Evergreen

An introduction to Jewish visual arts from Bezalel to the 21st century.

Visual arts are a beautiful way to express religious devotion.

Jewish artists have tended to take on elements of the societies in which the artists lived.

As far back as the biblical period, art has been created and valued in Jewish communities.

Part of what makes the art scene in Israel so unique is that the country blends so many varying influences from all over the Jewish world.

Visual arts in Israel predate the country's independence yet play a defining role in the country's identity as a nation.

This "fifth denomination," founded in the 1960s by a Reform-ordained rabbi, describes itself as humanistic rather than atheistic.

Truth is sometimes indistinguishable from fiction.

Music has been a part of Jewish life since biblical times, and remains integral to Jewish religious and cultural experiences.

While the work of great Jewish artists continues to inspire generations, the concept of Jewish art remains a problematic one. The nagging question is, What makes Jewish art Jewish?