Category Archives: Fine art
Birkat Kohanim in Contemporary Jewish Art
Birkat Kohanim is one of the most ancient Jewish prayers, also known as the Priestly Blessing or Nesiat Kapaim is a powerful Jewish prayer recited by Kohanim or Cohens. In the Jewish tradition, Birkat Kohanim can only recited by the Kohanim.
Who are the Kohanim?
The Kohens or HaKohanim, were the high priests of the israelitesin the Sinai desert. People who are called Kohens or Cohens today are decedents of Aaron and his sons. To this day, Kohens form a holy order and follow God’s commandments to protect them against ritual defilement. Kohens must follow certain rules that apply on their holy order. To maintain ritual purity, for example, the Kohens must abstain from going to cemeteries.
Birkat Kohanim in the bible
As the book of Numbers tells us, Aaron and Moses were commended by God to deliver this blessing to the Israelites.
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“The Lord bless thee and keep thee,
The Lord make His face to shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee:
The Lord lift up His countenance upon thee, and give thee peace”
(Book of Numbers, 6:24-26).
In contrast to the English translation, the Hebrew version of the bible includes the explicit name of God. Jewish scholars have argued the power of prayer is in the letters and words that form it. The Jewish scholar, Levi Ben Gershon, also known as Ralbag, discusses the importance of reciting Birkat Kohanim in no other language than Hebrew. In translation, argues the Ralbag the mystical power of the prayer held in the letters that comprise it might be lost.
Renowned Jewish Artist Turns Struggling Economy into Opportunity to Help Repair the World
When Bruce David first put his artistic creativity onto paper in 1979, it was not the insights or knowledge of a trained art student or seasoned professional that guided his hand. Even to this day, David confesses that his father was talked into helping him with his drawing projects, so that he could pass art classes in his early years. It wasn’t until his dedicated wife gave him a pad of paper and some colored pencils that the creative inspiration began to flow. “An artist is the last thing I thought I would be,” David admits, “I truly feel fortunate to have been given such a wonderful gift.” Using this “gift,” Bruce David has been creating colorful and dynamic, unique, biblical, storytelling pictures, filled with hidden multi-dimensional symbolism for over 30 years. And his efforts have proven successful. Receiving educational awards and international acclaim, Bruce David’s art has found its way into the hearts and homes of communities around the world, as one of the leading Jewish artists of our time. When McGraw Hill publishers chose one living and one deceased Jewish artist to represent Judaism in one of their college textbooks, Bruce David was highlighted alongside of Marc Chagall. Addtionally, Hallmark Cards has used (and sold out of) multiple series of cards, utilizing David’s dynamic designs.
During the past 3 decades, Bruce David has strived to create meaningful art, which both reflects the beautiful and relevant aspects of Judaism, as well as serves as educational and inspirational tool for its viewers. “I want people to look at my art and develop an appreciation for Judaism and Israel. My hope is that it will help others increase their conscious awareness of who and what they are, and what it means to be Jewish,” he said. Working side-by-side with his wife, Diane, David has been developing an educational curriculum to use his art in an enlightening manner. It was not until this past spring, when his son graduated from college that his dreams began to manifest. Graduating from Indiana University with a business degree, David’s son, Joshua, agreed to rise to the challenge of turning those dreams into a reality. Over the course of the past 9 months, they have already been to San Francisco for a 2 month exhibit in the Fall, started a non-profit organization to support Jewish education, and are ready to launch their new user-friendly website (davidart.com). Working together, the father-son team has started a program to assist students and young professionals across the country in supplementing their cost of living. The New S.O.N.G. (Supporting Our Next Generations) Mitzvah Project allows individuals, schools, and organizations to support their fundraising and financial needs, by sharing Bruce David’s art in communities across the nation. “By supporting our next generation of Jewish students, we are not only helping them attain financial stability, thereby supporting their own efforts, but we are also spreading the important and relevant aspects of Judaism that benefit our world as a whole.”
Aside from trying to help our next generation financially and ideologically, David and his son have established a non-profit organization that will utilize David’s art for Jewish educational programming. The recently established non-profit, “Light of the Nations” (LOTNexperience.org) provides communities around the country with contemporary educational programming, through art, music, and uniquely crafted interactive experiences, allowing participants to experience Judaism through the senses. When asked about the programs, David’s son responded that, “our programs are designed to share the spirit, beauty, importance, and modern-day relevance of Judaism and its universally-oriented ideology. Our experiential art, music, meditation, discussion, and action-based programs engage participants in interactive experiences, designed to offer unique opportunities for individuals to reconnect with their Jewish identity and culture.” Though still in formation, Light of the Nations has achieved 501(c)(3) status, begun their fund raising efforts, and is already taking reservations for their day and weekend programming, beginning in 2011. Light of the Nations, temporarily has information on Bruce David’s website, but also has launched a new website of their own – LOTNexperience.org. For more information, take a look at Bruce David’s new website: davidart.com
The Wailing Wall and its story
The Wailing Wall, also known as the Western Wall is a very sacred Jewish site in the Old City of Jerusalem. Jewish people from Israel and across the world visit this Wailing Wall while experiencing a wide range of emotions. Many Jews are moved just by standing close to the wall. Many believers conduct religious ceremonies next to the wall, such as Bar Mitzvah and Tefilat HaKohanim. Many believers write down their wishes on little notes and shove them between the bricks of the Wall.
The amazing story of the Waling Wall
The story of the wailing wall is a story of survival against all odds, very similarly to the historical narrative of the Jewish people.
According to the Bible, King Solomon built the first temple in Jerusalem more than 2,000 years ago. This sacred temple was destroyed by the Babylonians leaving only the Wailing wall intact. Miraculously, after the second temple was built the Wailing Wall has survived the destruction of the second temple as well. Since then, the Wailing Wall has become a symbol for divine protection and hope of the Diaspora Jews to return to the land of Israel.
In 1967 War, the Wailing Wall was liberated by the IDF soldiers .
The Wailing Wall has been a great source of inspiration for many Israeli artists.
Wailing Wall in Jewish art
You can find vivid images of the Wailing wall in many of Israeli artist Yair Emanuel artworks.
Wailing Wall Challah Cover
You can also enjoy this beautiful paintings of the Wailing wall by artist Zina Roitman. Find more details at Judaica web store.
Marc Chagall’s 12 Tribes: a window to the moment of the Israelites’ creation
Marc Chagall’s magical touch didn’t exclude itself merely to his soulful paintings, but has manifested also in his stained glass windows, which are a masterwork of glass joined with color in perfect harmony.
Chagall’s 12 tribes master piece is a series of illuminating windows, that incorporate the narrative of the 12 tribes’ blessings, whereas each window is dedicated to a different tribe like Reuben, Simeon and Levi.
The twelve tribes, which were first mentioned in the ending of the book of Genesis, are Jacob’s twelve sons, who grew to become the Israelite people. Just like the windows, that can be regarded separately, each one of the tribes has sat solely on his own land, but in resemblance to the twelve windows that are actually one piece, so did the tribes form together a united nation who dedicated its life to G-d’s worship.
When looking at these overwhelming windows and the smooth shadows and light stains that fall on the walls and the floor, one can feel as though he is looking at one of the high priest’s gemstones (12 as well), which were radiating from his holy breastplate.
The whole ravishing windows series is presented today upon the walls of Hadassah University Medical Centre in Jerusalem and was prepared especially to this purpose by Chagall, who put his intentions in these moving words:
“This is my modest gift to the Jewish people who have always dreamt of biblical love, friendship and of peace among all peoples. This is my gift to that people which lived here thousands of years ago among the other Semitic people.”
The tribe of Asher
Each of the stained glass windows is characterized by one leading color (blue, red or yellow) that is accompanied with other colors that complete the eye-appetizing effect. The windows also incorporate a Hebrew quotation from each tribe’s unique blessing, in addition to writing the tribe’s name on the top.
Here we can see the name “Asher” (אשר) on the upper side of the picture and at the bottom:
“מֵאָשֵׁר שְׁמֵנָה לַחְמוֹ וְהוּא יִתֵּן מַעֲדַנֵּי מֶלֶךְ” , which means: “Bread from Asher shall be rich and he shall yield royal dainties”.
Truth is that no photo can reflect the beauty of these windows, which can turn one’s home into a temple, cherishing the Jewish history and also the greatness of men and art, that can penetrate our souls and fill them with deep awe.
Care to consider buying a Chagall piece for your home? Take a stroll in Chagall’s gallery.
Would you like to read more about Chagall? Go to this Judaica store.
Marc Chagall – Surrealism never seemed more realistic
Marc Chagall, the well acclaimed and exceptional Jewish artist, has managed to express what many before him never dreamt of: He stretched the boundaries of reality and brought a sizzling world of fantasy to the visual language of Judaism. When one looks at one of Marc Chagall’s works of art he is immediately filled with awe.
Jewish Art by Marc Chagall
The metaphysical poet George Herbert once put this feeling in accurate words on his poem “Prayer” when he ends it in this simple but powerful phrase: “something understood”. In other words, when we stand before Chagall’s works, we sense the rare ability that he had – to put profound truth into colors and lines. Each one of his pieces penetrates the soul because it holds an understanding, which couldn’t be expressed otherwise.
By the term “Jewish Art” one might refer to art which is created by Jewish people and centers in Jewish related scenes: whether from the bible or from the Jewish life. However, this definition is quite technical and lacks the one parameter which cannot be measured or even seen: the spirit of the Jewish people.
There is no obvious link between shapes and content and there is no guarantee that when an artist draws a man dressed with “Talit” (praying shawl), that man’s silent expression will bring thousand years of longing to life. Chagall, however, mastered this link, which slipped through others’ fingers so many times before (and after). In his paintings he managed to catch the spirit of the nation and the dominant undercurrent which flowed in Jewish hearts for decades: the eternal longing.
This longing of the Jewish people to reunite with G-d and see Him through the “Hester” (state of concealment) found a faithful expression in the mass of colors which Chagall chose to use in his inspired paintings and stainless glass works, as longing equals life and life equals color.
The Bride, Groom and the Eiffel Tower
The surrealism movement believed that reality, as it reveals itself on a daily basis, only conceals the true nature of things. They believed that the truth, about ourselves and the world, can be exposed only by entering a different state of mind, which isn’t bound to logic or any kind of rules. The artist can bring this truth to the surface by using unexpected juxtapositions that have the power to awake our consciousness from its incessant and degenerating nap.
In this painting (as in many of his other dream-like works) Marc Chagall follows the surrealist path and confronts the real with the unreal: On the reality’s side, we have a bride and a groom in front of the Eiffel Tower, but something is different: they are floating, leaning to the right as though they were swept by the wind. The proportions of the objects in the painting are also twisted: the couple is huge compared to the village on the right or the tiny couple (which may be them, a few minutes back) which is getting married on a cloud to their left.
Moreover, not only that they ride a rooster (unrealistic element by all means), it’s much bigger than them, as if it were some kind of mythical animal. The unusual elements in Marc Chagall’s artworks do not end here: the couple is surrounded with many strange creatures such as the cow which holds a fiddle and has a bottom of a large violin or the several winged men. Normally, a couple would stand in front of the Eiffel Tower and make sure the tower is seen, but this fascinating painting reflects a more internal truth: It places the tower (and the objective reality) on the background and brings the subjective truth – the seething feelings of a newly wed couple – into the foreground.
Think how interesting it would be to welcome your guests with this mysterious painting, hanging in your living room.
You will be surprised to find out how each person gives this painting a new meaning, that reflects his own soul.
To those of you who wish to buy some of Marc Chagall’s master work, we invite you to visit here. This online store offers a wide range of Judaic artwork by March Chagall, including prints, mezuzahs and paintings in limited editions.
