Project Yitzhak/Isaac

Project Yitzhak/Isaac

The Yitzhak project was conceived as a multidisciplinary creative endeavor, which would link and bring together artists and communities in both Israel and the U.S., in the spirit of artistic creativity and communication. The emphasis of the program was to create a dynamic cultural exchange involving diverse artistic disciplines, utilizing a common theme as a basis for a deeper understanding and exploration of one another utilizing art as the vehicle for communication.

“Yitzhak” was chosen as a conceptual basis for artists to explore through their own unique point of view the term “Yitzhak” which is the transliteration of the Hebrew word meaning “to laugh” and is also synonymous with the name Isaac. The application of the word to the project could be interpreted quite literally, illustrating laughter and happiness, or understood within a biblical context, such as in the Biblical story of Isaac. It could make reference to a historical figure or could be used by the artists as a political/ social statement. Many artists chose to reflect a more personal meaning in their analysis of the word. As imagined, each extraordinary piece, regardless of the approach taken, contained a unique conceptual viewpoint and utilized many of the different disciplines of two and three dimensional art. The results of this far reaching project is a body of exciting and thought provoking work which stimulated a cultural dialog and translated into a magnificent exhibition.

The exceptional work of the American and Israeli artists were first presented to the public in June 2005 at the Citadel of the old Crusader city of Acre, Israel and was part of the Yitzhak Arts Festival, a week long exchange and included approximately 30 Artists from different communities in the U.S. and the Western Galilee region of Israel. Hundreds of American, Israeli and Israeli-Arabs participated in the numerous events and performances which occurred during that time, which included artist presentations and lectures plus a plethora of dance, music and theater created specifically in the spirit of “Yitzhak/Isaac”.

From Israel, the exhibit came home to each community and is now traveling throughout the United States.

The Ultimate Sacrifice

As a vibrant Jewish Community in Europe was led to the Concentration camps and the Extermination camps of evil minds, they became the sacrifice, “The Yitzhak/Isaac”, that brought the Jewish people back to their homeland.

It is the ultimate sacrifice that sparked a new and proud strong nation.

As a child of Holocaust survivors this point of view has enabled me to deal with the loss and the horror.

For two thousand years we have been in the Diaspora.

For two thousand years we prayed that

“ Next year we’ll be in Jerusalem.”

After our final sacrifice we have come home,

Never Again to be brought to the sacrificial alter.

Out of Ashes

Out of Ashes

Out of the fires of the inferno.

The Hands;

Hands emerged out of the fire ready to rebuild their lives,

ready to fight back and raise a new generation strong and

confident, a generation that will never face the fires again.

The Silhouettes;

The dark silhouettes slowly appearing, emerging,

walking away but promising to keep the flame burning.

The sobbing face;

The sad and sobbing face on the left remembering and

promising to never forget and

NEVER to allow it to happen again.

Project Yitzhak/Isaac The Yitzhak project was conceived as a multidisciplinary creative endeavor, which would link and bring together artists and communities in both Israel and the U.S., in the spirit of artistic creativity and communication. The emphasis of the program was to create a dynamic cultural exchange involving diverse artistic disciplines, utilizing a common theme as a basis for a deeper understanding and exploration of one another utilizing art as the vehicle for communication. “Yitzhak” was chosen as a conceptual basis for artists to explore through their own unique point of view the term “Yitzhak” which is the transliteration of the Hebrew word meaning “to laugh” and is also synonymous with the name Isaac. The application of the word to the project could be interpreted quite literally, illustrating laughter and happiness, or understood within a biblical context, such as in the Biblical story of Isaac. It could make reference to a historical figure or could be used by the artists as a political/ social statement. Many artists chose to reflect a more personal meaning in their analysis of the word. As imagined, each extraordinary piece, regardless of the approach taken, contained a unique conceptual viewpoint and utilized many of the different disciplines of two and three dimensional art. The results of this far reaching project is a body of exciting and thought provoking work which stimulated a cultural dialog and translated into a magnificent exhibition. The exceptional work of the American and Israeli artists were first presented to the public in June 2005 at the Citadel of the old Crusader city of Acre, Israel and was part of the Yitzhak Arts Festival, a week long exchange and included approximately 30 Artists from different communities in the U.S. and the Western Galilee region of Israel. Hundreds of American, Israeli and Israeli-Arabs participated in the numerous events and performances which occurred during that time, which included artist presentations and lectures plus a plethora of dance, music and theater created specifically in the spirit of “Yitzhak/Isaac”. From Israel, the exhibit came home to each community and is now traveling throughout the United States.	The Ultimate Sacrifice As a vibrant Jewish Community in Europe was led to the Concentration camps and the Extermination camps of evil minds, they became the sacrifice, “The Yitzhak/Isaac”, that brought the Jewish people back to their homeland. It is the ultimate sacrifice that sparked a new and proud strong nation. As a child of Holocaust survivors this point of view has enabled me to deal with the loss and the horror. For two thousand years we have been in the Diaspora. For two thousand years we prayed that “ Next year we’ll be in Jerusalem.” After our final sacrifice we have come home, Never Again to be brought to the sacrificial alter.
	Out of Ashes Out of the fires of the inferno. The Hands; Hands emerged out of the fire ready to rebuild their lives, ready to fight back and raise a new generation strong and confident, a generation that will never face the fires again. The Silhouettes; The dark silhouettes slowly appearing, emerging, walking away but promising to keep the flame burning. The sobbing face; The sad and sobbing face on the left remembering and promising to never forget and NEVER to allow it to happen again.