Last week, Ma’ayanot launched an immersive art experience for the entire student body: creating a mosaic on the wall of the Student Center. Based on Mishlei 5:15-16, “Drink water from your own cistern and running water from your own spring. May your springs (ma’ayanot) spread out rivulets of water in the squares,” the mosaic depicts the development of Ma’ayanot students, as they spend their formative years learning and nourishing their talents, to ultimately being able to overflow with contributions to the community and the world. All students spent at least one period with the artist in residence, Rena Fruchter, affixing tiles and shards of broken glass and pottery to the mosaic. The parent body was invited to participate as well, and to hear a shiur, “The Holy, the Whole and the Broken: Ma’ayanot’s Response to Community,” from Dean of Students Bailey Braun.

Students loved working on the mosaic, and many returned to participate during lunch and other free time. Sophomore Esther Levin observed, “Just as the mosaic is made of many different pieces and becomes a beautiful whole, so too do we, all the individuals in the Ma’ayanot community.” Sophomore Adina Schneck added, “When it’s complete, I will always be able to look back and say, ‘I did this one part.’ And every student will have that same opportunity.”

The mosaic is generously sponsored by the Rapps family, in memory of Shirley Rapps, z”l, mother-in-law of beloved Ma’ayanot English teacher Tammie Rapps, and grandmother of alumna Ruthie Rapps (‘21). Tammie Rapps explained, “Because of our family connection to Ma’ayanot, and because my mother-in-law believed very strongly in Jewish education for girls and women, and loved art, a mosaic for Ma’ayanot is the perfect choice. We also wanted to contribute a project that is a meaningful experience to the school community as well as a beautiful art piece. It is incredibly enriching to have an artist and educator working, teaching and inspiring in our midst. The initial intention was that each student be able to contribute a small piece to create a beautiful whole. Now, creating something whole out of broken shards feels like a necessary and sacred act in our world.”