-41

Lighting The Way

Jewish and

non-Jewish

sculptural

artists join

together to

enlighten

the metro

Detroit

community

about

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ni icen

Chanukah.

Menorot

SUZANNE CHESSLER
Special to the Jewish News

S

allyjo Levine keeps no furniture
in her West Bloomfield living
room. Instead, she uses the
space to display her collections
— Passover plates, dreidels and menorot.
Among the carefully selected Judaic
artworks filling her shelves are 28 deco-
rative and functional religious cande-
labra, including one piece she bought
two years ago at the Menorah Art Show
planned by the Jewish Federation of
Metropolitan Detroit. Designed by
California artist Peter Shire, the metal-
lic, L-shaped form features vibrant col-
ors, such as hot pink and bright teal.

11/24
2000

82

Levine's special find at the Jewish
Federation of Metropolitan Detroit's
exhibit and sale makes her eager to see
the second round of menorot, which
will be on display Nov. 28-Dec. 11 at
the Somerset Collection South in Troy.
While the show will feature more
works by Shire, there also will be pieces
by close to 30 other artists personally
invited to commemorate Chanukah
through their sculptural talents.
Janis Wetsman, who knew and
learned of the artists through her
Birmingham gallery, served as curator.
"I love being Jewish, and I love the
beauty of Judaica," says Levine, whose
holiday observances make use of an
old menorah that poses no problems if

some wax drips down. "The Shire
menorah struck me immediately when
I went to the last show, and I'll buy
another menorah if I find one that's
very different from what I have."

"When we had our first show to
commemorate the 100th anniversary
of Federation, we didn't plan to do a
second, but the Somerset Collection
approached us. We agreed, and half
the proceeds from each sale will bene-
Reaching Out
fit our organization."
"This exhibit really is one
As part of the community
Ab ove:
way we can reach out to the
outreach goal, both Jewish
Herb Babcock:
general community and show
and non-Jewish artists were
what the holiday is all about," Menora h in cast asked to come up with pieces
glass a nd steel
says Kari Alterman, associate
that commemorate the mira-
director for community out-
cle of one-day's temple oil
reach and education at the Jewish
supply lasting eight days. As part of the
Federation of Metropolitan Detroit.
goal to involve youngsters, Federation
"We're using the top echelon of local
and Media Rare in Grand Rapids
artists and some nationally known
developed an interactive CD-ROM,
artists to help us do that.
Hanukkah ($18), to be available for