In the summer of 2005, I participated, together with 8 other Dallas artists, in an art exchange program with Israel. This was part of an endeavor by the Partnership 2000 of the Western Galilee Consortium.
This piece was exhibited in Akko, Israel together with the creations of dozens of artists from 8 cities in the US and Israel. The entire project was centered around the theme of Yitzhak. My contribution was entitled “The Sacrifices of Sarah”.
As a woman, the character that intrigues me the most in the Binding of Yitzhak, is Sarah. The bible says very little about her. All we know is that she was very old when she had Isaac and that she died soon after his return. There are countless pious women whose faith in God is unquestionable, but I will argue that they would not think of sacrificing their child. Sarah was not given a choice about her son being sacrificed; she was never consulted either by God or by Abraham. She was a mere spectator in the drama that unfolded.
I see Sarah as representative of all mothers,
all over the world who have not been given a choice about their son’s destiny. Sarah is the mother who sends her son to war and who sometimes and often, loses him. The story is the Akedat “Yitzhak”, but it is really the tragic story of a helpless woman, a mother whose heart is broken when her child is wrenched away from her. Sarah is the mother of countless young men who are sacrificed to a higher cause; they are the sons of America and of Israel.
Thousands of young Israelis have died in the IDF. Over 3000 young Americans have been lost in Iraq. Many thousands of young soldiers have perished throughout the world and throughout the ages. This painting is a glorification of Motherhood and the hopes and dreams that a mother has for her baby, and then all too soon, at the ages of 17, 18 or 19 – these boys are being sacrificed, just like Isaac, for a “ higher cause”.
These are the Sacrifices of Sarah – all the sons and daughters that are lost to war.
This painting, together with the other Yitzhak projects, is presently traveling to various exhibitions in the United States.