Israeli Artists Paint the Town

Through the TIPS (Tucson, Israel, Phoenix and Seattle) Partnership's People to People initiative, the Jewish Federation had an opportunity to bring four women artists from Israel into three communities in the United States. The TIPS People to People Program brings Israelis and Americans together through personal experiences to help enhance the relationship between the US and Israeli cities.

It was an amazing five days for the Jewish community of Seattle as the Federation hosted four artists from our TIPS Partnership region of Hof Ashkelon in Israel. Each facet of our community, from students to adults, had a chance to experience and enjoy the creative talents of the visiting artists. Vered, Sarale, Ada, and Yehudit spent time sharing their individual stories and crafts, instructing participants on the making of hamsot, mandalas, and the diversity of the Magen David (Star of David).

A highlight of the women's trip was a gathering of close to 20 local artists, who joined the Israelis to share their art and discuss how Judaism and Israel has influenced their artwork. This event proved to be an inspiring opportunity for Seattle and Israeli artists to network and brainstorm how to join forces between the two communities and create a lasting relationship.

The host of the event, Lorna Isenberg, said, "The evening was an enormous success! Even though there were so many people who wanted to speak, everything was interesting, and the art was beautiful! People stayed until 10pm, talking to each other, networking and sharing common experiences.... It was fascinating and fun. Since so many people stayed, my perception is that everyone enjoyed themselves. At least I hope so. There was wonderful ambiance!"

If you have questions about the TIPS Partnership or would like to get involved, please contact Elise Peizner at EliseP [at] JewishInSeattle [dot] org.