The 10th grade at the San Francisco Waldorf High School has an amazing 3-4 week course on Tanakh during the year long “Explorations in Early Literature” track course. In the track course, they learn the Ramayana, Egyptian Book of the Dead, Gilgamesh, Mesopotamia, the New Testament and more. For Tanakh, students read passages, do pictorial representations of scenes, learn…
What is Tu Bi’Shvat? It’s “New Year for the Trees.”. Judaism is a cosmic religion that is tied not only to the moon cycle, but also to earth. Our holidays are universal. They can and should be celebrated by any human being, regardless of faith tradition. Tu Bi’Shvat, which is coming soon, is a perfect example of one of our…
The Mezuzah– most Jewish people have only considered this tradition for people within the Jewish faith. Some only affix them to their doorposts because it is a commandment. I believe a new interpretation is now appropriate for this amazing spiritual item. If we widen our scope, and invite spiritual friends to join us in understanding and using this…
The Meaning of Sha-dai: Protector of the Body/Connector to the Heart In my journey as a Jewish artist-turned-teacher, I have met thousands of people of all walks of life. Through my artwork, I share Judaism with humanity. In this 26-year process, I have meditated and thought about Sha-dai–a particular name of G-d–because my artistic inspiration and output have been constantly…
Spiritual People of the World: whether you are Jewish or not, adopt these teachings from Judaism into your lives and the world will heal. Bear in mind that you can use these teachings, you DO NOT have to denounce your own religion or convert to benefit from these. You may use Judaism as a MODEL– take the teaching and…
Good News! A revered leader in the Orthodox Jewish Community, Rabbi Yitzchak Ginsburgh, agrees with my approach of sharing Judaism with humanity. “According to Rabbi Ginsburgh, the world is now ready for the fourth revolution, which will be to more fully introduce Torah study for non-Jews.” This will add credibility and integrity to my work over the last 20+ years, and…
A New Direction: Chabad, The Seven Laws of Noah and Sharing Judaism with Non-Jews I began conversations with Orthodox Rabbi and director of Congregation Chevra Thilim, Shlomo Zarchi and his wife Chani, and Chabad Director in Berkeley, Rabbi Yehuda Ferris and his wife Miriam about sharing Jewish teachings with non-Jews. I am committed to following the path of this…
The art work I create would not have come to be without the intense struggle for survival my maternal grandparents endured– all in the name of being Jewish. It seems that the survivors of the Holocaust atrocities all have similar themes– Fascism, starvation, dehumanization– but also hope. Our family’s story is no different. Here’s a video of my grandmother…
Dear Friends, As we progress through the High Holy Days, I always make my annual donations to the charities that are linked to pieces I sell in my line. I also make one more set of donations at the end of the secular calendar year. Thank you so much to all of you who have purchased some of my art…
About 6 months ago I was inspired by a series of dreams to make these Priestly Blessing Bracelets. Click here to read about the inspiration. After lots of hard work, they are finally ready to order. You can purchase the Priestly Blessing Bracelets online now. They are fully customizable, meaning, you can special order what type of metal you would…
Thanks to the Jewish Student Satellite Initiative , I will answer this question! Tomorrow’s conversation will be with a teen group formed to create Jewish education experiences that are tangible and integrated with science and art. I will share the story of the Barbed Wire Mezuzah, which was selected to travel into space with the first Israeli Astronaut, Ilan Ramon. I…
Shabbat Shalom everyone! According to Rabbi Gottlieb of Congregation Beth Israel Judea Immigration Reform is echoed in this week’s Torah portion: Shabbat Mattot-Masei This week we read from the final portion of the Book of Numbers, which includes a description of the cities of refuge, to which a person could flee from vengeance which would otherwise be enacted against him.…