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ANCIENT IDEALS from page 73

artistically.
"In the process of
advising, he became
interested, and they
loved what he suggest-
ed. A group from
another synagogue saw
what he had done and
wanted him to do
something for them. I
remember his corn-
menting that [he
decided his work] had
to last and be meaning-
ful to people at many
stages of their lives."

Finding Judiasm

tyro

JL

011

9/27

2002

74

So4z) N ow /

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ticketmasier

Morton knows full
well what it means to
be a non-Jew interested
in Judaism.
Describing herself as
a former "backslid sec-
ular- nothingist" and
her husband as an
Episcopalian while
growing up, Morton
explains how a person-
al tragedy encouraged
her entire family to
convert.
Mary Etta Moore of Kalamazoo, Mich.: "Yom
"When my 8-year-
Hashoah," papercut. The artist wanted to remind viewers
old son got sick, pro-
that some Holocaust victims remained among the living.
ceeded to go through
hell for three years and
eventually die at 11,
trends in Judaica. She thinks of the
my whole family was trying to figure
works as declaring the souls of the
what it means to be alive," she
people who made them, and she
explains. "In that process of inquiry, I
includes
their addresses and phone
watched Jews and was impressed with
numbers so readers can make
their capacity to deal with hard stuff
inquiries.
in useful ways.
Chava Wolpert Richard, for exam-
"I wanted to know what they know
ple, shows her own silver and talks
about living, and I began studying
about what was done by her silver-
Judaism. After two years of classes,
smith
father, the late Ludwig Wolpert.
reading and meeting with rabbis of all
"By
creating Judaica in a modern
different movements, my whole family
idiom, he revolutionized what we
converted.
"I think Judaism is the most morally use," Morton says. "He showed that
Judaica could be as modern as Frank
honorable, intellectually encouraging
Lloyd Wright. All others had to do
and spiritually beautiful way of living,
was see one piece that wasn't tradition-
and I began teaching. Within eight
al, and they made objects that didn't
years, I was training bar and bat mitz-
look
like anything that had come
vah students. Now, I'm the principal
before.
of a Conservative synagogue's educa-
"One person's impact can be so great
tion department."
when that person really works well at a
Judaism has shaped her family's life
craft to do something meaningful for
since 1988. Her husband teaches
himself or herself and the people
Hebrew. Her daughter became the
around them." ❑
cantorial soloist in the college town
where she lives, and her younger son
became a counselor at a JCC camp.
Judaica Artisans Today is available
Morton says that getting to know
at www.amazon.com dr by spe-
the artists has been even more fulfill-
cial order at bookstores.
ing than becoming familiar with the