Our Partnership is focused on building real, three-dimensional relationships between American, Israeli, and Czech Jews, so when the unthinkable happens and many people in our Partnership region lose loved ones on October 7, Partnership hops into action. As we approached a year since the attacks on October 7, we wanted to find a way to honor the memory of those who were killed and bring some support and solace to their families and loved ones. We decided to coordinate an art exchange where American and Czech artists were matched with Israeli artists who were assigned a family who lost a loved one on October 7 or during the war this past year. The pairs of artists would collectively make art to commemorate the fallen loved one which would be exhibited in Israel and throughout our Partnership consortium, after which the family would get to keep the art as a memorial. Below you will read about the four artists from Nashville participating in the project and what their experience has been like.
Reflections by artist Ellen Monen:
On November 7th, there will be an exhibition in Israel featuring art from a group of local Tennessee artists.
The Hinneni Project is a collaborative art project with Partnership2Gether Hadera-Eiron of the Jewish Agency for Israel. Artists from different parts of the world were partnered with Israelis artist as well as a family who has faced a significant loss from to the war. The artists collaborate as they each independently create an art piece to memorialize the fallen. The families of the fallen were interviewed throughout the process.
I was paired with artist Inbal Bar-Shalom Peleg and the family of Staff Sargent Neta Bar-Am, who Inbal and I had the experience of meeting with and interviewing via Zoom.
On October 8th, 2023, Neta’s squadron was preparing to send balloon cameras over Gaza for surveillance purposes in response to the attacks of October 7th. While they were working on base, Hamas showed up prepared for yet another bloody attack, a continuation of the attacks of October 7th.
Neta called his mother knowing he was facing his last moments of life. He told her how he loved her and their entire family, that he hoped they would continue building Legos together in his memory and take care of all the local cats — he was a big animal lover and had an affinity for cats. They lost Neta that day, but the fight he and his squadron put up saved a huge number of residents in the neighboring kibbutz.
In the coming months, the Bar-Am family collected around $50,000 to build a beautiful cat sanctuary, and they took on a tuxedo cat Lego project both in Neta’s honor and memory. One day a real cat that looked just like their Lego cat showed up at their home. This cat was especially unique because it LOVED Legos, just like Neta. The family adopted the cat and formed a special bond with it. Both Inbal’s and my art pieces create a connection between this cat and Neta.
The project helped me see that even when we feel helpless being so far away, we all have our talents and skills to help make an impact in our own special ways.
It has also helped me see that the Jewish world truly is like one expansive family. Being in touch with all these artists who have been helping the others through each of their processes was really a special process to be involved in.
I am so grateful that Eitan Snyder at the Jewish Federation thought to reach out and encourage me to sign up for this project.
Submitted to Hinneni for Exhibition.
Ellen Monen is an award-winning and published graphic artist based in Franklin, Tennessee. She specializes in conceptual branding and identity design through her business – SeeMeDesign. Ellen is most known for studying organizational truth within a business setting, and presenting it in a visual format. In essence, she helps organizations feel comfortable “in their skin” ensuring that it accurately reflects their purpose, and appropriately connects to their target audience.
In January 2024, Ellen founded The Star of David – a collaborative art passion project made up of over 215+ artists and creatives – @starofdavidartists. She uses her skills, layered on top of other artists’ work, as an avenue to educate – presenting the reality, past and present, of Israel and Jewish life.
Artist’s Statement
This art piece was created for Staff Sergeant Neta Bar-Am’s family, may his memory forever be a blessing. The art and poetry were inspired by a conversation with Neta’s mother, Nirit.
Neta was a lover of cats and Legos, both of which hold a significant place in his family’s collective heart since his passing. When he called his mother in his final moments to tell her he loves her, he requested that his family keep these aspects of him alive. It is one way they hold him in their physical reality, but it has also made a difference in their community at large.
A very special cat appeared in the family’s life soon after Neta’s departure. This cat was reminiscent of another cat in their lives — a Lego cat project they were sculpting. And this cat just so happened to love Legos. The work expresses the story of this tuxedo cat and its symbolic connection to Neta.
The illustration was created digitally and includes layered elements from Inbal’s work – expressing a deeper message, as the two works are reflective of one another.
The floating balloon rising off into the night represents the fleeting life of Neta. The cat and the balloon share the same light, aura, and glow.
It has been an honor to be a part of this process with Neta’s family – such a brilliant, vibrant, creative, silly, fun, intelligent-beyond-his-years, beautiful, young man whose love for his family is deep, everlasting… and whose heroic actions display his love for humanity as he stood in the frontlines on October 8th, resulting in many more Israeli lives saved.
I sincerely hope that this piece lives a long life in the Bar-Am family. If it becomes even half as special for them as the creative process has been for me, it will be a success.
Reflections from Tina Ritchie:
In Commemoration of Tamar Samet
I never met her, yet I feel like I knew her well. Her taste in music, the emotionalism in
her art, her taste in clothing, her beloved shepherd dog—every new thing I learn
about Tamar makes me think, “She is so much like me.” I listen to the words in How I
Burned a Bridge and am reminded of my own journey at 20 years old: wondering if I
would ever be the person I want to be, lamenting over the person I had been. In
those days, my greatest comfort was my art, music, faith, the stillness of nature and
my beautiful dog. Was it the same for Tamar?
Connecting with Tamar through the Hinneni Art Collaboration has been beyond
meaningful for me. In the wake of October 7, I think a lot of diaspora Jews were
asking the question, “What can I do to help our friends and family in Israel?” This
project was a powerful answer.
I was able to relay questions about Tamar to her mother, and learned about her life in
small ways. By listening to her music, I was given a glimpse into her emotions and
artistic motivations. In the process of connecting with this young woman I had never
met, I found light and inspiration that can only come from the life of another person.
Everything I learned helped to inform my final illustration.
The collaborative aspect of the project has also had a colossal impact on me and my
practice. Meeting so many other artists in this common goal of expressing the
ineffable, especially in a time of such strife and sorrow, has been both uplifting and
informative. I have not only enjoyed getting to know these artists, but I have grown in
my connection with them. I believe that these connections will last far beyond the
span of this project.
The most important part of this project, to me, has been creating art for the family of
this beautiful young woman. The power of art is most obvious to me in times like
these, as words often fall short when expressing the beauty of life. I am honored to
have been a part of this mission, and Tamar’s memory will forever be a blessing.
Reflections from Rachel Stern:
In Commemoration of Sgt. Ori Locker
As a Jewish individual in the diaspora, I have often grappled with feelings of isolation and confusion. Recently, I had the profound honor of visiting Israel for my birthright trip. While paying respects at the Nova site, I came across a sticker on the wall of a bomb shelter. It was an illustration of Ori Locker, a hero whom I had the privilege of commemorating through this project.
In that moment, Ori’s sticker stood out like a beacon amidst the darkness, symbolizing our shared connection. It served as a poignant reminder that despite our distances, we are united as one nation with a singular journey, bound together by our collective love for one another.
I am deeply grateful to have participated in this project, which not only allowed me to contribute my skills to a greater cause but also connected me with other artists navigating similar challenges post-October 7th. This experience has strengthened my bond with the land of Israel and deepened my understanding of our collective struggle and the need for support.
Ori’s story profoundly impacted me, and I strive to share his legacy with everyone I meet, ensuring that his memory and sacrifice remain honored. Creating his portrait was an incredibly meaningful process for me, with each stroke on the paper serving as a form of kaddish. Being involved in this project was both healing and moving, and I hope I have done Ori’s memory justice. May his memory be a blessing forever.
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