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May 22, 2013 /13 Sivan, 5773
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The Tosfos Yomtov was convinced that the death of 300,000 –600,000 Jews during the Chmielnicki massacres of 1648-49 were because of improper Tefila. Communicated: Tefilla

Chillul Tefila Bifarhesia, as well as halachicly challenged verbiage and dress, are external manifestations of a critical lack of personal yiras shomayim which has lethal consequences.



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My Jewish Art Criticism Dénouement


Latest update: May 19th, 2012
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I had the opportunity to meet Levine when he invited me to his home. Not only did he confirm that a young man’s hero was actual flesh and blood, but he looked at and commented on every page (about 100 of them) of the sketchbook I brought of copies of his work. He paid me the compliment of saying he preferred one of mine to his own version, although of course there was no comparison. Writing a memorial piece to Levine after he passed was very difficult, and the glimpse I got of him from family and friends who knew him well only confirmed what a special person he was.

Levine would have been the first to admit that he wasn’t a “practicing Jew,” but he once told a reporter, when asked what (medium) he drew in, that he drew in Yiddish. Jewish art, you see, comes in all sizes, shapes, colors, compositions, media, and temperaments. If something declares itself to be Jewish art, it shouldn’t always be believed, and the reverse is true as well. The question of what is Jewish art—which may be unanswerable, and in fact, I certainly hope it’s unanswerable—is worth wrestling with for a long, long time.

I hope you’ve enjoyed our correspondence and eight-and-a-half year dialogue as much as I have. And if you ever see me in a museum or gallery, please do come over and say hi. I promise not to talk your ear off except if we’re discussing Van Gogh. Incidentally, there’s a whole lot about religious art (and Judaism) in a fantastic new biography of Van Gogh, but let’s leave that story for a different time and a different place.

Menachem Wecker is based in Northern Virginia. He blogs for the Houston Chronicle at http://blog.chron.com/iconia , and welcomes readers’ comments at mwecker@gmail.com.

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About the Author: Menachem Wecker, who blogs on faith and art for the Houston Chronicle at http://blogs.chron.com/iconia, welcomes comments at mwecker@gmail.com.


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No Responses to “My Jewish Art Criticism Dénouement”

  1. Tom Barron says:
    May 18, 2012 at 4:00 AM

    Sorry to see you leave the paper. Where are you going to write about the Van Gogh biography?

  2. Elise Bayuk Schloss says:
    May 20, 2012 at 5:18 AM

    wow

  3. Burning Desire says:
    May 23, 2012 at 2:30 PM

    Wow! This is nice. Now, for your help I think this Jewish video goo.gl/BQH4G will really make you feel grateful! This made me feel better and more appreciative about my everyday life. goo.gl/BYMCd

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