TORONTO — “Upon the Doorposts,” an exhibit featuring mezuzah cases created by members of the Pomegranate Guild of Judaic Textiles, Toronto, will be mounted in several Ontario cities in the next year.
Rikki Blitt, left, president of the Pomegranate Guild of Judaic Textiles, Toronto, and Melanie Siegel, co-ordinator of the mezuzot exhibition “Upon the Doorposts.”
The show, which closed at Baycrest in Toronto on Oct. 1, will travel to Hamilton, Montreal, London, and then back in Toronto.
“The mezuzot in our ‘Upon the Doorposts’ exhibit demonstrate that mezuzah cases can be made from many materials and can be very ornate,” said Melanie Siegel, an award-winning textile artist who co-ordinated the exhibit.
She added that Jewish people have observed the commandment of placing mezuzot upon their doorposts for more than 3,000 years.
“When we fulfil this commandment today, we form an unbroken thread which binds us to our ancestors as well as to all future generations,” said Rikki Blitt, the newly elected president of the guild.
“We especially owe Melanie [Siegel] a debt of gratitude for her vision, her dedication and her tireless attention to detail, which resulted in making this beautiful and professional exhibition of which we are all proud.”
The mezuzot, which are knitted, fabric, glass beaded, mixed media and made of other materials, reflect the talents and diversity of the guild members.
“Upon the Doorposts” opens at Or Shalom Synagogue in London, Ont., on Oct. 22 for a run that ends Jan. 5. The exhibit will be on display at Hamilton’s Temple Anshe Sholom from Jan. 10 to March 15; the Aron Museum in Montreal from April 11 to Aug. 1; and at Beth Tzedec Congregation in Toronto from Aug. 15 to Nov. 30.
Siegel said that discussions are in progress for the mezuzot exhibition to travel to venues in the United States.
For more information about the exhibit, e-mail [email protected] or visit www.pomegranateguild.ca.
