Mystical Jewish

These works directly reflect my life immersed in Jewish culture. Daughter of a rabbi and a Jewish educator, this has been and continues to be an essential part of my life.

Please click here to read an in depth description of the inspiration behind this work.

Click on each picture to read a description of the work.

L’Dor v’Dor, Benching Lecht, is filled with spirit, floating candles and the blue violet energy coming off the wick at the center of the shabbes candle flames, spelling out in traditional Hebrew print the words L’ Dor V’ Dor, while my hands, my daughter’s hands and my daughter’s Nana’s (Oleha v shalom) and Bubbie’s hands bless the Shabbes candles. The background of spirals and stars and light and blessing fill the ether. My daughter’s hands are now grown up, long and slender, mine are short and giving the priestly blessing, and we are wearing our matching rings, my mom with her perfect manicure and my mother in law’s aged hands, 3 generations benching lecht together.

SHABBAT SHALOM Painted in 1994, this was one of those paintings that just came out of me and I loved it. It sold immediately. It is the first of many paintings where I portray candles as a wedding couple. The dove in this picture represents the Shechina (the energy essence of Gods love). The Shechinah is blessing the Sabbath Bride and Groom, welcoming and blessing the Shabbat

My Minyan, 10 candle souls spreading light and love and blessing into the world. Following the little minyan Shabbes service in the chapel at my schul, the minyan who often number about 50 people of mostly older ages, go outside to the courtyard, create a circle, sway arm in arm or holding hands, and sing the Oseh Shalom. Oseh Shalom means make peace. Those Hebrew words are written in the white light energy of a heart shaped angel of God in the background as part of the sky. At the bottom of of the painting are the last words of the prayer Shalom Aleynu v’ Al Chol … Peace for Us and for All. Amen. This painting is on display in the chapel room of Congregation Beth Israel in La Jolla, CA.

Flying Challah, L’DorV’Dor is modern continuation of the tradition of lighting the candles and blessing the Shabbes. Notice the candlesticks are modern silver with an embedded Elat stone connecting them to Israel and they look like candlesticks you might find at your favorite Judaica store. The wicks of the 2 candles spelling out in a more modern Hebrew print L’Dor v’ Dor. The candles again representing the bride and groom of Shabbes. (I particularly love the dangling tzit zit on the tallis, and the floating gossamer of the veil.) There are 3 Kiddush cups filled with purple roses representing wine but also representing a modern view where women can make Kiddush and Men can light candles. Everyone’s blessings are welcome, and everyone is encouraged to bring more light and love into the universe. Amen.

Peace Messenger Painted in oil in honor of the signing of the Oslo Peace Accord, by Israel and Palestine facilitated by US President Bill Clinton in 1993. There is a lot of imagery in this painting. The large and beautiful angelic dove glimmers in white light while holding an olive branch in its beak. The Dove as the Shechinah brings blessings of peace to the world, to the hot bed region that has been at war since days of old. The desert land shapes are a portion of the map of Israel and its neighbor countries and the Mediterranean Sea as the setting. The red and orange parts of the sun represent enflamed energy from the centuries of hurt feelings. The dashes of white spiraling light energy at the center of the sun represent hope and healing. Notice that the Hebrew print of the word Shalom (Peace) are written in white open letters showing the red-hot angry passion being cooled off by the blue healing waters of the Mediterranean Sea. There is a purple with red heart-shaped shadow of the dove on the water. The red represents all the blood lost to a millennium of fighting. The Purple Heart honors all those who lost their lives.

Rainbow Wedding This painting depicts the two candles getting married under the angelic wings of a rainbow heart chuppah spreading its gorgeous colors and blessings over the candle couple and their red tipped yellow rose floating in the universe. The evening sky is filled with stars and pink heart blessings of love. There are several images to charm the wedding couples life together, a protective chamsa blessing the couple and universe with love and peace, two kissing gourami fish blessing the couple with wealth, prosperity and abundance, and wine glasses representing the tradition of breaking the wine glass but also toasting the union.

This painting depicts the two candles getting married under the angelic wings of a rainbow heart chuppah spreading its gorgeous colors and blessings over the candle couple and their red tipped yellow rose floating in the universe. The evening sky is filled with stars and pink heart blessings of love. There are several images to charm the wedding couples life together, a protective chamsa blessing the couple and universe with love and peace, two kissing gourami fish blessing the couple with wealth, prosperity and abundance, and wine glasses representing the tradition of breaking the wine glass but also toasting the union.

Painted as a gift to my husband. Here the candle couple is getting married, under the tallit chuppah, with crystal rainbow blessings flowing from God. The famous words from the Shevah Brachus “Kol Sassone v’ Kol Simcha”, (Usually followed by “Kol Chatan, v’ Kol Challah”) are written in Hebrew print on the tallit. (translation: Voice of Joy and Voice of Happiness, Voice of the Groom, and Voice of the Bride) The tallit resembles the one my father wore, given to him by my mother’s father the day my parents were married. If you study the background you will see the individuals getting married come from different backgrounds, but they are also the same. One is a city scene the other a rural scene. Notice though, the city buildings are made from the same rock as the mountains, both locations have trees though one has palm trees and the other fir trees. Both have a body of water though one has a pond, and the other has the sea. We are of the same stuff. There are spirals of energy and stars and a heart shaped constellation in the sky they share. The little yellow and orange fire-fly hearts are the neshamas (souls) of their family and friends blessing their union. The roses represent their love and passion for each other. Over their hearts written in Hebrew script are the words “Ani L’Dodi and V’Dodi Lee,” I am my beloved and my beloved is mine, which comes from King Solomon’s Song of Songs.

Flowertopia is a fun painting I did to loosen-up and lighten-up. It is just joyful fun, including the name. I have to say here though, as I did this painting, two Hebrew z’mirot (songs) I learned at camp, or maybe at the Shabbes table, played in my mind as I painted. The feeling was meant to be one of the pleasantness of life, like the feeling one gets when taking an enjoyable walk through a park on a pretty spring day. The phrases from the songs that I was thinking about were “Shabbat Menucha” (the feeling of renewal and refreshment one gets from experiencing the Shabbat day of rest and renewal) and “Chamah Tov Yi’ He Ye,” the feeling of delight from all these good things to be experienced.

Musicalitree is a painting that spanned several years, begun in 2009 and finished in 2016. It displays the connection of music to the earth and nature. A piano keyboard of music floats melodically on the breeze while the stand-up bass guitar hugs the tree of which both the piano and the bass were created, the roots of the tree spreading out along the ground, the hills of Escondido, CA, where I live, in the background.