48 August 22 • 2019
jn

SUZANNE CHESSLER CONTRIBUTING WRITER

“Divine Feminine”

R

akia Sky Beimel converted to 
Judaism about five years ago 
through Temple Israel. Long 
before preparing to marry a man 
raised in Jewish traditions, she had 
been intrigued with the questioning 
aspects of the religion. 
As Beimel felt increasingly connect-
ed to Judaism, she helped establish 
and became executive director of 
Kibbutz Detropia, based within Detroit 
and focused on issues 
of the land, ancestral 
practices and the Divine 
Feminine, which explore 
the female presence in 
spirituality. 
To further carry out 
and extend her beliefs, 
Beimel enrolled in 
the Kohenet Hebrew 
Priestess Institute in 
Falls Village, Conn., 
which is at the center of 
a small movement that 
promotes several diverse 
leadership roles for 
women wanting to carry 
out their understanding 
of Jewish values. (The 
institute is not affiliated 
with any mainstream 
Jewish movement.) 
While attending a 
series of workshops to 
qualify for becoming a 
Kohenet (Priestess) in 
the movement, Beimel 
thought about her stud-
ies years ago at the College of Visual 
Arts in St. Paul, Minn., and suggested 
an exhibit to represent the beliefs of 
Kohenet practitioners and others inter-
ested in the Divine Feminine.
The Janice Charach Gallery in West 
Bloomfield agreed to show the exhibit 
curated by Beimel, who invited artists 
she knows and included her own work 
as well. 
Artists represented in “Divine 
Feminine,
” running Aug. 25-Sept. 
18, are David Brown (ink on paper), 

Chana Finman (acrylics on mirror), 
Lois Gaylord (textiles), Ketzirah Lesser 
(painted textiles), Annie Matan (sculp-
tures), Eli T. Mond (ink on paper) and 
Bekah Starr (illustrations). 
“The people made work that is 
incredibly different … but unified in 
their goal of envisioning Divine fem-
ininity,
” says Beimel, also a Temple 
Emanu-El preschool assistant teacher. 
“I’
m hoping the exhibit educates 
people about what a 
Kohenet can mean 
because there haven’
t 
been any in Metro 
Detroit until now. The 
art projects give every-
one the option to under-
stand Divinity can be 
seen in multiple ways, 
not just in what we’
ve 
been accustomed to all 
our lives.
” 
Beimel’
s art project 
involves introducing the 
letters of the Hebrew 
alphabet with each rep-
resented by a painting on 
a small wooden slab. The 
project began during 
the most recent institute 
workshop, during which 
she had to devise a way 
to help another student 
learn Hebrew.
Starr’
s project, Hamsas 
for the Divine Feminine, 
consists of 13 illustra-
tions inspired by her 
experience exploring pathways at the 
institute. 
Finman, co-director of Jewish 
Ferndale, applied acrylics to a mirror 
for Jewish Woman of the Rocks. 
“She is so strong that even mighty 
waters won’
t disturb her intent,
” 
Finman says. “She protects her val-
ues, her family and her identity. The 
reflective mirror is to ponder oneself 
in the context. What storms must the 
viewer deal with? What elements are 
eroding?” ■

arts&life

Mummu Tiamat: An Allusion to Sacrifice, Eli T. Mond

Details
“Divine Feminine” 
will be on view 
Aug. 25-Sept. 18 at the 
Janice Charach Gallery 
on the main floor of 
the Jewish Community 
Center in West 
Bloomfield. The opening 
reception runs 1-3 p.m. 
Aug. 25.

Butterfly Goddess, Annie Matan

Charach Gallery show explores female 
presence in spirituality.

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