Local artist and congregant Yvette Polovin has completed the work on a stunning six-panel mosaic of the Jewish festivals.
This was a task imagined more than a year ago in a discussion with her and her husband David with Rabbi Greg. They conceived of a wall-mosaic that would cover the cycle of the year through the chaggim, beginning with Rosh Hashanah and going through to Pesach. Each panel features three-dimensional objects that literally pop out at the viewer from a pomegranate or Shofar to a Chanukiah and a real shankbone from the Seder plate. The focus in the centre is a gigantic Tree of Life representing the festival of Tu Bishvat. Running across the top in Hebrew and in English is the verse ‘Rejoice in your Festivals and be deeply happy’ (Deuteronomy 16) the work of which was begun by members of the shul at Mandela Day last year. All the immense work and materials were a generous gift of the family to the synagogue. The work is truly unique and moving and was officially opened before Shabbat on Friday 6 May to hang at the main entrance to the shul.
