Sharing my vision of what Jewish art can be is central to my artistic practice, and I am always excited for the opportunity to share my passion with new communities around the world. Over the last ten years, I've had the privilege of traveling to both teach art workshops and speak about Hebrew typography and the history of Jewish art and design. Often the weekend will coincide with a show of my work in a gallery space in a synagogue or community center. Communities I have been honored to spend time with include Sabes JCC (Minneapolis), Osher Marin JCC (Bay Area, California), and the National Havurah Committee Summer Institute (Rindge, New Hampshire).
Contact me for more info and pricing. Some topics of lectures and programs I've given in the past are listed here, and I'm happy to customize a program around your community's interests and event themes.
I typically speak with a projected slideshow of images. On Shabbat, I provide printed handouts. Some programs can also be done over Zoom.
Covering the 4000 year development of the Hebrew alphabet from its invention to the present. That's a lot of ground to cover in an hour! I also offer deeper dives into topics touched on in that program, including:
A look into the earliest invention of the Hebrew alphabet. Where did the alphabet come from?
This text-based study session uses Talmudic sources as a guide to discover what our sages knew — and didn't know — about the alphabet written on the original Ten Commandments, and try to figure out how they understood Jewish history and the nature of change. I begin with a shortened version of the "Scratches in the Sand" talk above for context.
All about the writing of divine substitutions and how that illustrates evolving ideas of what is holy. Jews use all kinds of things to write God's name, including two yuds, three yuds, the letter he, "G-d," and many more, in a tradition that goes all the way back past the Dead Sea Scrolls. What are the origins of these different symbols? How have these traditions evolved over time?
Information technology has shaped Jewish life long before the internet. How have the technologies available to us, from the scroll to the codex, the invention of paper and the printing press, to the inventions of the modern era, changed not only the way we study and practice as Jews, but how we fundamentally approach Jewish identity and tradition?
Language, alphabet, and script are powerful expressions of cultural affinity and identity. What do the ways we write say about how we think of ourselves as Jews and our relationship to other communities and the world at large? Nationalism, assimilation, romanticism, and cultural exchange all factor in to something as ordinary as writing.
Forgotten Hebrew scripts, and some that lasted, focusing on the cultural and geographical factors that led to the rise and disappearance of these scripts. This program is a good candidate for a shorter 30 minute timeslot.
For as long as there have been Jews, we have been engaged in producing Jewish art and design. A closer look at that creative output — from ancient synagogue mosaics to contemporary graffiti — reveals much about what we value and how we see ourselves in relation to the world around us. What does Jewish art look like, and how do we mark ourselves as Jews through visual expression?
I have traveled the country documenting buildings that used to be synagogues and have since become something else. Examining the buildings and their locations adds a new dimension to our understanding of Jewish history in America. I can speak about buildings all across the country, and I have full presentations on the Lost Synagogues of Los Angeles and a few other specific cities.
I am also always happy to speak about my own art, whether about my work as a whole or about specific projects like my Parsha Posters or murals.
A personal look into my artistic philosophy and practice with regard to designing physical spaces. How do we create meaningful spaces in our communities and for our communities through art and design? How are our environments reflected in our art? I present my murals, large scale installations, and my work on the New Venice Haggadah and discuss how to use Judaism to connect to spaces and places.
Make art with me! Here is a sampling of programs I have led. While some have restrictions for certain kinds of locations, ages, or duration, most can be adapted to your space, community, and curriculum.
My most popular class is a spray paint stencil workshop with a Jewish edge. We begin with discussions about art as a way of expressing personal and communal identity, and Jewish approaches to art throughout history, before learning how to design, cut, and paint our stencils. I supply all materials and safety equipment and can tailor curricula to any thematic focus. Please allow at least an hour for best results. This program can also extent to multiple sessions over two or more days so participants can try different techniques and design larger and more sophisticated pieces. This program is best for tweens, teens, and adults, and requires an indoor and an outdoor space. See more about this class here. For younger artists and fully indoor spaces, I recommend the Spray Challah Covers.
We create our own stencils and use spray ink to make bright, personal challah covers. This class covers similar techniques as Jewish Street Art but can be taught indoors to artists third grade to adult.
DIY Shabbat allows participants to create personal, meaningful Judaica. Craft possibilities include kiddush cup decorating, candle braiding, and spice bag assembly. While most of my workshops are best when all participants start together, this one is good for participants working asynchronously.
Parsha Posters is a series of images I created for each Torah portion. I speak about the fundamentals of minimalist design and about my inspiration for the project, and then assign biblical texts for participants to read and discuss. Participants then design and present their own posters as a way of reflecting on Torah learning through visual art. This class can be done in an hour or can fill a multi-hour block (like a full Sunday morning at a religious school), or be divided over multiple sessions.
Explore the use of letters and writing as an artistic element. Participants use a variety of media to create typographic art informed by inspiration both Jewish and not.
What makes a letter a letter? After demonstrating some fundamentals of Hebrew writing, participants create their own inspired versions. This class is suitable for anyone who can hold a brush.
Why choose between learning and making when we can do both! The programs include a significant lecture component and a crafting component.
Jewish tradition holds that ritual is elevated by using objects that are physically beautiful. After a presentation on Jewish ritual objects throughout history, we'll use historic Jewish art techniques to create our own Judaica. Workshops can be tailored to specific holidays or ritual items.
This program is specifically intended for Jewish educators and anyone designing programs for others. How can we make Jewish ritual objects that are meaningful as well as beautiful? How can we use art to encourage creative thinking about Jewish ritual and the holiday cycle? I speak about my creative process and considerations when making Jewish art projects of hmy own, and how I use those frameworks to craft the workshops I lead for participants of various ages. In between discussing various approaches to Jewish art-making, I will guide participants through brainstorming Judaica of their own.
Interested in a collaborative mural project or other kind of more permanent installation? We can make this happen. I have worked with students and adults to create large, permanent murals at Northwest Yeshiva High School in Seattle, Congregation Beth Ahm in Michigan, and Olam Tikvah in Virginia. Ask me for details.