Scholar & Artist-in-Residence: Rabbi Matthew L. Berkowitz
Har Zion welcomes Rabbi Matthew L. Berkowitz for a three-day Scholar & Artist-in-Residence Weekend, The “Art” of Torah: How the Arts Bring God’s Presence into Our Midst.
Rabbi Berkowitz is President of The Schechter Institutes, Inc., where he supports a pluralistic vision of Jewish education in Israel, including Schechter’s graduate school and rabbinical seminary, the TALI Education Fund, Neve Schechter arts and culture center, and Jewish communities in Ukraine. He is also co-founder of Kol Ha-Ot, a Jerusalem-based initiative devoted to exploring the connection between the arts and Jewish learning. An accomplished artist as well as a rabbi and educator, he trained in Jewish scribal art in Jerusalem and has created illuminated manuscripts, ketubbot, mezuzot, tzedakah boxes and the acclaimed Passover Landscapes: Illuminations on the Exodus.
Throughout the weekend, Rabbi Berkowitz will bring classical Jewish texts into conversation with Rembrandt, Chagall, contemporary Jewish artists and his own creative work. Each gathering offers a different way to experience how art can deepen our understanding of Torah, Jewish values, Zionism, identity and sacred community.
Schedule Included Below. Locations and registration information will be announced as the weekend approaches.
Menschmaker, Menschmaker, Make Me a Mensch
Hands-On Art Program for NCC Parents
What does it mean to be a mensch? Through paired learning, poetry and evocative collage art, participants will explore middot, the Jewish values and character traits that shape who we become, including compassion, truth, humility, justice and gratitude. Participants will then create poetry and artwork inspired by the values most meaningful to them.
Rembrandt and the Rabbis: Parashat Vayetze
During Evening Minyan
Jacob’s dream of the ladder has inspired generations of interpreters and artists. Rabbi Berkowitz will bring Torah commentary into conversation with the work of Rembrandt, Chagall and other artists to explore how visual art can animate and enrich our understanding of this iconic biblical moment.
Schechter Institutes: Its Impact in Israel and Ukraine
Shabbat Morning Sermon
Using Parashat Vayetze and its themes of journeys as a starting point, Rabbi Berkowitz will connect the biblical journey with contemporary Jewish life and share the remarkable work of The Schechter Institutes in Israel and Ukraine.
The Art of Zionist Thought and Israeli Identity
Visual art has long served as a powerful language for expressing the aspirations, struggles and dreams of the Jewish people. Together we will explore pre-state and Israeli artwork alongside classical and modern Zionist voices, considering what these creative visions can teach us about Israeli identity, Jewish leadership and our relationship with Zionism today.
Schechter Parlor Meeting & Art Gathering
An intimate evening of conversation, Jewish learning and art. Rabbi Berkowitz will share the breadth of his work with The Schechter Institutes along with his personal journey as an artist and Jewish educator, including his tzedakah boxes and his portfolio Passover Landscapes: Illuminations on the Exodus.
Text to Symbol: Exploring the Story of Jacob Wrestling
Family Program & Hands-On Art Project
Adults and children are invited to experience Torah through a creative lens. Beginning with a striking visual interpretation of Akeidat Yitzhak, the Binding of Isaac, by contemporary artist David Moss, participants will move from text to image as they explore Jacob’s mysterious wrestling encounter in Parashat Vayishlach. Together, families will translate Torah into colors, forms and symbols and create something of their own.
