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Engen Tapestries: "Mount Sinai on Route 43"

Berit Engen Tapestries: "Mount Sinai on Route 43"

Joining our stunning Gropper Windows, Berit Engen's series of tapestries, "Mount Sinai on Route 43 – From the Shore of the Sea to the Mishkan in Our Hearts," is now installed in Temple Har Zion's lobby. The set of 10 tapestries was designed to be viewed moving from the east (street) side of the lobby to the west side.  They tell the story of the Israelites receiving and accepting the covenant after their exodus from Egypt and crossing the Red Sea, focusing on the theme of Revelation.

In the artist's commentary on the tapestries, she says: "I wove this series of ten tapestries on the 3000-year-old story of receiving and accepting the covenant at Sinai as recorded in the Torah." She goes on to note that she uses "a deep purplish blue to symbolize t’chelet, the “Jewish” blue mentioned in the Torah, and which we were commanded to use in the tzitzit in the four corners of our prayer shawls. I have woven it into all ten tapestries, symbolizing a specific object or concept in each piece." These exquisite works reveal the deep artistry and spirituality of their creator. 

Dedication of the Tapestries

The tapestries were dedicated on Saturday, December 4, 2021, with the artist attending to present the tapestries. You can see her series, Mount Sinai on Route 43  – From the Shore of the Sea to the Mishkan in Our Hearts here. A recording of her presentation is on the Har Zion YouTube page:

1 – Celebrating by the Sea
at the Edge of Our Wandering

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2 – Miracles Received 
While the Wilderness Surrounded Us

3 – The Attack to Annihilate Us
We Fought and Won

4 – Standing Before the Trembling Rock
on the Day of Calling

5 – In God’s Hands: “Na’aseh . . .

6 – . . . v’Nishma!”

These two tapestries are on either side of the door to the sanctuary.

7 – As If Adorned by B’tzalel:
Shabbat Ot B’rit Olam

8 – Our Broken Commitment
and God’s Mercy

9 – God’s Sacred Dwelling Place That We Built

10 – After Mountain and Mishkan:
Taking the Words to Heart

Sat, January 28 2023 6 Shevat 5783