Art in the Synagogue

I find this sermon somewhat surprising in that this is a passionate statement about the role of art in the synagogue, and, as an artist myself, I was unaware of my father’s feelings in this regard. My mother, Jean Ballon, was a gifted artist in almost any medium she chose to use. Perhaps this is a reflection of her influence.

The presence of fine Jewish art in a synagogue reflects the faith and inspiration of its builders and in turn is an inspiration to all who come to worship therein.
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WE READ FROM THE TORAH THIS EVENING the commandment given to the children of Israel long ago to kindle a perpetual light in their sanctuary throughout their generations. The special service we have tonight is a climax to the efforts of our own congregation to fulfill this ancient commandment. The art project, of which we have now completed the first stage, began almost fifteen months ago when an interior decorator was about to select an eternal light to be hung permanently upon this platform before our ark. At that time I had been here only a few short weeks. I did not yet feel that I could make demands upon the congregation, but there was something about that procedure that did not appeal to me. To permit an interior decorator, who may have perhaps been an expert in her line, but who did not know and did not have the feel for synagogues, who perhaps knew style, but for whom Jewishness was entirely foreign — just another lamp fixture, however pretty it may be, to hang here as the symbol of our eternal faith, did not seem to me to be suitable or proper.
 
True, that such a procedure, however improper it may be, is the manner in which many, many congregations do select the lamp that is to burn perpetually before their Holy Ark, But it is a reflection of a lack of understanding and a lack of maturity with regard to synagogue decoration, and often strange things result. I know of one decorated with the Moslem Crescent — hardly appropriate. I hoped that we here would be able to rise above that level and do something more imaginative and more creative. There was one important problem which caused some hesitation, on my part, in suggesting a different procedure to the committee in charge of decorating our building. It was the same problem which has come up many a time since, when any forward step must be taken — the problem of funds. But fortunately the committee was very understanding and sympathetic when I finally dared put the matter before them. They were willing at least to explore the idea of having a creative Jewish artist provide our ceremonial objects, and we turned to the Union of American Hebrew Congregations for advice, With their help we made contact with Mr. A. Raymond Katz merely for the purposes of consultation. His reputation in the field of Jewish art was already known to me for he had already many synagogues to his credit and the HUC[1] Chapel.
 
When Mr. Katz visited us and presented to us his suggestions not only for the eternal light, but also for additional things that would enhance the beauty of our building, give it a warmer atmosphere, and above all make it Jewish, then our committee was excited with the opportunity not only to beautify this building in a modern manner befitting both its use as a synagogue and the unusual character of its architecture, but also to make an important contribution to synagogue art through the creativity of Mr. Katz. I should like to express appreciation particularly of our chairman for all his effort and understanding of our objective.
 
It has been one of my happiest experiences in this congregation thus far to have gained acceptance for a project of this type. I hope that it signifies that beneath that allegiance which altogether too many of us today pay to material things, there is an awareness of higher values; there is an appreciation of the intangibles, of truth and beauty and Jewish integrity.
 
It is of utmost importance today for synagogues to have as much of beauty about them as possible. It was not always quite so necessary as it is today. In years gone by Jewish symbolism was centered in the rites of synagogue rather than in art forms. Jewish emotions were expressed throughout the many observances which had been faithfully handed down through the years. We live now, however, in a time when rites have assumed less importance. Even with the so-called return to ceremonialism that we hear about, ritual does not have the place in Jewish life it once had, and art forms are all the more necessary as a replacement to provide the symbolism that people have a need for, the "aesthetic and Jewish conditioning[2]" that makes for perpetuation of Jewish faith and the Jewish group.
 
In the Psalms we read, "Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.[3]” It is perhaps equally as meaningful to speak of the holiness of beauty. The beauty of a sunset is far more convincing of God than are a thousand rational arguments. And there can be perhaps more inspiration in sitting in a synagogue that reflects beauty and Jewishness than in the mechanical repetition of the prayers or in listening to the sermon. The presence of fine Jewish art in a synagogue reflects the faith and inspiration of its builders and in turn is an inspiration to all who come to worship therein.
 
Synagogues should not only be beautiful they should be Jewishly beautiful. Up to this time we Jews have not created a great tradition of synagogue art. There is, for example, no particular type of building that is Jewish and that characterizes a synagogue. Jews have always built synagogues under the influences of the contemporary architecture in the places they have lived. They have been Greek and Roman and Byzantine and sometimes even Gothic, and today where turning to our own contemporary style, the modern and the functional. The art of the synagogue has likewise, with some few exceptions, also reflected the same influences. For the most part the synagogue has borrowed Hindu, Moorish, Greek, or Gothic art styles, and put a Mogen David on top to make it Jewish. And the Jewishness of the Mogen David is not as traditional as you might think. Today, more of an effort is being made on the part of some artists to create a truly Jewish art. The things we dedicate tonight represent the work of a pioneer in this effort, one who has been called, as you perhaps have noticed in the notes of your program, the creator of the first authentically Jewish art. It is his use of ancient Hebrew symbolism, particularly the alphabet, that makes it so.
 
Such creations not only contribute to the beauty of the synagogue, but to enforcing its Jewish character, and its potential for Jewish inspiration. And we, by making this work possible, may pride ourselves on the fact that we have not only enhanced the Jewishness of our own temple, but have advanced the development of Jewish art, and have helped set an example which may have an influence on other congregations as well.
 
Therefore, my friends, this service tonight, I say, is a significant occasion not merely because that is the conventional manner in which to describe a special occasion, but because we have indeed accomplished something that a short time ago may have seemed impossible, because we have indeed stamped our Temple with a firm Jewish character, and because we have been privileged to be a vehicle of expression of a new Jewish art.
 
Baruch atto…she-ecḥeyanu….
 
[1] The Hebrew Union College (HUC)-Jewish Institute of Religion (JIR) is the oldest extant Jewish seminary in the Americas and the main seminary for training rabbis, cantors, educators and communal workers in Reform Judaism. In 1938 Sidney Ballon was ordained at HUC in Cincinnati. In 1950, a second campus was created in New York City through a merger with the rival Reform Jewish Institute of Religion. Additional campuses were added in Los Angeles, California in 1954, and in Jerusalem in 1963.

[2] The text has a handwritten note that implies that this phrase may have been attributed to a David Schwartz in The Reconstructionist journal.

[3] Psalm 96:9