Tag Archives: jewish culture

Art Sunday 10/05/08: A Celebration of Judaism in Art

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Self-portrait of Solomon Alexander Hart Solomon Alexander Hart 1806-1881 was a British painter. He was born in Plymouth, England, the son of Samuel Hart, a Jewish engraver and teacher of Hebrew. He remained an observant Jew all his life. He served as an engraver’s apprentice in where he studied at the Royal Academy, and excelled in miniature painting. Hart became celebrated as a painter of historical scenes and characters, and in 1854 was appointed professor of painting in the Royal Academy.   The Feast of … Continue reading →

The Jewish Origin of the Vulcan Salute

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The Jewish Origin of the Vulcan Salute by Rabbi Yonassan Gershom We come now to the most famous Jewish influence on Vulcan culture, the “live long and prosper” hand gesture. This “Vulcan salute, ” as it has come to be called, was invented on the set by Leonard Nimoy during the filming of the second-season opener, “Amok Time.” In this episode, Spock goes into something like a male estrus cycle, called pon farr in the Vulcan language. Comparing himself to a salmon swimming upstream to … Continue reading →

Poetry Wednesday 09/08/09: Life is a Journey

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The Feast of the Rejoicing of The Law at the Synagogue in Leghorn, Italy. 1850. Oil on canvas. The Jewish Museum, New York, by Soloman Alexander Hart. The poem, “Life is a Journey” is recited every year at our Yom Kippur service on Kol Nidrei. It is a prayer to God to grant us atonement for our sins and pray for those who are in need of healing. It is read at funerals and services in Judaism. The author was a Rabbi in Chicago, Illinois … Continue reading →