18 | JULY 11 • 2024
J
N
C
hildren came. Adults came. Families
came. Couples and singles. The
old, the young, and everyone in
between came out to Congregation Beth
Ahm to paint and draw and learn how to
weave Hebrew letters into art-making with
Washington, D.C.-based Hillel Smith.
“There are many ways to find meaning in
text and many ways to express what these
texts and ideas mean,
” says Elissa Berg, who
attended all of the adult sessions plus one
with her son, daughter-in-law and grand-
children. “I was inspired to take one of the
ideas that I had as a result of our sessions
and am looking to bring it to life.
”
Smith spent three days as artist-in-resi-
dence in Metro Detroit recently, invited by
Beth Ahm Rabbi Steven Rubenstein, to con-
nect Jewish identity and community with
art. The effort resulted in a beautiful collab-
orative mural made by Beth Ahm members
that hangs in the synagogue
foyer for all to see.
“Having Hillel with us over
the course of several days gave
people an opportunity to inter-
act with him — to learn about
his art and to explore their own
creative side from a Jewish perspective,
”
Rabbi Rubenstein says. “
And because sev-
eral of the projects were group projects that
will be installed in the synagogue, my hope
is that people will see the art as a physical
expression of their connection to our com-
munity.
”
The rabbi brought Smith in as guest art-
ist to expose the community
to contemporary Jewish art
and working Jewish artists in
modern times. He also wanted
to create an experience for the
synagogue community to inter-
weave Jewish life with art and
explore personal Jewish identity
from a new perspective.
“Whenever you have the opportunity
to try something from a slightly different
angle the potential is there for personal
COURTESY OF BETH AHM
Turning Hebrew
into Art
continued on page 20
Congregation Beth Ahm
hosted artist Hillel Smith for
three days of art-making.
LYNNE GOLODNER SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS
OUR COMMUNITY
Rabbi
Steven
Rubenstein
Hillel Smith
LEFT: Beth Ahm teens and parents
make a smaller mural for the weekday
entrance to the building.
Amy Robbins and Alissa Citron
add their touches to the mural.
Cheryl and Paul Darmon work on the mural.