Copyright 2006 Matt Berkowitz

Kol HaOt will train a core of visual educators to bring our vision into communities. The opening two plates of Matt Berkowitz’s Haggadah teach the message of appreciation through the bringing of the first fruits. 

  ● We will bring together the work of artists who are teachers, and teachers who are artists. 

  ● We will foster the creation of deeply rooted Jewish artistic expression to convey eternal Jewish values. 

  ● We will provide venues for the Jewish plastic and performing arts. 

  ● We will unleash the creative and Jewish potential in learning -- not through the head alone -- but by combining the heart and the hand.

  ● Whether innovating curricula, training educators, bringing programming to communities or exposing Jews of all affiliations to inspiring interactive aesthetic experiences, our goal remains the same -- sharing the foundations of Jewish identity freshly clothed in attractive, stimulating and irresistible forms.

 

The Voice of the Symbol

Throughout Jewish history, the conveying of our most profound spiritual truths has been done in different forms. Both divine communication to humanity and the passing on of our tradition through the generations have been through speech, words and texts, through visions, images and symbols.

From the time of the patriarchs and through all the prophets, God sometimes spoke to our ancestors and sometimes communicated through extraordinary visions. But perhaps the most forceful form of communication has been when image, idea and speech have been combined to present a unified, unforgettable message.

In the story of the burning bush, this unity is beautifully exemplified. There God speaks of Kol HaOt. The voice of the symbol. Neither the visual symbol nor the verbal communication stands alone. The experience is one of both seeing a remarkable image and understanding that image explicated. This dynamic synthesis conveys an unforgettable message.

As artists and educators, we have devoted our careers to utilizing this powerful combination. Our long experience in creating works imbued with Jewish significance together with our sharing of these works to inspire and educate others have convinced us of the incredible power, and the vastly underutilized potential of this magical combination.

We have therefore come together with a dedication to bring this vision to a Jewish world so in need of dynamic new ways to share an ancient and precious message.