Vay’chi | ויחי

Batya F. Kuncman, Israel/USA      

Vay’chi, the last parasha of the Book of Genesis, details the story of the patriarch Jacob giving blessings to his grown sons who will become the heads of the Twelve Tribes of Israel. Shortly after he comes to Egypt and reunites with his son Joseph, Jacob gathers his twelve sons to him whom he wants to bless. Knowing he will soon die, Jacob contemplates the worthiness of his sons. Will his sons, heads of the Twelve Tribes of Israel, uphold the faith and belief in One God as the Creator of everything, contrary to the beliefs of that time? Will they uphold the message of ethics, morality, and the universal code of human conduct despite a skeptical and antagonistic world?

Professional Background  Batya F. Kuncman is an Israeli-born multidisciplinary artist based in New York City. Her paintings, photographs, illustrations, and digital media have been internationally exhibited in museums and galleries including the Philadelphia Museum of Jewish Art, the Museum of Modern Art of Toluca, Mexico, and the Haun Tie Art Museum in Beijing, China.