How are Mothers Like Hashem? (5 Art-of-Motherhood Photos)

How are Mothers Like Hashem? (5 Art-of-Motherhood Photos)

This magical painting by Shazarachel features a JewishMOM covered with Alefs. Her skirt is full of alefs. Her baby is even shaped like an Alef.

Why?

Because Alef represents Hashem.

And because the world was created with Alef.

Just like mothers, who, like Hashem, create a new world every time they give birth to a new baby.

This painting is featured in the wonderful new exhibit “Eema Ila’ah: The Art of Motherhood” presently at Jerusalem’s Heichal Shlomo (curated by my friend Noa Cohen as well as Nurit Sirkis Bank).

"Alef" by Shazarachel LOVE THIS PAINTING!

“Alef” by Shazarachel
LOVE THIS PAINTING!

"Sunrise, Sunset: Tel Aviv" by Ezra Landau. Two mothers pass each other on the Tel Aviv boardwalk--one caring for her child, another for her elderly mother. A tribute to the power of mother to nurture family members at the sunrise and sunset of their lifetimes.

“Sunrise, Sunset: Tel Aviv” by Ezra Landau. Two mothers pass each other on the Tel Aviv boardwalk–one caring for her child another for her own elderly mother. The power of mother to nurture family members at the sunrise and sunset of their lifetimes.

"A Blessing on Your Head" by Ruth Schreiber.  This work consists of 20,000 pairs of paper hands embossed with the priestly blessing (closeup in photo below), a reference to hundreds of generations of parental blessings and prayer throughout Jewish history.

“A Blessing on Your Head” by Ruth Schreiber.
This work consists of 20,000 pairs of paper hands embossed with the priestly blessing (closeup in photo below), a reference to hundreds of generations of parental blessings and prayer throughout Jewish history.

Closeup from "A Blessing on Your Head" by Ruth Schreiber Each hand is embossed with the priestly blessing, used by Jewish parents to bless their children every Friday night, in gold leaf

Closeup from “A Blessing on Your Head” by Ruth Schreiber
Each hand is embossed with the priestly blessing, used by Jewish parents to bless their children every Friday night, in gold leaf

"16 Years" by Sigal Adelman Looking at this photo, I was mesmerized by the optical illusion--a girl holding a photo of a girl holding a photo of a girl etc. etc. etc. It reminded me that every Jewish woman and girl is a link in the chain of Jewish history among thousands of other Jewish mothers and Jewish daughters--their ancestors as well as their descendants.

“16 Years” by Sigal Adelman
Looking at this photo, I was mesmerized by the optical illusion–a girl holding a photo of a girl holding a photo of a girl etc. etc. etc. It reminded me that every Jewish woman and girl is a link in the chain of Jewish history among thousands of other Jewish mothers and Jewish daughters–their ancestors and descendants.

"Hand in Hand" by Chaya Wirzberger In this photo a mother grasps onto her child's hand, a source of security and support in the darkness.

“Hand in Hand” by Chaya Wirzberger
In this photo a mother grasps onto her child’s hand, a source of security and support in the darkness.

7 comments

  1. wow, gorgeous pieces. hope i can get there…thanks for bringing it to our attention 🙂

  2. I love these. As per your inspiration I have been blessing my children daily, not just the Friday night brocha from Tatty. They are learning away from home now, but when they come back we resume. Some people may have missed that article you wrote a few years back about this. It is worth repeating.

  3. Beautiful pieces of art! I particularly love the first one. Its so moving.

  4. These are just what I needed to see today. I was wondering this morning why I am Jewish only on my Mother’s side. So is my husband. Now I know why. Toda raba, thank you for sharing this.
    May HaShem’s face shine upon you!

  5. Can you repeat what you said about blessing your kids? Is it halachically permissible to say the blessing with Hashem’s name , not in the context of the morning prayers?

    • yes, rabbanit yemima told us to say the birkat hakohanim (same as friday night over kids–yevarechecha Hashem…) every morning. I make sure to quickly say birkat hatorah before I do it…

  6. I was looking for information on the “Alef” painting, which I fell in love with last night at the Biennale. Thanks so much for pointing out the shape of the baby; I would never have noticed!

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