Twenty two participants in the Young Judaea Year Course are enrolled in a pioneering, cutting edge class designed by Rabbi Matthew Berkowitz (an Young Judaea alumnus!) and the team
of Kol HaOt: Illuminating Jewish Life Through Art.  Founded two years ago, Kol HaOt showcases Jewish history, values and texts through a synthesis of the performing, visual and culinary arts. 

The curriculum focuses on the visual and materials arts and is entitled "The 'Art' of Judaism."  Among the topics covered include ceremonial art, ketubot, haggadot and  journaling.  Students are given an introduction and survey of the topic, meet with a guest artist and then engage in a 'hands on' project in each session. Though we always begin our class at the Young Judaea campus in Jerusalem, the past two sessions have continued at the new Kol HaOt home on Jerusalem's Emek Refaim Street -- in a  cool, magical, enchanted space called the Martef. 

During our first session, which focused on ceremonial art, we learned about the concept of Jewish art and 'hiddur mitzvah' (beautifying ceremonial objects in the tradition).  This  lead up to a fascinating trip to Jerusalem's Huzot HaYotzer -- where students  divided into three groups meeting with Yaakov Greenvercel (sterling silver),  David Moss (who taught on The Tree of Life Shtender) and Oshrit Raffeld (paper and manuscript artist).  Each spoke about the creative and spiritual
influences on their work-- and how their work reflects Jewish ideas and values. 

We concluded our trip together in the studio of Sari Srulovich, a talented and animated sterling silver artist who showcased some of her best pieces.  Students were amazed by the breadth and depth of these artists.  It was an energizing way to begin this new adventure.

Tickets to the upcoming Ein Prat Fountainheads concert, sponsored by Kol HaOt, are getting zapped up in record time! Kol HaOt is delighted that their music, ladden with Jewish content (and quite catchy as well!) is such a hit with people of all ages!

There are just a few seats left for the performance Dec. 31, at 9 pm at the Begin Heritage Center in Jerusalem! Click here to order online!

Don't miss this year's Kol HaOt Sukkot Artists' Fair at the ballroom of the Inbal Hotel in Jerusalem, Oct. 16 & 17, from 5:30 pm -10:30 pm, during Chol HaMoed. Five leading Israeli artists will share their inspiring works with the public at the free 2-day fair, on the theme “Jerusalem in the Eyes of the Beholder: Contemporary Artists Portray their Jerusalem”.

Participating in the fair are Maty Grünberg, Avner Moriah, David Moss, Yoram Raanan, Archie Granot, and Yitzhak Greenfield. The works of many of these artists are part of the collections of such prestigious institutions as the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, the British Museum, the Israel Museum, and the Victoria and Albert Museum. The public will be able to meet the artists, and hear first-hand how they intertwine traditional and modern Jewish themes into their art.

The event will also feature a collage of the city’s distinctive musical sounds and sites in a screening of “Thru Jerusalem,” by video artist Kutiman, an internationally acclaimed musician and YouTube sensation, whose short film was originally commissioned by the Jerusalem Season of Culture. Storytellers will also present live performances about Jerusalem at the fair.

Save the date - Oct. 16 & 17!

Listen to Kol HaOt co-founder Elyssa Moss Rabinowitz discuss how art can have a powerful impact on Jewish education. Here are some excerpts from her interview with Tera Greene of GenToGen during the recent ROI 2011 Summit in Jerusalem:  

“I would love for Kol HaOt to be a very successful venture and really become a hub of activity. I don't mean just a physical space but really a buzz where the idea of using the arts for Jewish content is sort of trickled out to the whole Jewish world via the kind of tools and education that we're building and creating.

“Art is a very strong and powerful way to bring people together, to make people consider their Jewish heritage and culture, not necessarily in a practicing way, but just in a value-based, identity aspect.

“If people had one ‘ah-ha!’ Jewish moment because of me, I would be very happy. Meaning that they'll remember that I helped them learn, experience, grapple with, something Jewish. That's a success for me.”

Tune into the full interview.

Elyssa Moss Rabinowitz, a Kol HaOt co-founder, heads to the week-long ROI Summit in Jerusalem on June 12, where she will be discussing Kol HaOt’s misson: How to use the magical power of the arts in transformative, interactive programs that convey Jewish ideas, texts and values.

Stay tuned for her reports! 

ROI is a global community of young Jewish leaders created by Lynn Schusterman. Its objective is to cultivate a prestigious international network of young Jewish leaders in their 20s and 30s who are at the forefront of local, global and virtual initiatives that offer innovative and diverse paths for connecting to Jewish life.

What does a Mentsch look like? What color represents the Children of Israel standing at Mount Sinai?

These were just some of the visual challenges a group of 80 eight-graders from the Hillel Day School of Detroit were confronted with at a Kol HaOt session on May 15 in Jerusalem, where they depicted both Jewish values and Biblical scenes. 

“It was remarkable to see how quickly the children engaged in serious learning and in the hands-on projects,” noted Rabbi Matt Berkowitz, one of Kol HaOt’s facilitators, and a founder of the organization. “Their enthusiasm and energy was contagious, and the experience demonstrates the transformative power of Kol HaOt’s programs.”

The group was divided into two; in the program “Mentschmaker, Mentschmaker, Make Me a Mentsch” the students explored the middot (qualities) of Compassion, Truth, Humility, Justice, Holiness, Gratitude and more.  Through paired and small group learning, they discussed a specific value, and the role it plays in their personal life.  By the time the session was done, the participants had created their own folder, identifying their own middah, with their own poem and visual collage. 

“The students took up the challenge with enthusiasm, grace, creativity and talent, and presented to each other their new and amazing creations, made in Jerusalem!” Rabbi Berkowitz recalled.

The second group immersed itself in the Kol HaOt program “From Text to Symbol.” During the session, they studied Exodus 19 and 20, in which the Children of Israel stand at Mount Sinai; then they identified the most important 10 elements in the story, and assigned them different colors. The result was a remarkable mural they created that reflected a powerful and animated visual interpretation of the story. 

By engaging in this hands on piece, the narratives of Exodus 19 and 20 became unforgettable experiences for the Hillel Day School students, who then presented their murals to the entire group. The response was both heartening and inspiring.

Noted Rabbi Berkowitz: “It was clear that it was a new, innovative approach for teachers and students alike. . . . and of course, the magic of this happening in Jerusalem makes the experience all the more invaluable!”

Arik Weiss is the winner of the Kol HaOt Raffle! By becoming a Facebook Fan of Kol HaOt, he won a magnificent print by artist Matt Berkowitz. If you want to be a part of our next raffle, be sure to "Like" our Facebook page!

Enter a raffle to win a striking print by artist Matt Berkowitz. Just press the “Like” button at the top of our Facebook page and become a Fan, and/or send us a message via our web site (write "Enter raffle and subscribe to newsletter" in the Comments field). The winner will be announced on our Facebook page on May 10 – Israeli Independence Day.

Read all about Kol HaOt's upcoming "Illuminated Haggadah Fair" in The Jerusalem Post. Don't forget to stop by the Inbal Hotel (Bistro Room), April 20 & 21, 5:30 pm to 10 pm. Many of the artists themselves will be at the fair, and will discuss their diverse works and the creative journey they personally underwent to visually interpret the Haggadah text. Visitors will enjoy a visual feast for the eyes and soul, as they view these high-end, fine-art facsimile edition Haggadot, and trade editions.

 

Save the date! Come to the Kol HaOt “Illuminated Haggadah Fair” on April 20 & 21, from 5:30 to 10 pm, at the Inbal Hotel, 3 Jabotinsky St., Jerus. Internationally renowned artists will be exhibiting their exquisite Haggadahs • Avner Moriah • Maty Grünberg • David Moss • Eliyahu Sidi • Matt Berkowitz • Ya’akov Daniel • Ilya Gifter • FREE entrance! A feast for the eyes and soul!