תרומה |T’rumah

Beth Grossman, USA 

In approaching the detailed Tabernacle directives in parashat T’rumah, I struggled with interpreting the instructions from my own naïve perspective. I could not avoid being influenced by widespread images of the Ark of the Covenant — the Table of Loaves, the Burnt Offering Altar, the Almond Flower and Candelabra — drawn by previous scholars and artists. I continued to wonder why God would command the Israelites to build this grand Tabernacle and what I could add to the story as a female artist of the 21st century. I didn’t want to reinforce these popular, male-rendered blueprints in my mind or in my art.

Professional Background  Beth Grossman is a social practice artist collaborating internationally with communities, universities, corporations, local governments, and non-profit organizations.  Her visual art has been shown at venues including the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, the Ellis Island Immigration Museum in New York City, the Contemporary Jewish Museum in San Francisco, the National Museum of American Jewish History in Philadelphia.