The Tzedakah Box Project 2005

The tradition of Tzedakah (righteousness) is a fundamental part of Jewish life.  There are many forms of righteous behaviour, but giving charity is among the most basic.  

Conceived by the members of the Toronto Jewish Arts Council and brought to life by local artists, the Tzedakah Box Project is a first in the history of Toronto’s Jewish arts community.  We have received overwhelming interest from local artists who wish to identify with the Jewish community.  And through this project we have succeeded in connecting artists and also recent immigrants, patrons, teachers and students.

Over 70 local artists have donated their work and creativity to present UJA Federation of Greater Toronto’s first annual Tzedakah Box Project.  The tzedakah boxes were on display in the Koffler Gallery Loggia at the Bathurst Jewish Community Centre from March 30 – April 5, 2005.  The display highlighted the diversity that Toronto’s artists bring to their work. 

Please enjoy our virtual exhibit.

Those tzedakah boxes with a * alongside their titles are available for purchase as of July 2005.  For further information about this project, contact Shelly Rotman, UJA Federation of Greater Toronto at (416) 635-2883 ext. 137.

Daniel Abramson
Daniel Abramson is a graduate of the photography program of the Ontario College of Art and Design (OCAD).  He has facilitated several community-based art workshops, and was the artist in residence for the Canadian Council for Reform Judaism's Regional Biennials in 2002 and 2004.  Daniel’s work has been showcased in the Contact Photography Festival, OCAD's "Go West" and annual exhibitions.  Most recently he launched www.customchuppah.com featuring his hand-painted chuppot.  Daniel is currently the Arts and Culture Coordinator for Hillel of Greater Toronto, and is coordinating an exhibition for Jewish student artists in the GTA.
 
Title:        Untitled   *
Materials:   Polymer clay with acrylic paint
Contact:  Ma’ayan Workshop   (416)656-7766
Email:  daniel@customchuppah.com       Website: www.customchuppah.com

Ruth Adler
Ruth is well-known in Israel for her vibrant images of the Land of Israel printed onto t-shirts and sold under her company name 'Lipti'.  Since 2001, Ruth’s art has been based on the circle.  She is represented in Toronto by the Lonsdale Gallery and in New York by Jim Kempner Fine Art.

Title:  The Herzl Tzadik Box
Materials: Mixed media
Contact: ruth@ruthadler.com

Shelley Adler
Shelley Adler is a painter living in the Toronto area.  She shows with Loop Gallery in Toronto and has exhibited her work in Montreal, Boston, New York and Vancouver.  She graduated from York University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts and Boston University with a Master of Fine Arts.  Her current show "Anonymous" is on view at Loop Gallery until April 17, 2005.
 
Title:    Untitled   *
Materials:  Glue, hot glue, lacquer, spray paint
Contact: www.loopgallery.ca

Tobi Asmoucha
Tobi is a freelance photographer based in Toronto.  Her editorial work often documents neighbourhoods and the rituals that bind them.  Asmoucha’s assignments and personal work reflect her ability to connect to a community and translate its unspoken essence visually.  Tobi’s photography appears in publications such as Toronto Life, Where Toronto, Golf Canada and Seasons.

Title:  Untitled   *
Materials: Black and white photographs printed on archival ink jet printer, top image laminated
Contact:  (416)421-5656 Website: www.tobiphoto.com

Barbara Astman & Susan Friedrich
Barbara Astman has exhibited in solo and group exhibitions in Canada and internationally since the early 1970s.   She is a Professor in the Faculty of Art at the Ontario College of Art & Design.

In 1995, a retrospective titled: Barbara Astman: Personal/Persona A 20 Year Survey Exhibition opened at the Art Gallery of Hamilton. Her most recent group shows have been held at the National Gallery of Canada and the Canadian Centre for Contemporary Photography.

Astman has been involved in public art projects since the mid-eighties and in 1987, she completed a floor installation for the Calgary Winter Olympics. In the spring of 2004 she completed a public art installation at the new Wolfond Centre for Jewish Campus Life at the University of Toronto. Currently Barbara is working on a public art installation for the new Canadian Embassy in Berlin.

Susan Friedrich has practiced architecture since the early 1980’s, and in 1988, established the firm of Susan Friedrich Architect Inc.  Susan has a Bachelor of Environmental Studies and a Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Waterloo, and is a member of the Ontario Association of Architects.  Her portfolio of work includes projects of various types and scales including commercial, corporate and residential projects.  Notable is the recently completed Wolfond Centre for Jewish Campus Life at the University of Toronto.   Ms. Friedrich is actively involved in the Toronto Jewish community as well as the construction industry.

Title:  Untitled
Materials: Digital images on acetate and frosted mylar
Contact: Barbara Astman c/o Corkin Shopland Gallery, 55 Mill St. Bldg. 61, Toronto, Ontario  (416)979-1980
E-mail: barbaraastman@aol.com  Website: www.barbaraastman.com

Contact: Susan Friedrich Architect Inc.   643 St. Clair Ave. W.
Toronto, Ontario M6C 1A7
Phone: (416)588-3740      Fax: (416)588-2401   
Email: sfarch@interlog.com

Perri Blachowitz
Perri has been passionate about the decorative arts for over 25 years. She has recently started Perri B. Designs, specializing in custom art and decor, including murals, mailboxes, floors, interior decorating and more. Her motto: "If it doesn't move, decorate it!"

Title:  Untitled   *
Materials: Copper wire, decorative beads

Title:  Untitled   *
Material: Beads
Contact:  (416)222-3937 E-mail: perrib@rogers.com

Frances Bleviss
I am a newly retired high school teacher, struggling to find my new life.  I adored being in a classroom with teenagers, but was tired of all the paperwork and three and a half decades of marking! I ran the Languages Department at Northern Secondary School for three years before retirement. My passion has always been the teaching of English – writing and literature - but my avocation has been as an artist and photographer. I am a perennial part-time student at the Ontario College of Art and Design and adore traveling. I have always had a great interest in textiles; so recent travel to Mexico as well as India has been inspirational.

Title: Untitled
Materials:  The box is a hand-made cigar box from Havana and is covered with fabric from a cushion cover bought in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, India.  Apparently, these pieces are made by women in small villages.  This one in particular, I was told by the shop owner, was made by a widow who is not allowed ever to remarry. I also used some gold cord and ribbon. The fabric reminds me of the wealth and luxury we saw in some of the maharajah's palaces we visited. The inside was left absolutely plain as a reminder of the humility with which one should offer tzedakah.
Contact: fbleviss@sympatico.ca

Linda Bronfman
Linda Bronfman is a community psychologist by training.  She was thrilled to have an opportunity to work with renowned textile artist Temma Gentles on this tzedakah box.
 
Having found Moses Maimonides' levels of tzedakah as relevant today as when he wrote them in the Middle Ages, Linda designed a box with his text that she hopes will inspire donors.

Title:  Rambam’s Ladder   *
Materials: Photoshop manipulated images on paper, magnet
Contact: poodles@sympatico.ca

Yael Brotman
Yael Brotman was born in Israel, emigrated to Winnipeg as a child, and now lives in Toronto. Her practice focuses on painting and printmaking. Most recently she has exhibited in Forest City Gallery, London, Loop Gallery in Toronto and is currently showing at McMaster Museum of Art in Hamilton.

Title:  Salienu al Ktefenu   *
Materials: Woven linocut on paper
Contact: yael.brotman@sympatico.ca    Website www.yaelbrotman.com

Hannah Brown
Hannah Brown has been an active member of the Pomegranate Guild of Judaic Textiles for twenty years, serving on the executive as Treasurer and as Exhibits Chair.  She learned to embroider at her grandmother's knee.  Hannah’s knowledge of other techniques such as beading, reverse appliqu?, etc. were received from the very gifted Guild members who shared freely of their time and talents.  The Judaica that she creates is gifted to friends and family.

Title:  Untitled
Materials: Israeli fabric, beaded appliqu?
Contact: hannah.brown@tel.tdsb.on.ca

Susan Brown
Susan is a graduate of the Fine Arts program at the University of Toronto. She has studied textiles in Japan through the Parsons School of Design and has traveled extensively in Asia, North Africa and Europe. Susan is interested in the art of many cultures and her work tends to reflect a multicultural approach to subject matter and imagery.  Susan has been recognized at the provincial and national level for her contributions to art education in Canada. She is the recipient of the Ontario Society for Education through Art’s Ray Blackwell Award for Excellence in Art Education, and the Affiliate Award from the Canadian Society for Education through Art.

Susan has exhibited her work in individual and group shows in Toronto and throughout Ontario. She received two Awards of Honourable Mention in July 2004 at the Hensall Arts Festival. Susan enjoys experimenting and working in a number of different media including acrylic painting, photo-based collage, printmaking, ceramics and cast paper sculpture. Collaborating with artist Temma Gentles, Susan created “The Hockey Sweater Moose” for Toronto’s Moose in the City project.

Since retiring from teaching with the Toronto District School Board, Susan founded and continues to manage the Artists’ Garden Cooperative (www.artistgardencoop.com), a summer community arts conferencing project at her garden studio in downtown Toronto.

Title:  Book Box
Materials: Found objects, mixed media: paper, acrylic paint, beads

Title:  Kai Feng Box   *
Materials: Mixed media: glass, silk, paper, acrylic, found objects

Title:  Salt of the Earth Box   *
Materials: Rock salt, acrylic paint, metal, found object
Contact:  (416)487-0705    Fax: 416-487-2917 
Email: admin@artistsgardencoop.com     Website: www.artistgardencoop.com 

Claudia Chava Bloch
Claudia is a Holocaust survivor who grew up in Israel and emigrated to Canada in 1966.

Since her retirement, Claudia has pursued a career in the arts to become a visual arts artist. She is a graduate of York University and completed numerous courses and workshops through the Ontario College of Art and Design, the Haliburton School of Fine Arts, and spent time with various artists in their studios.

Claudia works mostly in mixed media and collage. Her paintings and collages are expressions of her observations, reactions and impressions of nature. In the abstract naturalism of her work, she explores the infinite variations of our environment.

Claudia is a member of the Israeli Artists Group of Toronto, the Toronto Watercolor Society and the Willowdale Group of Artists. She participated in group exhibitions both in Canada and abroad. Presently she exhibits in the Jewish Refugee Memorial Hall of Shanghai.

Title:  Blue and White (Kachol Vlavan)   *
Materials: Acrylic paint, collage of handmade Japanese papers and glass varnish
Contact: cbloch@yorku.ca

Joanne Circle
Joanne Circle of Duncan, B.C. has been exhibiting for the last 20 years.
2004: Canadian liaison, teacher and lecturer at the “Felt Art Symposium,” Lakitelek, Hungary and exhibitor at the Hungarian National Gallery in Budapest.
2003: “Transportale” group installation at Nordbahnhof Train Station, Berlin.
1997: Fabric Workshop, Philadelphia commissioned to work with Anish Kapoor and fabricate 3 large-scale felt sculptures.

Title:  Timeless Opus #7   *
Materials: Wool, polyester organza, threads aniline dyes
Instructions:  Tzedakah box can lie on its side or be hung on the wall with a pin
Contact: palmerironworks@telus.net

Barbra Cooper
Barbra Cooper works as a writer, producer and visual artist in Toronto.  She is a graduate of McMaster University.

Title:  Chala Box
Materials: Chain, chala, varathane, wood
Contact: barbra@lushentertainment.ca

Chashi Corey-Skobac
Chashi is a fine artist who experiments with original three-dimensional painting techniques that express Jewish mystical themes.  She has been in single and group shows in Canada, Israel and the United States.  One of her 'water' pieces was an award winner in the annual Lakeshore "Through the Eyes of the Artist" juried art show.

Title:    “Let justice pour down like water and Tzedakah like a mighty stream.” AMOS 5:24  
Materials: Paper, acrylic paint, watercolour, felt, vinyl
Contact:  (416)787-9529
Email: chashi@sympatico.ca

Laya Crust
Laya Crust, a Toronto artist, is fascinated by the interrelationships of Torah with nature, faith and human nature. Laya's work weaves together imagery, faith and understanding. Laya has created hand-made artist books, ceremonial objects, original ketuboth and CD cover designs. Her work is in private collections around the world.

Title:  Pomegranate
Materials: Clay
Contact: (416)635-7356  Website: www.layacrust.com

Rob Davidovitz
Rob is an undergraduate student at York University majoring in fine arts.  He has exhibited at the Textile Museum of Canada, Propeller Centre for the Visual Arts, and the Gallery, Joan & Martin Goldfarb Centre for Fine Arts.

Title:  Untitled  
Materials: Stained Glass
Contact: (416)995-3073
Email: robdavidovitz@yahoo.ca

Oved (Ovadia) Ezouri
Oved studied fine arts in local classes and workshops in Israel.  He has exhibited his oil and acrylic work at solo and group shows in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem.  Currently a Toronto resident, he has exhibited at North York public libraries, the Jewish Community Centre and the Bernard Betel Centre for Creative Living.

Title:  Untitled   *
Materials: Mounted Judaic collage
Contact: (416)631-9794

Miriam Gampel
Miriam was born in Niagara Falls, Canada in 1948, and studied English at University of Toronto in the sixties.  Many years of travel followed, ending on Italy’s Amalfi Coast.
With Antonio Franchini, from the post-war Movimento Arte Concreta, Miriam learned the art of majolica, and then ink drawing.  Miriam finds that her Jewish roots are the greatest inspiration for her work.

Title:  Untitled
Materials: 100% silk and cotton material, embroidery thread, gold thread, turquoise gemstones, cultured pearls, fresh water pearls, citrines, agates, garnets, old Turkish coins and small glass beads.  Box cover was sewn by hand, then the embroidery and finally the gemstones and coins.  All was done freehand.
Contact:  Rococo  (905)891-3308

Temma Gentles
Temma spent many hours with her grandparents in their ladies’ wear store.  She has a Master of Arts in literary symbolism and graduated from the Ontario College of Art.  She is a winner of the Spertus Judaica prize, a founder of the Pomegranate Guild of Judaic Textiles, and is on the board of the Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition.  Her work is part of religious observances for numerous individuals and congregations throughout the world and is also in several museum collections.

Title:    Rainbow Tzedakah Box    
Materials:  Beading

Title:    Belly Dancing Pushke       
Materials:  Brass vessel and stand, fabric, beads; multi-media construction
In Morocco, music is an important part of celebrations.  Traditionally troubadour groups provide entertainment and are paid by donation, which our belly dancer is equipped to accept…abundantly.  The text on her belt is from Isaiah 61:10, "He has covered me with a robe of tzedakah."

Elaine Giddens
Elaine Giddens has participated in art courses at the Koffler Gallery for the past 16 years.  She currently works in stone and clay.  In the summer months, Elaine has taken classes at the Haliburton School of the Arts, discovering the joys of mosaics, winterstone, and intaglio printmaking. 

Title:  Untitled   *
Materials: Hand-built ceramic
Contact: egiddens@rogers.com

Dalia Gill
Dalia Gill has been crafting in Toronto for more than 20 years. Her work has appeared at Arts on King, The Crafter's Marketplace, Kingcrafts, Thornhill Village Heritage Day and many more. Specializing in mosaics, decoupage and painting, she is the owner of The Craft Studio in Thornhill and teaches a variety of classes in the art of crafts.

Title:  Having My Cake & Sharing it Too!
Materials: Plate – decoupage, paint; cake – stained glass, beads
Contact: The Craft Studio, 80 Glen Shields Avenue, Concord, Ontario
L4K 1T7   (905)760-8256 
E-mail: craft.studio@on.aibn.com

Beth Godfrey
Beth Godfrey has been designing jewelry for almost 7 years.  Her unique creations are exhibited and sold in art galleries and retailers in Toronto and Montreal.  Beth specializes in custom orders and studio visits are available by appointment.  Beth’s work has been featured in FLARE Magazine and The Globe and Mail.  She’s Toronto’s best kept secret!

Title:  Give With Your Heart   *
Materials: Genuine white freshwater pearls, semi-precious stones, sterling silver wire and velvet trim
Contact:  (416)781-6844 E-mail: wg@holophone.com

Barbara Goldstein
Barbara Goldstein, BFA, NSCAD, is a textile artist and teacher. She worked at the Textile Museum, Toronto, with the ethnographic collection and as program Coordinator.  Currently, Barbara assists Temma Gentles with large-scale installations. She makes unique women's hats and domestic religious objects because G-d is in the details.

Title:  Untitled   *
Materials: Silk, polyester netting, silk & cotton thread, rayon & metallic thread
Contact: m.goldstein@sympatico.ca

Norman Grosbein
I am a self taught woodworker/artist and a member of the Earl Bales Woodworking Group.  I specialize in the art of parquetry and lamination (the joining of different woods together).

I primarily make Judaica items such as yads (torah pointers), mezzuzot and candleholders.  I also create wood sculptures and pictures for both the home and office as decorative items.  At present I am designing a wooden breastplate for a Torah scroll for the Beth Emeth Bais Yehuda Synagogue.

Title:   Untitled
Materials:  All natural wood no stains and or dyes, 12 – 15 different types of wood in each box.  Techniques used: marketry, parquetry, lamination and inlay.
Contact: norm.marg@sympatico.ca

D’vorah Hoffman
D'vorah Hoffman is a ceramic Judaica artist and teacher. She has been showing and selling her work for over 30 years in Canada, U. S. and Israel. D'vorah has been the recipient of numerous grants and awards. At present she works on one-of-a-kind commissions.

Title:   Shivat ha Minim (The Seven Species)
Materials:  Hand built, glazed with underglazes and lustres
According to the Torah, the seven species are wheat, barley, grape, figs, pomegranate, olive and dates.
Contact:  (416)398-6779  Email: claykdsh@rogers.com

David Ivens
David Ivens, an accomplished metal smith, working in silver, brass, copper and bronze, enjoys the challenge of design in crafting pieces.  He is a partner in Turn of the Century Lighting in Toronto.

This piece is designed to encourage enthusiasm for tzedakah in both the young and the young at heart.

Title:  Untitled
Materials:  Gold metal box
Contact:  (416)362-6203  Email: ivens@surenet.net  Website: www.studiointhewoods.ca

Janice Karlinsky,  B.Ed. M.A.
Exhibited in Toronto at Pygmalion & Galatea Artisans' Gallery and Harbord Bakery. Inspired in Jerusalem and smitten in Barcelona by Gaudi’s mosaic “Parc Guell,” my interests in Hebrew texts, Jewish history and ceramics are reflected in my mosaic creations. An avid “memories” collector, and garage sale junkie, I incorporate sculptural pieces and recreate “found” objects into new forms to continue their journeys as new treasures and stories.

The Tzedakah box lid was created and produced by Dr. David Levine, a woodworker and Professor of History at the University of Toronto (OISE).

Title:  “Mosaica”
Materials: Mosaic: assorted ceramic & stained glass on ceramic base.  Wooden top “antiqued” with acrylic paint. Silver & glass beads.
Contact: janice_karlinsky@camh.net

Paul Kay
Paul Kay enjoys experimenting with early techniques and processes to explore the photographic image as a metaphor for time.  In his spare time, he is a Professor of Environment and Resource Studies at University of Waterloo.  One of his favourite classes to teach is “Nature: art, myth, folklore”.

Title:  Untitled   *
Materials: Photo-composition, lenticular sheeting
E-mail: pkay@fes.uwaterloo.ca

Anisoara (Anishara) Kirschner-Kozai
Anisoara is a graduate of University of Toronto and Ryerson Polytechnical University.  She was born in Sate Mare, Romania and raised in Canada.  Anisoara worked in the fashion industry and graphic arts in Israel and Canada. More recently, she paints portraits, architecture and gardens in acrylics; she is strongly influenced by her experience in Israel.

Anisoara is a child of Hungarians from Romania.  Both her parents were Holocaust survivors from families that perished in Auschwitz. Her father survived Mauthausen camp in Austria and her mother was a teenager hiding in Budapest.

Title:  Passion Flower   *
Materials: Acrylic on Canvas

Title:  Sefaradic Kehila and Zefat   *
Materials: Acrylic on Canvas
Contact: (905)771 6724            E-mail: thornhillartiste@hotmail.com

Fred Klap
Fred Klap was born in Montreal in 1927.  He attended Baron Byng High School and moved to Toronto in 1944.  He spent the next 40 years in business, selling the company in 1984.  Once retired, Fred started working with wood.  He has been successful in two Juried American Association of Woodturners shows and sells jewelry boxes and Judaica in local galleries.

Title:  Untitled
Materials: Big Leaf Maple Burl – turned, carved and assembled with brass and steel fittings.  Removable door is connected with a brass chain.
Contact: Studio – 3862 Chesswood Dr.  (416)398-5640 
Email: joanandfred@sympatico.ca

Fred Klap and Dorion Liebgott
Fred Klap was born in Montreal in 1927.  He attended Baron Byng High School and moved to Toronto in 1944.  He spent the next 40 years in business, selling the company in 1984.  Once retired, Fred started working with wood.  He has been successful in two Juried American Association of Woodturners shows and sells jewelry boxes and Judaica in local galleries.

Dorion was born in Coventry, England and came to Canada with her family in 1956. She attended the art program at Central Technical School and later she graduated from the Ontario College of Art.  Through the years Dorion taught art, continued to produce art work and had several exhibitions, both individual and group. 

In the early 1980’s, Dorion opened a gallery, “Dorion Fine Judaica” where she sold artist-produced ritual objects from around the world, and in particular encouraged Canadian artists to create Judaica. Dorion received a Certificate in Museum Studies.  In January, 1992, she began working at Beth Tzedec Museum as the Curator and has continued in that position.  She has recently taken on the additional position of Judaica Consultant at Waddington's - Canada's Auction House.

Dorion continues to enjoy any creative endeavour, from designing exhibitions to working on personal projects in a diversity of media

Title: Untitled
Materials: Painted wood.  This tzedakah box is decorated with the seven species of Israel, the giving of fruits from the earth.  Words that speak about the action to those in need are interspersed throughout the images.

Contact (Fred Klap): Studio – 3862 Chesswood Dr.  (416)398-5640
E-mail (Fred Klap): joanandfred@sympatico.ca
Contact (Dorion Liebgott):  dorion@look.ca

Zahava Lambert
Zahava Lambert is a Toronto silversmith.  Born in Israel to Holocaust survivors, Judaism has been a central theme in her art. 

Title: Every Drop Makes a Ripple
Materials: Copper, fabricated, engraved
Contact: zlambert@rogers.com

Dorion Liebgott
Dorion was born in Coventry, England and came to Canada with her family in 1956. She attended the art program at Central Technical School and later she graduated from the Ontario College of Art.  Through the years Dorion taught art and continued to produce art work and had several exhibitions, both individual and group. 

In the early 1980’s, Dorion opened a gallery, “Dorion Fine Judaica” where she sold artist-produced ritual objects from around the world, and in particular encouraged Canadian artists to create Judaica. Dorion received a Certificate in Museum Studies.  In January, 1992, she began working at Beth Tzedec Museum as the Curator and has continued in that position.  She has recently taken on the additional position of Judaica Consultant at Waddington's - Canada's Auction House.

Dorion continues to enjoy any creative endeavour, from designing exhibitions to working on personal projects in a diversity of media.

Title:  Untitled
Materials:  The word “Tzedakah”, can be found embroidered in Hebrew on the felt lining, where the coins fall as silently as charity should be given. The coins are left over from visits to various countries where I have sought out the local Jewish communities.
Contact:  dorion@look.ca

Sara Lustgarten
Sara was born in Argentina and studied Fine Arts in Buenos Aires. She exhibited in Barranquilla and Bogot?, Colombia and at Toronto's Pygmalion and Galatea Artisans' Gallery. Painting in a unique style on glass and wood, Sara reinterprets brightly coloured South American folk art into Judaic objects to beautify Shabbat and the holidays.

The Tzedakah box lid was created and produced by Dr. David Levine, a woodworker and Professor of History at University of Toronto (OISE).

Title:  “Alegria”
Materials: Wood, acrylic paint
Contact: sara_luz@hotmail.com

Inbal Marcovitch
Born in Israel, Inbal has always been interested in art, and as part of her military service there, she specialized in black and white photography. After the army she established IMDesign, a clothing and fashion accessories company, selling products in the United Kingdom and Israel. Inbal was sent as an emissary of the Jewish Agency to teach photography and Israel programs in a summer camp in Canada. Currently she is involved with the Final Flash Association, which promotes young artists all over the world, and teaches Judaism through art at Holy Blossom Temple in Toronto.

Title:  Untitled   *
Materials: Fimo
E-mail: inbal_marko@yahoo.com   Website: www.final-flash.com

Michael Milgram
In a marked departure from the norm, Mike Milgram’s designs in wood are based on the dual premise that material is not to be wasted, and that “function follows form” – i.e. every piece of wood possesses its own destiny and it is the artisan’s challenge to expose that potential.  This pushke is made from a piece of maple burl, originally lumbered in Pontiac County, Quebec.  Although invisible to the naked eye, to the artisan, it had “Tzedakah” written all over it.

Title:  Feed Me
Materials: Maple burl and firewood, drill bit and glue
Instructions: Put money in slot, invert to take money out
Contact: Mike.milgram@valleyartisans.com 

Haya Nativ
Haya is a textile artist and teacher.  Originally from Israel, she has been living in Canada since 1990 and has been working full time in art using various techniques and materials. She now concentrates in Judaic art, commissioning for the private sector and synagogues (Aish Hatorah, Beth Tikvah Synagogue, Lodzer Centre, Adath Israel Congregation) As well, Haya is the leader of community projects (JWF-Abused women project, Adath Israel chupah).  Haya exhibited at Harbourfront, Koffler Gallery, Agriculture Museum, Wellington County Museum, Textile Museum, Edwards Gardens, North York City Hall and synagogues.

Title: Untitled
Materials:  Cotton, felt and net, copper sheet, copper wire, beads, coins, string, yarns and metallic embroidery thread.
Techniques: Creating 3D piece by quilting the panels and sewing them together with handmade strings by machine.  The bottom and insides of the box lined with foam core to make it strong enough to hold coins for tzedakah.
Directions: To open when full:  Straighten the curly strings with fingers, then pull the gold tube up to the beads… the box will open and you can pour out the money.  To close when empty: Push the gold tube down as far as it goes… then curl the string to your liking.
Contact: (416)633-2664    E-mail: hayanativ@rogers.com 
Website: www.allinonepicture.com  

Barry Oretsky
Barry Oretsky, one of North America’s foremost photorealist painters, was born in Owen Sound, Ontario in 1946.  In March 2004, in recognition of his demonstrated excellence and achievements, Barry was elected to the Royal Academy of Arts.

He received his early training at Toronto’s Central Technical School and furthered his studies at St. Martin’s School of Art, London, England.

Barry has worked in advertising, as an art teacher, and has been a full-time professional artist since 1986.  He is now a permanent resident of Toronto, Ontario, but continues to travel internationally to further his art.

Title:  Untitled
Materials: Gidee coupage
Contact:  www.barryoretsky.com

Kathryn Polson Ferguson
Kathryn began under the tutelage of renowned Japanese potter Stan Tinawa at the Winnipeg Art Gallery thirty years ago. She continued with David Moss for a year and then took a hiatus for twelve years to raise her three young children.  Kathryn then returned to ceramics, renting space at the Stoneware Gallery under the gentle guidance of Kathy Koop. Shortly after, Kathryn moved to London, Ontario where she ran a food business at Covent Garden Market for twelve years.  Now in Toronto at Woodlawn Pottery Studio, Kathryn is working full-time experimenting in clay with both throwing and hand building. 

Title:  Untitled   *
Materials: Ceramic

Title:  Untitled
Materials: Ceramic
Contact: fergkath@sympatico.ca

Simon Pribac
Simon Pribac is a multi-disciplinary artist from Slovenia, currently studying at York University in Toronto. As a performer, he collaborated with different theatre groups in Slovenia and Northern Italy, and with the punk-rock band Pudding Fields as the frontman. He hosted different television and radio shows on local stations and later joined the Ambasada Gavioli Entertainment Company as a performer and art director. He is one of the establishers of the Final Flash Association, an international organization that promotes arts and cross-cultural connections.

Title:  Untitled   *
Materials:  Fimo with gloss, paper & ink
Contact:   Email: xflshr@yahoo.ca or xflshr@yorku.ca

Debra Robins
Debra Robins is a fibre and wood artist, a researcher and a graduate of the Landing School of Boatbuilding and Design.

Title:  Family Tree
Materials: Wood, wire, cotton & synthetic fibers

Title:  The Dress
Materials: Handmade felt (100% wool), cotton and synthetic fibers, paint
Contact: (416)698-5328
E-mail: robinsc@aei.ca 

William Roddy
I am a sculptor / furniture designer whose work has won many awards.  My commissioned furniture includes avant-garde cabinets, welded steel, glass & granite dining tables and coffee tables.  I make sculpture for my soul and try to give all of my furniture pieces their own identities.

Title:    Heavy Metal
Materials: Cut, welded & lacquered steel with cast concrete base
Contact: (416)533-9337    Website - www.kaolindesigns.com

Lisa Rose
Lisa Rose has been a member of the Pomegranate Guild of Judaic Textiles for the last two years.   As a textile artist and avid Torah study participant, she recently completed a Torah mantle and presented it on December 11, 2004 to Temple Har Zion in Thornhill.

Title:    Be Strong, Be Strong, Together We’re Stronger
Materials: Japanese Delica beads threaded individually using peyote stitch.  The words in Hebrew read:  Be strong, be strong, together we’re stronger.
Contact:   (416)781-4281 Email: lisa.rose@solcorp.com

Roz Rosen
Roz has dabbled in various art projects over the years from interior design to craft projects.  Roz has worked in ceramics and has produced wall hangings: “The tzedakah box project was intriguing and I just wanted to be involved in it.”

Title: Buttons for Life   *
Materials: Buttons
Contact: rrosen@ujafed.org

Dorothy Ross
“I love the gleam and feel of beads and the wonderful textures of fabric and yarns.  In the year 2000 Temma Gentles and I won the Spertus Award for our Torah mantle.  Since then, we have collaborated several times to expand the artistic interpretation of Torah mantles.  More recently I have been combining the different textiles and continued to create jewellery, purses and items of Judaica. (mezuzot, yads, etc.)"

Title:  Untitled   *
Materials:  Leather and beads
Contact:  Dorothy.ross@sympatico.ca

Edna Sandler
Edna Sandler makes functional textile Judaica.  Her tallitot, challah and matzah covers are exhibited regularly at A Show of Hands Petroff Gallery in Toronto.  Edna is currently designing and making new weekday and High Holy Day Torah mantles for the West End Synagogue, Nashville.

Title:    Eternal   *
Materials: Dupioni silk appliqu? with stitchery, gold fabric paint
Contact: info@tallit.net    Website: www.tallit.net

Natalie Schonfeld Howard
Natalie Schonfeld Howard is a freelance photographer in Toronto.  An honours graduate from Ryerson Polytechnic University, she recently published the book 'Perceptions of Light' – a photographic documentary about deafblind individuals in Canada – and received the UJA Federation of Greater Toronto’s 2004 Visual Arts Award for the expansion of this project on an international level.

Title:  Untitled
Materials: Wood, photography
Contact: (905)722-1071     Email; Natalie.schonfeld@sympatico.ca
Website: www.documentos-humanos.com

Susan Shrott
Susan Schrott was raised among generations of creative Jewish women. Originally inspired by her great-grandmother’s and grandmothers’ needle work and her mother’s paintings, she developed her own passion for textiles. With the help of both grandmothers, strands of yarn turned into multicolored squares which evolved into her first "quilts." In her teens Susan began to sew her own garments.  In her early twenties, while performing in critically acclaimed musicals at the Jewish Repertory Theatre in NYC, Susan experimented with weaving on a large loom she kept in her tiny Greenwich Village apartment. Returning to college in her late twenties, she earned a Masters Degree in Social Work and worked as a psychotherapist, specializing in eating disorders. Susan married, had two daughters, and while pregnant with her second child, enrolled in a local quilting class and has not stopped working with fabric ever since. Susan currently works full-time as a textile artist. Her art quilts are in numerous private collections, publications and can be seen in various children’s hospitals in Israel. 

Title:  Quilted Fabric Tzedakah Box 1   *
Materials: Tintex, fabrics, threads, appliqu? machine, quilted

Title:  Quilted Fabric Tzedakah Box 2   *
Materials: Tintex, fabrics, threads, appliqu? machine, quilted
E-mail: sbfschrott@aol.com
Websites: www.susanschrott.com    www.thesalonseven.com 

Dimitry Shteynberg
Dimitry was born in Odessa, Ukraine in 1962.  He studied in the Art Institute in Odessa between 1983 and 1987, and moved to Israel for two years in 1990.  Dimitry has lived in Canada since 1992 working as a jewelery designer. 
 
Title: Untitled
Material: Wood carving
Contact: 638A Sheppard Ave W, Suite 200, (416)917-8543

Melanie Siegel
Melanie Siegel, a graduate from the Ontario College of Art, has been involved as a professional artist for many years. A former resident of the Harbourfront Studio (on a scholarship), she also won an award to study textiles in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. Her career evolved into creating fashion jewellery and raising a family.

In June 2004, Melanie Siegel was a recipient of the first Annual Cultural Artist grant given by the Toronto Jewish Arts Council sponsored by UJA Federation of Greater Toronto. The unique fiber project will express an artist fascination of early biblical history. The entire piece will be hand and machine-stitched and embellished with semi-precious stones with handmade felt. The piece will be carefully constructed to show the breastplate of the ancient High Priest.

The Pomegranate Guild of Judaic Textiles honoured Melanie with the “Delightful Beading Award." This is one of her series of the Tent of Abraham and Sarah. The THREADWORKS exhibition was sponsored by the Ontario Network of Needleworkers (ONN) and was shown at the Wellington County Museum. The exhibit will tour throughout the province for 2 years.

To complement the year, a large hanging prayer rug assembled with felt and mixed media materials called ‘Big Black’ was chosen by jury for exhibition at the National Gallery in Budapest for the World Meeting of Felt Art, August 2004.

Title:  Untitled
Materials: Handmade felt, machine collage with recycled textiles, embellishment with semi-precious stones
Contact:  (905)770-8449 Email: thebeadofmyheart@rogers.com
Website: www.msiegel.ca

Debra Silver
Although born in Toronto, I made Aliyah in 1973. In 1979, after army service, I studied clowning and art in Toronto. From 1987 I began sculpting in Israel and since 1992, I have been affiliated with the Basis School in Hadasa Neurim. I work in clay, cast bronze, plaster, wax and styrofoam on pieces ranging from 4 centimeters to 300 centimeters in length. I have exhibited in Israel as well as Geneva, Amsterdam, New York and Toronto. Now I am focusing on ceramics, both hand-built and wheel-thrown. I reside in Netanya but spend summers in Toronto. My best works of art are my children - Carmel, Adam and Netanelle!

Title:  Rimon
Materials: Hand built, ceramic and glaze
Contact: Rehov Hadas 16, Netanya, 42653 ISRAEL Tel/fax: 972-9-8357304; c/o Metrontario, 1 Yorkdale Rd. Suite 510, Toronto Phone: (416) 703-5911  Fax: (416) 785-7000  Cell: (416) 949-1411     E-mail: debra.silver@gmail.com

Judy Singer
Judy Singer, born in 1951 in Toronto, had her first exhibit in 1974 at the Pollock Gallery.  Primarily known for her large, colourful, acrylic-on-canvas abstract paintings, she has exhibited widely, representing Canada at the Carnegie International in 1983.  She has been teaching painting at York University since 1976.  Her next exhibit opens at the Moore Gallery on June 23, 2005.

Title:  Untitled
Materials: Clay
Contact: judy@gotfryd.com

Juana Sleizer
Juana was born in Argentina and immigrated to Canada in1996.  Juana does tapestries, baskets and woven sculptures.  She has learned with famous artists in Argentina and Canada and has exhibited work in both countries. Juana also works on commissions and is a member of the American Tapestry Alliance, Ontario Crafts Council and Pomegranate Guild of Judaic Textiles.

Title:  Soft Box   *
Materials: Silk, cotton, rayon, synthetics, acrylic paint
Contact:  39 Kingsbridge Circle  Thornhill, On L4J 8N8  (905)709-4131
Email: mardis@rogers.com

Miriam Smith
Miriam trained in pottery and related arts at Central Technical School in Toronto.  She has exhibited with Dorion Fine Judaica, the Jewish Museum in New York and the Bathurst Jewish Community Centre. Miriam is the founder of Willowdale Artisans Craft Coop and is a member of Toronto Potters.

Title:  untitled   *
Materials: Porcelain

Title:  untitled   *
Materials: Porcelain

Title:  untitled
Materials: Porcelain
Contact: (416)226-0066
E-mail: morrys@look.ca

Julie Solomon
Julie Solomon attended several art programs, including sculpture, ink and acrylic paint classes, while raising her three sons.  Beading was a hobby of hers as a child and she was thrilled to dust off her old beading kit after all these years.  She is a part-time speech-language pathologist, hockey and tennis player and driver to her children. She is honoured to be part of this Tzedakah Box Project.

Title:  untitled   *
Materials: Beads on wire, wound and hot glued
E-mail: julsol@rogers.com

Suzy Tanzer
Suzy Tanzer is a Toronto-based textile artist and arts administrator and a graduate of Sheridan College's Crafts and Design program in their School of Animation, Arts and Design. Suzy has created award-winning Judaica for private collections in Canada and the United States, created costumes and stage decor and continues to explore the creative possibilities in fibre arts as well as textile design and embellishment.

Title:  Untitled   *
Materials: Knit, felted & beaded, 100% wool
Contact:  (416)533-9185
Email: stanzer@sympatico.ca

Rae Tobias
Rae Tobias has been creating pottery and ceramic sculpture for over 30 years.  She began her work with clay at George Brown College and has been attending the ceramic arts studio at the Bathurst Jewish Community Centre for the past 25 years.  Rae has three children, several of whom share her talent and passion for art.

Title:  Untitled
Materials: Clay, thrown and hand decorated

Cyrel Troster
Cyrel Troster is a member of the Woodlawn Pottery Studio. She has studied art in Japan, Israel and England. Cyrel just retired as Head of Visual Art at Unionville High School where she started the regional program for visual art. She is a Past President of the Ontario Society for Education through Art and is the Chair of the Cultural Planning and Allocation Committee of UJA Federation of Greater Toronto.

Title:  Untitled
Materials: Clay
Contact: cyrelt@rogers.com

Judi Weinberg Lederman
After many years as a part-time student, I graduated from the Ontario College of Art in 1985.  Upon graduating, I worked for several years as a full-time artist with exhibitions in Toronto and Hamilton.  Presently I teach high school, regularly organize installations with social action themes and paint whenever time permits.

Title:  Untitled   *
Materials: Metal box, glue, gesso, acrylic paint, ink
Contact: judi.lederman@tdsb.on.ca

Joyce Wheatley
Joyce Wheatley works in the media of pottery and sumi-e. A native of Toronto, Joyce attended the University of Toronto, majoring in Philosophy and East Asiatic studies.  In 2003, Joyce was awarded Best In Show in Fusion's biennial Fireworks show.  She has been a potter since 1960; her work can be found in numerous galleries.

Title:  Life’s Dance   *
Materials: Stoneware fired to cone 8, glazed inside with variegated copper leaf on the interior sealed with a requisite sealer.
Contact: wheatperson@hotmail.com

Sheryl Wine
Sheryl has drawn her inspiration from paint, water, paper, brushes and vibrant colour since early childhood. She is a graduate of the Ontario College of Art and Design. Sheryl discovered the magical qualities of watercolour and the joy of creating bright, fresh, whimsical paintings. Florals are a favourite subject, and today her unique signature style is easily recognizable. Sheryl is an active member of the Toronto Watercolour Society and the Willowdale Group of Artists. Her work has been shown in numerous juried shows throughout Toronto.

Title:  Blessings   *
Materials: Original painted on 140 lb. arches in watercolour & ink.
Contact: (416)482-9284
E-mail: sherylwine@yahoo.ca

Philip Winestone
Born and educated in Glasgow, Philip became intensely interested in photography in his undergraduate years studying Chemical Engineering. After coming to Canada, Winestone evolved his distinctive photographic style studying under New York photographer Barry Ashley.
After spending many years in photography, Winestone, during the last few years, went on to extend his art by spending several years studying classical drawing under teachers from the lineage of Pietro Annigoni. Consequently, Winestone has extended his body of work with a variety of classical and contemporary drawings, monotypes and paintings... and a little sculpture. This shows him, at this point in time, to be a truly multi-disciplinary artist.

Winestone's unique photographs include intimate and dynamic studies of people - portraits, nudes, and movement - as well as still life and landscapes. His photographic assignments over the years have included magazine and advertising work as well as gallery exhibits and private portraiture commissions.  Winestone's photographs - all monochrome, and taken mostly with 35mm cameras - “part of me,” as he says – are characterized by their simplicity - their lack of ambiguity; there is no doubt as to the content and meaning of each picture. Add to this his love of texture and grain as well as his flair for dramatic lighting, and Winestone's pictures offer high impact at very first glance. Winestone’s drawings, paintings and monotypes display a similar dynamism using texture and movement to create a restlessness, and using vibrant colour in his paintings to further this effect.

Title:  Schokling Rov   *
Materials: Wood, acrylic paint, brass
Contact: (416)225-5755 
E-mail: philip.winestone@rogers.com or philip@gallerynousmemes.com

Elyssa Wortzman
Elyssa Wortzman seeks to discover beauty and meaning through the use of colour and line. Recent solo exhibitions include DeLeon White Gallery (March 2004) and Riverside (Spring 2004); group exhibitions include the 2003 Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition, and the 2002 Home & Style Studio Tour and Sale. Her work appears in the corporate collections of CIBC Mellon, Shibley Righton LLP and Carreg Management Consulting.  She has taught about the path to creativity and spirituality through art at Beth Tzedec Synagogue and spiritual retreats. 

Title:  The Metamorphosis of D’vekut
Materials: Wire, canvas, acrylic paint
Contact: www.elyssawortzman.com