Judaica On The Edge Artists push the envelope by reinventing some religious objects. A JULIE WIENER Jewish Telegraphic Agency ITN 9/14 2001 R56 women's tefillin set with a beaded velvet box and blue satin straps. A silver Kiddush cup in which ceremonial wine passes through a delicately crafted silver net formed from the Hebrew word for "blessed." A sukkah with brightly painted walls made of the long, plastic strips found in industrial-sized refrigerators — and furnished with stools and a mirrored table symbolizing the self-reflection expected during the High Holidays. This is not your parents' Judaica. For years, Jewish ritual objects and Jewish fine arts have occupied very differ- ent domains. Ceremonial objects, mostly produced by arti- sans, often mimicked tradi- tional styles and — while beautiful and useful — were not necessarily cutting edge artistically. Jewish fine arts pieces, in contrast, have generally been more about aesthetics and ideas than ritual function. But partly due to the encourage- ment of several Jewish institutions, numerous Jewish and non-Jewish artists are using their skills and creativ- ity to reinterpret items used in Jewish worship. "There's more blurring of the lines between art and functional Judaica," said Susan Braunstein, curator of archaeology and Judaica for the Jewish Museum in New York. The Jewish Museum recently creat- ed a staff position focusing on "con- temporary ceremonial art," and is seeking artists who are "working with- in tradition but pushing the bound- aries," Braunstein said. The Reform movement's Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion recently marked the semi- nary's 125th anniversary by inviting 153 artists to create "contemporary and innovative works of Jewish cere- monial art," according to the catalog for the resulting exhibition. Since 1994, the Spertus Museum of the Spertus Institute of Jewish Studies in Chicago has sponsored biennial competitions focusing on specific cere- monial objects. The Jewish Museum of San Francisco also sponsors compe- titions for Jewish ritual objects. A new national project — called Avoda: Objects of the Spirit — reach- es out to young Jewish artists with workshops in which they create avant- garde ceremonial objects. Spertus — which gets 150 to 180 entrants for each competition — has offered prizes for Torah scroll covers, variety of materials, ranging from fab- ric, gems, wood and silver to old Jewish National Fund tins and — in the case of a Miriam's cup, for a new feminist Passover ritual — a pome- granate skin. Many also offer a modern spin on Jewish rituals. For example, an embroidered and painted matzah cover created by Judy Chicago of New Mexico — who is nationally known for her feminist art — has images of three women in the Haggadah, personali- ties who generally don't get a lot of attention in the Chanukah menorot, Left.. The winning retelling of the Exodus seder plates and Torah cover, by story. Havdalah spice boxes, Temma Gentles and A sukkah has wooden and has created exhibits Dorothy Ross, in a chairs painted and dec- of the top pieces. The Spertus Museum orated with objects that next prize will be for of Chicago ceremonial symbolize biblical hero- mezuzot. objects competition. ines such as Esther and "The people who Sarah. A feather and designed them are not Right: A Havdalah candle for use in check- just artisans; they're spice container by ing the home for foods architects, they're Paula J. Newman, that cannot be eaten designers and, as a in another Spertus during Passover sits in a result, the pieces we Museum Competition. silver tractor reminis- receive are extremely cent of those used on unusual and avant kibbutzim. grade, even ones where Israeli artist Yossi Steinberg uses they're basing the designs on tradition- mixed media, such as crystal resin, sil- al ideas," said Olga Weiss, Spertus' ver and fresh water pearls to design curator for special exhibitions. dreidels. He also has abandoned the In the HUC exhibit — which will traditional dreidel design for other become a permanent feature with shapes, such as a flower or a star. rotating artwork — pieces included Dreidel designer Gary Rosenthal Torah scrolls, spice boxes for has created themed dreidels. For his Havdalah, mezuzot, seder plates, wedding dreidel, a phrase about one's matzah covers, tzedakah boxes and beloved replaces the traditional letters. chupot, or wedding canopies. The Faces of Jerusalem dreidel looks The new pieces experiment with a like white stone, with a famous scene from the city on each of the four sides. Profession dreidels, designed for such professionals as a doctor or a rabbi, include four sayings about the profession. Israeli artists Renee Savitz and Ellyn Shain design a line of tallit for both men and women. For women, the names of the four mothers appear on the four corners. This ties the wearer to her feminine tradition. While most artists have created new versions of existing ritual objects, some have developed pieces for new rituals. Michael Berkowitz of New York made a large purple and black paper cut amulet to protect those around it from madness" and depression. Ayana Friedman of Jerusalem creat- ed "Deborah's Throne," a chair cov- ered with crimson velvet, for baby girls to rest upon on during the sim- chat bat, or girls' naming ceremony, a relatively new ritual. Friedman, who also created the blue velvet women's tefillin, describes the piece as "the feminist response to the (Elijah's Throne,' on which baby boys are cir- cumcised." Arnold Schwarzbart of Knoxville, Tenn., created a sarcophagus for old etrogim, the citrus fruit used during Sukkot. Many local businesses have begun to sell variations on traditional pieces, as well as those for modern traditions. Jewish.com , owned by Jewish Renaissance Media, sells everything from glass menorot and mezuzot to funky dreidels. Miriam's cups are another popular item. Tradition! Tradition! in Southfield also carries such objects. "The focus is to get artsy," said owner Alicia Nelson. "The artists shown at the HUC show "are not trying to replicate and simply reiterate the forms of the past, which is what you basically find for the most part in a lot of high-priced Jewish shops," said Jean Bloch Rosensaft, exhibitions director for HUC. "They're trying to make Judaica that speaks to the consciousness of our own time." Berkowitz, 48, whose work has appeared in a variety of Jewish and secular venues, sees his interest in Jewish art as part of a larger trend of artists "going back to their roots as inspiration." The artist grew up attending yeshiva and, as a child, wanted to be a rabbi until he became more interested in art. "For me, the impulse has always "