Gathering at Mount Sinai

In 2000, I was invited by my dear friend and patron, the late Gershon Kekst (z”l), former JTS Chair of the Board, to create a mural for this institution. That commission marked a profound turning point in my artistic journey, leading me to devote many years to the biblical text after an earlier period centered on landscapes and Jewish history.

The mural was originally installed above the staircase leading to the JTS Library, a setting that eventually inspired the choice of the Gathering at Mount Sinai as its central theme. I was drawn to the image of Moses ascending and descending the mountain, bringing the word of God to the Israelites and, through them, to the world. In response to the intellectual and spiritual significance of JTS, I sought to create a visual meditation on revelation, transmission, and memory.

The central image was surrounded by twelve panels, incorporating themes connected to the journey out of Egypt and eventually standing in front of God and accepting the Torah: the Ten Commandments, the Ten Plagues, the Ten Martyrs, and selected midrashim, together with images of Moses inspired by the burning bush, the symbol of JTS.

Although the original space no longer exists, I am grateful that JTS has found a thoughtful new way to reinstall this work. May it continue to inspire generations of students to come.

—Avner Moriah

About Avner Moriah, the Artist

Born in Jerusalem in 1953, Avner Moriah is among the first generation of Israeli-born artists, and holds a B.F.A. from the Bezalel Academy of Art and Architecture and an M.F.A. from Yale University’s Graduate School of Art and Architecture.

Moriah is an active artist and prolific painter whose creative career spans nearly five decades. His most recent accomplishment is a monumental project to illuminate the complete Pentateuch, a work of nearly fifteen years.

For this unparalleled artistic undertaking, Moriah created hundreds of original illustrations that provide a singular visual interpretation of the ancient texts. Hand-painted in gouache with gold-leaf alongside the Hebrew text in artisan calligraphy, these volumes are an unrivalled work of art and a profound tribute of the highest accord to the ancient tradition and text.