OY.

Our Blessing for Sanctifying our Hands.

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Tu BiShvat

A beautiful Tu BiShvat seder with emphasis on the spiritual meaning of the holiday.

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A Tree Grows In Pittsburgh

I am settling back home from my visit to Squirrel Hill, the home of The Tree of Life*Or L’Simcha synagogue building in Pittsburgh, where the three communities New Light, Dor Hadash, and Tree of Life worshipped, and all lost members on October 27 of last year.

The Tree of Life is Weeping

The Tree of Life is Weeping

A part of me will forever remain there. I poured my heart into my painting, The Tree of Life is Weeping, and the community, survivors, families of the slain, first responders, received with their selves in tears and gratitude. We touched by means of the painting. To have my artwork contribute to healing—my soul has reached its pinnacle. I will write another blog about what I learned. I experienced a whole kehillah grieving, but also tremendous energy from the world community aimed toward supporting, giving, healing: Tikkun Olam in the deepest sense of the Hebrew word: correcting and transforming evil energy into good. The Tree of Life, the universal symbol of miraculous diversity, harmony, peace and thriving is being nourished by many, in the face of this tragic assault.

I have made a decision to offer giclee art prints of the painting for sale, and donate a portion of the proceeds to the Pittsburgh affiliate of the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society or HIAS. Because the local community supported HIAS, it was targeted by the shooter.

Erev TuBishvat January 20

A wise person once taught me that even in the “dead” of winter, when all the flora looks inactive, if you look very closely, you will see tree buds beginning to form. Our beautiful Jewish holy day of the 15th day of the Jewish month of Sh’vat whispers this secret to us: The flow of a new growth cycle has begun. The life flow of the Universe is being restored. This holiday, The New Year of the Trees, has become the receptacle for our contemporary awareness of ecology and our longings for a thriving Planet Earth.

In contrast, TuBishvat Seder hearkens back to the purely spiritual interpretation of the holiday given by the Jewish mystics in the 16th Century Sfat. The book includes a brief history of the evolution of the holiday, instructions for the preparation of this simple “fruit seder,” and of course, beautiful illustrations of mystical paintings.

Click here to purchase the book

Tree with Roots in Heaven

Four Worlds

BookCoverImage.jpg


Tree with Roots in Heaven

Tree with Roots in Heaven

Blessed are You in Your Coming

Blessed Are You in Your Coming

Blessed Are You in Your Coming

We learn from our ancestor Abraham to welcome the guest: “He lifted up his eyes and saw three men standing opposite him; when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the door of the tent and bowed low to the earth…’Pass not away from your servant….wash your feet and recline under a tree and I will fetch a morsel of bread’…..” Gen 18:2-3

Sarah hastened to make ‘cakes’ and a feast was prepared for the strangers, who, by the way, turned out to be angels. How WE are blessed when we take people into our homes, share meals and conversation, face to face, making memories, encountering angels.

This newest painting states the ancient blessing, uttered by Moses (Deut 28:6)

but this time in the Hebrew feminine.

It comes in three sizes, suitable for the front door, or hang on the wall: 8.5x11” $65.00, or 14 x 19” $250. Other sizes can be special ordered.

It also works as a card for births, weddings, going off to college, moving, housewarming, and even as a condolence card.