Artwork > Community Mural Projects > Youth Projects > Afterschool Programs
Love and Gratitude, 2024
Temple Emanu-El, New York City
These collaborative murals were created by over 200 staff, families, and students at Temple Emanu-El’s religious school in November 2024 under the direction of artist Tova Speter. They were inspired by the school’s culture of Ahava (love) and Hakarat HaTov (gratitude) as feelings, attitudes, and Jewish values we hope to foster in our community.
One mural offers a friendly greeting of Shalom to visitors and was created by staff and preschoolers through second graders who used stamps to add a representation of what they love and feel grateful for. The varying shades of blue represent the Jewish diversity of our community - all coming together to highlight love and gratitude. Many thanks to Jayme Epstein for her help facilitating this mural's creation.
The other mural was created by 3rd - 8th grade students as well as staff and families. Students learned about what different Rabbis have identified as the three things the world stands on and then brainstormed together what they think are three things to help the world thrive. Those words are contained in the triangles emanating out from the central tree of life (found in the sanctuary in the Bimah and replicated here) sharing their light. The patterns also have meaning as they reflect participants' ideas about love as something that offers warmth (wavy lines), strength (mountain/zigzag lines), and/or connection (arrows). The various hearts hidden in the artwork each represent a student/family member and the reflective mirrors allow all who walk by to see themselves as part of our community.
