The commissioned 13’ x 8’ tapestry was recently installed at Congregation Beth El new sanctuary in La Jolla, California. In the old synagogues, the Torah Ark was covered by a parochet, an embroidered curtain or decorated wooden panel. The committee wanted Beth El's new Torah Ark curtain to be contemporary yet evoke the beauty of a two-hundred-year-old parochet.

The lower central panel contains Hebrew words that carry special significance for Congregation Beth El. In Genesis, Jacob speaks these words, which mean "How awesome is this place!" upon awakening from his dream of angels on a ladder. He then renames the place of his dream "Beth-el", which means "house of God". The Hebrew letters appear to emerge from the surrounding vines, not separate but still readable.

Moving up the central panel in shades of yellow and blue, the flowering vines and tendrils grow thick and strong, climbing and coiling with energy as increased light plays through them. The spiral forms represent the continuity of traditions and life.

 

 


  

"How Awesome Is This Place" - Beth El Sanctuary, La Jolla, CA

13' x 8'