SUNDAY's CHURCH DAY, RIGHT?

Natureman and I spent this past Sunday in church.  So what? Well, that's not our usual time to be in a religious building as we as Jews and many others celebrate Sabbath from sundown Friday to sundown Saturday. But we received a special invitation from our artist friend Clara Goldstein to come to a reception for her art exhibit in the community hall of  La Crosse's Christ Episcopal Church.








Clara was born Catholic but when she married she converted to her husband's religion of Judaism. Her art became her vehicle of both her personal religious journey and for expression. Her subject matter is Jesus as a Jew. 

Studying Judaism helped Clara understand the religion Jesus followed being a Jew born to a Jewish mother, Mary. Many forget the fact Jesus was jewish.The exhibit is hung in chronological order and Clara explained the sequence of the  paintings from Jesus's birth, circumcision, studying the Torah (the 5 books of Moses), his Bar Mitzvah accepting G-d's covenant, celebrating the holidays including the Passover seder known to the Christian world as the Last Supper. 

Clara's artistic technique transfers us to a different time and yet her most recent works are more modern in their vibrancy and subject matter.   

The day's reception was extra special as on the 2nd Sunday each month, the congregants contribute to a potluck luncheon. We appreciated being able to share in the day and the opening of the exhibit.

The exhibit is on display at Christ Episcopal Church on 111N. 9th St in La Crosse until November 26th (2018).