Moldaw Residences Installs Unique Artwork Donated by Israeli Artists and Congregation Kol Emeth

The residents and staff of Moldaw Residences were extremely honored to receive a unique art collection donated by professional artists in Israel and Palo Alto’s Congregation Kol Emeth. Moldaw officially installed the artwork on December 9. This special event was for Moldaw residents and the rabbis from Kol Emeth to commemorate the connection they now share with the Arava region of Israel. The collection consists of prints of original artwork by artists in the Arava region that were originally part of a collaborative exhibit between the Arava artists and members of Kol Emeth. It was at the close of this exhibit that the Arava artists asked Kol Emeth’s Israel Action Committee to help them locate a Jewish-affiliated living community to whom they could donate the artwork. Kol Emeth selected Moldaw Residences.

“It was a lovely gesture for Kol Emeth to think of Moldaw,” said Carlee Weiss, Moldaw resident. “I enjoyed having the opportunity to play a role in helping to install the prints and I believe the entire community will enjoy them.”

After a successful philanthropic endeavor, a singular relationship formed when Kol Emeth’s Israel Action Committee began a project to connect members of the congregation to people in Israel with the hope that they would form new connections and learn from one another. It was during this project that artists in the Kol Emeth congregation and the Arava region were invited to participate in a ten month long program that connected the two communities through art. The success of this program would lead to a lasting relationship between the two communities, and the eventual need to find a permanent home for the prints created from such a bond.

“I knew there were Moldaw residents in our congregation and felt it would be a meaningful connection,” said Barbara Schapira, chairperson of Kol Emeth’s Israel Action Committee. “I hope for the community at Moldaw and the Jewish community overall, that this installation will provide a sense of closeness with Israel and a curiosity to meet and form relationships with people living in Israel and especially in the Arava region.”

The artworks are on permanent display at Moldaw and may be viewed by the general public by appointment. During the commemoration on December 9, residents viewed the art for the first time and mingled with the rabbis from Kol Emeth to celebrate a very exciting collaboration.

“Moldaw is honored to receive such a generous expression of togetherness and community,” said Kevin Hogan, interim executive director of Moldaw Residences. “Having the prints here at Moldaw is an opportunity to strengthen our relationship with Israel, and we are truly thankful that Kol Emeth thought of us to receive such a wonderful gift.”

“I’m glad we found such a perfect permanent home for the prints at Moldaw,” said David Booth, senior rabbi at Kol Emeth. “Seniors are an important part of our Jewish community, and I hope that they feel at one with all of us when they view this artwork.”