Tanach students at Yeshivat Frisch had the opportunity last week to integrate thematic textual study with the study of art. Students of Shira Kronenberg created stained glass representations of parshat Bereishit, and continued their pottery projects focusing on Jeremiah 18. Meanwhile, students in Aliza Weinberg’s “Sibling Rivalry” senior honors elective just completed their first unit, on Kayin and Hevel and the world’s first fratricide. Each student picked a piece of art that depicts the story, analyzed the piece and explained the extent to which the artist stayed true to the text or veered from it. Students also discussed whether the artistic depictions were similar to any of the commentaries they had learned in class.

“The goal of the project was to give the students an overall appreciation for art and how artists have turned to the Tanach for their inspiration,” said Weinberg. Senior Lauren Borenstein said the assignment gave her the opportunity, after having learned all of the traditional Jewish approaches in great detail, to see this story through the lens of an artist.