Garden of Eden

Photo of a painting that depicts the Garden of Eden courtesy of Adam Rhine

Adam Rhine made a series of paintings based on the Star of David. He is an Illustrator and a graphic designer living in Illinois.  

 Adam sent me the following email:

As far as my absolute fascination and obsession with the Magen David, I'll give you the very shortened story: As soon as I applied my art to Judaica, everything exploded for me!  That was what I've been meant to do my entire life, yet didn't realize it until that moment.  Also, being "new" to Jewish thoughts and concepts at that moment in time, the first thing that came to me was... well... a Magen David.  You see the results on my website.  My series is not just about how I find it a challenge to see just how much I can get out of that shape, but a fan base and licensors has sprung up around my paintings, and the demand has kept me busy for 5 years running!  Calendars, a hardcover book, greeting cards, etc.  B"H!!! I am aware of some of the history of the symbol (DaVinci Code claims notwithstanding) and that it hasn't always been a Jewish symbol... but it is now, and I'll do my part in keeping it that way.

To Be Born a Jew

My dear friend Gary Brant sent me the following email:

"In the States I was always afraid of being Jewish and here in Israel it's not even a question".

  

To be born a Jew

What does this label mean?

Does it define the person?

Who is the person to define?

To be born a Jew

Why are we born anything?

 

The teacher asks the class –

Who is taking off

For the Jewish holidays?

Being the only Jew

I was afraid to raise my hand

Afraid of BEING… judged

Because Jews are hated

And it’s easier to hide

 

A jewish girl wore a cross

In order to fit in

Otherwise she would be hated

For no apparent reason

Other than a label

She too was afraid

Afraid of BEING… judged

Because Jews are hated

And it’s easier to hide

 

Who is this David?

Why does David even have a star? 

Is he a star?  Or just a legend?

The Star of David

Why has this shape become

Such a significant symbol

To so many people?

History, history, history… tick tock

 

It represents pride

Love, hate, strength, weakness, death

And in the end

It all comes down to fear

Because jews are hated

And it’s easier to hide

History, history, history… tick tock

 

 

There are people who simply

Love the history

Behind the shape

Then there are people

Who are attached to the history

OF THE SHAPE

OF THE SHAPE

 

Then there are people who simply

Love the shape,  love the shape

Finding beauty in its

Simplicity and depth

I on the otherhand identify

With it from the side of confusion

Because Jews are hated

And it’s easier to hide

Fear from being hated

For being born and labeled – Jewish

Tick tock…

  

The Tiniest Star of David in the World

Wendy Elliman wrote an article about nanotechnology on October 22, 1999. One of the achievements mentioned there belongs to Professor Jacob Sagiv, a materials scientist at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot, who has built three-dimensional structures out of molecules, one of them shaped like a Star of David, each of its sides only one-thousandth the width of a human hair.