How to find Torah Art in Israel?

People usually think that Judaism doesn’t dwell much in art, with many people having the notion that art is forbidden in the religion. The reality, on the other hand, is different from this painted picture. The contradiction between glorifying god and traditional prayers with artistic objects and prohibition of art arose due to the misinterpretation of the Second commandment. The second of the ten commandments forbade idol-worship, but the misinterpretation of the text led to the wrong notion of the prohibition of art. The rabbinic literature has different views on the second commandment, but art and craftmanship is a very intrinsic part of the Jewish community.

TorahArt can be divided into two broad categories, where the first would include the artwork with themes and stories from the holy Torah. The second and the more popular type includes Judaica art, or the Jewish ceremonial art, and contains objects used for the traditional and religious ceremonies. The modern Judaica also includes paintings and miniature versions of these objects.

Prominent artists of the first category

Menucha Page: Menucha Page is a contemporary artist who has also been involved in modern Judaica. She is a permanent member of the Rosenbach Contemporary Art gallery. Menucha has kept the themes of Torah intact in her paintings but has taken up the modern styles and techniques from around the world. She lives her life according to the Holy Torah, and her beliefs are depicted in the paintings. She also maintains a private gallery in the Nachlaot region of Jerusalem, which is open to visitors on appointment.

Siona Benjamin: Siona Benjamin is an Indian born Jewish artist with significant family ties in Israel. Her exposure to the multireligious scenario (courtesy of India) makes her a unique artist. She collocates the outcasts from the Torah, with the elements from Islamic, Hindu, Buddhist, and Zoroastrian culture. Her reason behind the choice of Torah outcasts is that she seeks their redemption through her work.

Prominent artists of the Judaica category

Yair Emanuel: Yair can be claimed as the most prominent of Judaica artists, and nearly all the households in Israel have at least one of his works. The slender aluminum designs and hand-painted wood use took his craftsmanship to another level, which the world hadn’t experienced before. The intricacies and finish on the crafted object are so surreal that mere words could never define his work.

Adi Sidler: Adi Sidler has evolved the meaning of Judaica from something expected to be seen in grandparents' house to something which could become a prized possession of a teenager. Sidler brought the modern Judaica back into the homes, and it reached even the cars. The colorful finishes and well-defined clean lines forming shapes form the base of the Sidler’s artwork.

Iris Shemesh: Many international fashion magazines have covered Iris’ work, and she is known for her bangles with the Jewish themes. The company Iris Designs produces her signature Glazed Judaica bangles along with many Judaica products, which are very modern in their look and an excellent example of hard work and creative handicraft. The products include fashion accessories along with a few other Judaica items