From the Narrows
מִן הַמֵּצַר קָרָאתִי יָּהּ עָנָנִי בַמֶּרְחָב יָהּ
Min ha’metzar karati Yah Anani b’merhav Yah
From the depths of despair, I called out to You, and you answered me with great expansiveness.
We made it into 2021 with your help – thanks for supporting Mishkan last year! Wishing you a happy Passover, one that sets you on the path from constriction to freedom, from sorrow to joy, from mourning to celebrating, from darkness to great light, and from enslavement to redemption (Mishnah Pesachim 10).*
Highlights from last year!
- Hosted first-ever virtual seder with over 500 screens in attendance
- Virtual High Holidays saw 2700 individuals from 38 states and 5 countries
- Launched 3 podcasts with almost 10,000 listens
- Hosted virtual Shabbat services every Friday and every other Saturday morning
Watch our Davening Team perform Min Ha’Metzar, From the Narrows, a traditional song sung during Passover.
About the Artwork
The concept of this artwork was built around the text “Min Hametzar…”, meaning, “from the narrows”. I was thinking about the constriction of our lives since COVID-19 began and how our people moved from the narrows: from slavery to freedom. The imagery appears as a landscape that constricts at one point and then opens up. It is based on a selection of eight graphs that chart the trajectory of facets of human life on earth over the past year, ranging from daily COVID infection rates to unemployment rates. For aesthetic reasons, I adapted the actual charts to make these wave or mountain-like shapes, but their roots are in data points and in the hope of flattening the ominous curve.
Bat Sarah Press is a Judaica and Ritual Art company owned and run by artist and Mishkan Builder, Rachel Ellison. For more of her work or to purchase a print of this artwork (a portion of the proceeds will go to Mishkan), visit www.batsarahpress.com.