The “Art” of Zionist Thought and Israeli Identity
Part of our series, Israel at a Crossroads—Expanding the Conversation
With Rabbi Matt Berkowitz, President-elect, The Schechter Institutes, Inc.
On January 29, 1902, Boris Schatz wrote a letter to Theodor Herzl about establishing an art school in Palestine; in 1903, the two met in Vienna and Schatz pleaded the case for a revolution of visual art that would accompany the nascent Zionist Movement. He received Herzl’s blessing, and that meeting led to the founding of the Bezalel School in 1906. Art became a powerful language for the national aspirations of the Jewish people.
In this session, we explored classical works of pre-State and Israeli art that reflect the ethos of the Zionist vision. Visual art and the artists behind these creations were in animated conversation with classical and modern Zionist voices. We reflected on the extent to which the material artistic culture of Israel reflects and engages compelling spiritual and national visions of Zionism and a State for the Jews, in light of current events and the ways artists and cultural institutions are responding to this moment.
Rabbi Matt Berkowitz is the incoming president of Schechter Institutes, Inc., Jerusalem, and is an artist and founding partner of Kol HaOt, a studio project that weaves art and Jewish learning together in compelling and cutting-edge ways. He was ordained by and worked for The Jewish Theological Seminary of America for 24 years.
About the Series
This series builds on the discussions from JTS’s Israel at the Crossroads convening, bringing JTS alumni into conversation about the evolving challenges of Israeli identity, culture, and collective resilience. Through explorations of art, spirituality, and national memory, we will consider how Israeli society navigates questions of belonging, pluralism, and meaning in this complex moment. By engaging voices from across disciplines, Expanding the Conversation seeks to illuminate the ways individuals and communities are shaping Israel’s cultural and spiritual landscape today.
