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!

During their March mission to Israel, participants in Hazak – the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism’s organization for mature Jews – had a smorgasbord of Kol HaOt programs from which to choose. One option was to prepare for Passover, where participants delved into the deeper meanings of magnificent illuminated haggadot in the “Haggadah Illumination” unit, presented by Rabbi Matt Berkowitz.

“This Passover, I will be explaining the rabbi’s art work to my family,” said one participant. Rabbi Berkowitz’s “appreciation, joy and enthusiasm for the topic”, and his “amazing talent” made striking impressions on other Hazak group members.

The “From Text to Symbol” workshop had participants busy exploring Genesis 22, which describes Akeidat Yitzchak (The Sacrifice of Isaac). Then they “translated” a chapter of the Scroll of Esther into a visual word-less story. The participants shared their creation with the entire Hazak group the following Shabbat. “Everyone, at any age, could benefit from this program,” remarked one woman.

Those opting for Kol HaOt’s musical track found that the program “The Song in Me”, with Yehudah Katz, unleashed their own musical talents, as they wrote holiday songs using traditional Jewish texts for inspiration. “As a former teacher, [the program] was hard to improve. The facilitator was very special!” commented one participant. For another Hazak member, the program had an emotional element as well: “It lifts your heart.”

Elyssa Moss Rabinowitz has been chosen to speak about Kol HaOt on the upcoming joint Nefesh B'Nefesh and PresenTense road trip in North America. Visiting Philadelphia, Boston, Toronto, Los Angeles and New York, the event is titled:
Innovation Israel: Shaping Israel's Future Today
The evening will begin with a networking session followed by a panel discussion where Elyssa Moss Rabinowitz, Romi Shamai and Chaim Landau will introduce their projects and the impact they are making on Israel, as well as their vision for the country over the next few years.  Following the panel discussions, the floor will be open for participants to share their own thoughts and experiences.
While on the trip, Elyssa is looking forward to meeting with Jewish professionals and lay leaders in the various communities and sharing the Kol HaOt vision with them.
For the entire schedule click here.
Matt Berkowitz has been invited to present Kol HaOt at the Jewish Artists Initiative in Los Angeles, followed by a residency in the Los Angeles community.

A Psalm of David, And Matt and Yair and Elyssa.
Mizmor.

Why are our hearts filled with passion? And why are our hearts filled
with enthusiasm?
For a key we have discovered, and  a lock have we opened.
yay, the precious treasure has been buried
       the words of truth held captive from so many.
Yours, O Lord, is the treasure; the gift, the words of your mouth.
The sweet smelling treasure is a balm to the soul, it uplifts the
fallen and heals the sick.
Through it, justice raises its voice ahigh, and holiness whispers its sublimity
 From everlasting to everlasting. blessings flow from its fair scent
To uplift the heart of men, to bring wisdom to the minds of princes.

But the artisan now hearkens to the voice, turns her ear to the truth
of Your message.
With skillful hands she forms it, with a heart of knowledge she shapes it.
With words of wisdom she shares it.
Object joins intention, words soar from heart to heart, image and
sound kiss one another. Together they pierce souls. Joined as one they
touch profoundly.
Now your treasure, O Lord, now your words of pure gold, can shine
forth from  their treasurehouse.
Like the sun they can illumine the path of the stumbiling, like the
moon they can open the eyes of the blind.

Why are we excited within? And why are our hearts filled with enthusiasm
For a key we have discovered, and  a lock have we opened.
To share our discovery with others is our deepest desire.
To bring to the courtyards its beauty, to the streets its lovliness
To announce in jerusalem its message, that out of zion,  it can go
forth to the corners of the earth.

Behold the precious. ancient wisdom clothed in fresh, rich garments of
color and light, of texture and pattern, of sound and scent and taste,
of symbol and emblem, of openess and accesibilitiy.
it delights the eye, rejoices the ear, enlightens the mind and fills the heart.

This is Why are we excited within;
And this is why enthusiasm fills our hearts.

Because we believe so firmly in this mission, we have spent the past
two years devoting immense energy and time to fleshing out an
ambitious but feasible vision of how to bring this to reality. We have
imagined it, discussed it, refined it and created actual programs to
test it with a wide variety of groups.   The results are the proof
that this project is poised to have a profound impact on the Jewish
world.

Our key is poised to unleash the incredible potential of the arts, of
media, of creativity to clothe, to enhance, to transmit the eternal
messages of our people.
We are convinced we know how to do that.
The combined experience of the four of us has proven it, reliably,
repeatedly and powerfully beyond any doubt.
.
Like the artisan we have harkened to its voice.
Like a horse ready to run its course, like a hero before the battle
our muscles are strained, our bright eyes focussed, our full hearts throbbing.

To unleash the process we need you as our partners. We offer a unique
opportunity to be part of something that will be not just be another
tourist stop, not just another program, but a unique new
transformative movement in Jewish life.
 It will become a primary destination for every tourist to this land.
 It will become a place of meaning and beauty and sharing
for the inhabitants of this land.
It will be a place of comprehension for the non-Jews who want to
understand who we are.
We are convinced that it  will have vast implications for our people
and for the world.

As the magnificent Psalms of David  gave  poetic, artistic form to the
most fundamental Jewish ideas and spread their message to the entire
world, so can the creativity and art of today give form to these same
eternal values and transmit them in an unforgettable way to all who
hunger for them.

And may you say:
                             Amen

Yesterday the Kol HaOt team came together to launch a new full day program titled: "Ascending Through the Psalms". In the magical setting of Hutzot HaYotzer in Jerusalem, we were impressed by the scope of David’s international collection of Psalms, inspired by the work of Eliyahu Sidi on Ashrei, energized by a Psalm writing musical experience with Yehudah Katz, delighted by the biblical foods of Moshe Basson, immersed in an amazing hands-on project on literary and visual parallelism in Psalms and amazed by the depths of Psalm 8 with Shula Laderman.  Indeed, it was a day that wove together the visual, performing, and culinary arts.

On Thursday evening, February 4, Kol HaOt , hosted a magical showcase event at Jerusalem’s Mishkenot Shaananim.  Over forty representatives of various Jewish organizations and foundations, tour operators, and friends of Kol HaOt ventured out on a wintry Jerusalem evening to experience the programming and activities. As guests arrived, they located their unique name tags and were then feted to a spectrum of Kol HaOt works of art on display, giving participants a sense of the genre of “teachable art” that is at the essence of Kol HaOt. 

During the course of the evening, the audience was exposed to two of Kol HaOt's Illuminating Educational Experiences. Actively involved, the participants experienced firsthand the way Kol HaOt engages and  teaches through artistic media. 

The evening’s journey continued by describing each of the ten projects that we hope will be accomplished through this compelling new venture. The group was then solicited to help in a variety of ways: engaging KHO for programming for groups, families and smahot, networking: connecting KHO with the right people that will grow this vision, and funding: actively looking for funders and investors that resonate with the KHO vision.

The evening was a resounding success on many different levels.  Kol HaOt is poised to make its mark on a Jewish world thirsting for its creative and animated programming.