given up on them, and he says they often bloom again after being rescued.
Barak Amar, who is married and grew up in Moshav Amonim, has had an unusually varied career. He worked for about 20 years as a television director, including on the comedy show "Psfushim," then moved into pastry-making, serving as a pastry chef at the George Hotel and working at Muggino and Reviva and Celia. He is now finishing coaching studies. He says the common thread is that he is "a person of repair," someone who likes to fix, give, and restore.
His orchid habit began about six years ago after he saw one abandoned beside a trash can. Since then, the plants have taken over shelves, windowsills, and even the bathroom, where light and humidity help them. He waters each plant once a week in the sink, lets the water drain completely, and uses diluted fertilizer during blooming periods. He stresses that orchids need bright but soft light, not direct sun, and that patience is essential.
He says the biggest mistake people make is treating orchids like disposable plants. Their flowers naturally fall after blooming, which does not mean the plant is dead. If the leaves are firm and the roots are green and healthy, he recommends checking the roots and potting mix, trimming dead or rotten parts, and changing the medium if needed. He has failed with some orchids, but says that if there is still life in the plant, it is often worth trying. When they bloom, he says, the house becomes a "temple of orchids," and the sight is "happiness."
