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I am a water colorist. In 2018, noticing the rise in Antisemitism, Islamophobia, and religious intolerance in general, I had the urge to put something down on paper. I decided on Isaiah 2:4, "Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore." Phonetically, the Hebrew reads, " Lo Yisa Goy El Goy Herev, ViloYilmdoo Ode Mealchamaw ." "Lo" means "no", "Goy" means "nation," and it also means "other."  In my mind, this word from YHWH was not only intended to move people from war to peace, but was intended to instruct people to get along in general. To follow God’s way, we need to not just coexist, but to respect each other. I created this piece of art.     Two years ago, when the eleven people were murdered in The Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, I was strongly affected on two levels. First, as someone who is Jewish, I realized these people died only because they were Jewi...

 Today's blog post comes from Philadelphia artist Margaret Matt. If you are interested in submitting an art piece and reflection to our blog, please email Liz Royer at er@interfaithphiladelphia.org or Dr. John Hougen at jbh@interfaithphiladelphia.org I have been a professional artist for more than 40 years. I design computer graphics for print materials and web design. I am also a traditional artist who creates realistic images, from portraits to narrative pieces. My religious art is a different experience. I meditate on a Bible verse and then begin to create it. What is interesting to me, if the art speaks a truth, it takes on a life of its own. People see different aspects to it. If it isn’t right, it falls flat. No amount of technical skill can bring life to it. During the creative process, I feel a responsibility to do the very best I can and be true to the Bible verse. These art pieces also speak to all ages in different ways. They have a unique affect that is diffe...

In August of 2020, Interfaith Philadelphia’s Mosaic program ran online for the first time, as part of adaptations made for the COVID-19 pandemic. Read on for reflections from staff and facilitators about the program, including some highlights and favorite memories.  Anneke This was our third year offering Mosaic to middle school-aged youth in Philadelphia, and just like most things in 2020, this year felt different. Although our strongest connection to our students in the program this year was through a chat box and screen, Interfaith Philadelphia staff could sense a real hunger for activities and engagement with fellow peers. Our discussion around intersectional identities and religious diversity felt more important than ever, and art served as a way to process these emotions and reflections. I so deeply appreciated the close to 40 students who braved logging into Zoom with a bunch of fellow youth they didn’t know, and shared a bit about who they were with this small new communit...

Navigating life and relationships in the best of times is complicated. With COVID-19 and the divisiveness of an upcoming election, many of us are thinking, “Woah, how do I get through these next few months?” We have a few options. One, we can never get out of bed. Two, we can go to ‘battle’ for our views and be frustrated. Or three, we can use this time to intentionally build skills to help our relationships in the short and long term. As co-facilitator of the Passport to Understanding Online , I have learned (and share with participants) five approaches that can significantly alter the way you interact with people with different views, beliefs, and backgrounds than you. These five approaches are useful with close family and friends as well as people new to your life.       Be Curious Interact with others with the conviction that you have something to learn from them. Ask questions that invite the other to tell you stories, and make them want to share their experiences wi...

My parents raised our family with frequent visits to museums and galleries, fueling the passion for the making of art that became a large part of who I am. As I examine further links, the original creation of the world filters into my work, whether painting the human figure or screen printing molecular renditions of targeted cancer therapy. My abstract works reference the materials and acts that Deity used to organize the earth. After gathering, arranging and finalizing my assemblage pieces, I experience a visceral, in addition to intellectual, feeling of completion, a feeling of gratitude toward the Higher Power in my life.  During this time of COVID-19 quarantine, precipitously locked out of the print shop and my studio, I began teaching myself how to dye organic cloth and cotton paper, using natural foraged material in inner city Philadelphia. This has given me additional time to consider our God, his works and my human imitation of His original acts. His grand ability to create...

Today’s blog post is about the rise of and simultaneous oppression of non-traditional faiths.       Although I was raised as a reform Jew, I’ve seen and read about the rise of non-traditional faiths.  Most of these faiths, such as the Asatru faith, are based on old religions that were once dormant. These faiths have seen a major rise in popularity particularly among the youth. The belief systems that guide them are a mix of Paganism and distinct cultures from around the world. One of the reasons these non-traditional religious beliefs are on the rise is because they are less organized and more individualistic in nature. It’s about what you put into the faith and get out of it more than following any strict guidelines. While these faiths do have temples and places of worship, there are only a few and they are scattered around the world.       The reason I bring all of this up today is that these faiths are under attack in certain ways. The Asa...

This summer, we are featuring meaningful art in our new blog series: Art and Identity. In this week's post, Laurie Pollack reflects on the Hebrew phrase, Hineni, through her art. If you have artwork and commentary you'd like to share, please ema il Liz er@interfaithphiladelphia.org and Andrew jaf@interfaithphiladelphia.org I do not call myself an artist but I describe myself as a poet who sometimes also plays with paint. My main genre and where I feel I may have a gift, is writing not art. I paint not to perfect my rudimentary skill or create fine art but to express myself. I do not have the skills yet to express myself and may never get there.  But I find meaning in it  and do it anyway  I am Jewish though not religious, and sometimes write or paint  on Jewish themes. Here is a painting I did at the start of the pandemic, which hit us a little while before Passover. It is called "Hineni". The numbers refer to the 10 plagues "Hineni" means in Hebrew: I am p...