28 July 11 • 2019
jn

celebrating Jewish holidays.
“I never wanted a regular table with 
a head and a tail,” says Pescovitz, also 
at ease hosting dinners for university 
guests about three times a week. “I’
ve 
always wanted a round table so that 
everyone could be equal, comfortable 
and together. While there are 12 chairs 
around that table now, it can actually 
seat 18 comfortably.”
The art surrounding visitors, regard-
less of room location, does not give a 
complete sense of what she owns. There 
just isn’
t enough space so some pieces 
are stored in the basement.
“I was married for 31 years to a won-
derful guy who was a transplant sur-
geon [the late Mark Pescovitz, whose 
mother was an artist],” the OU presi-
dent says. “The moment we were mar-
ried until the day he died, we collected 
art together. We shared a passion for 
all kinds of art. We started collecting 
art before we ever had a dining room 
table.”
The collection includes five pieces by 
Chuck Close, including four self-por-

traits, a muscular body image by Robert 
Mapplethorpe and the abstract paint-
ing “Winter Solstice Cloud” by James 
Cunningham; its acquisition comes with 
a personal story.
The painter, right after selling this 
piece, was killed in a plane accident; 
the Pescovitzes promised the artist’
s 
widow they would take special care of 
his last work. 
A sculpture of a young girl reading 
has sentimental value because it came 
from the more realistic collection of the 
OU president’
s in-laws. 
In most rooms, there is an artistic 
mezuzah on the doorway.
“There 
’
s a lot of art from Israel and a 
lot of local art as well,” Pescovitz says. 
“I have a trunk, covered with brass and 
bronze and maybe silver, with Passover 
words, that came from the mountains of 
Morocco. 
“I was on a trip to Marrakech to give 
a talk, and we took a side trip into the 
Atlas Mountains. 
“Many Jews lived in Morocco and left 
in the ’
50s and ’
60s for Israel. They left 

behind many belongings, including the 
Judaica they had. We were taken to a 
store where we saw hundreds of pieces 
of Judaica, and I felt like we were sav-
ing some of these pieces by purchasing 
them.”
Of more direct significance is a 
menorah made by son Ari, an architect 
and artist.
“This menorah is shown in a 
book called 500 Judaica: Innovative 
Contemporary Ritual Art,” she says. 
“My son won an award for this piece 
— it’
s made of silver, and the blue is 
expired suture material that my husband 
brought back from the operating room.”
The art collection, according to 
Pescovitz, probably expresses her curios-
ity and commitment to diversity, beauty, 
tolerance and warmth. When she wants 
an actual outside view, she can go to a 
window and see the top of the Meadow 
Brook Amphitheater.
“Sunset Terrace, the university home, 
is a wonderful place, and I enjoy seeing 
people there,” she says. “It’
s a welcoming 
place for people to enjoy.” ■

TOP: The spacious curved living 

room offers many places for con-

versation and good views of art in 

the hallway beyond. ABOVE: One of 

many artistic mezuzot in the home.

continued from page 27

at home/on the cover
arts&life

