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Our objective in giving expression to Messianic Jewish Art

A group of artist friends from the Messianic Jewish Alliance of Australia have started an art group to give expression to their desire as Messianic believers to explore the way that they may depict visual art works. Part of this enterprise involves the exploration of the spiritual dynamic and desire to communicate the reality that the members as Messianic believers are both artist or love the visual arts (art appreciation), and are exploring new ways to develop their artistic ability. Membership of this forum is not exclusively for people living down under, but through social media, through the use of WhatApp, Zoom, Google Meetup, etc., it is possible to participate both locally in Sydney, Melbourne, and elsewhere in Australia, but especially, anywhere else in the world where there is internet connectivity.

How may you get involved?

Firstly, you need to share the faith values of the Group, then you will need to send a request to participate to the group administrator.

What is Messianic Jewish art?

We need to differentiate between, Jewish art, Christian art, and Messianic Jewish art. Each of these categories are very broad and each in turn requires both clarifying and defining.

Jewish art

When we consider the Jewish world of art and culture, the two are intimately link, for artistic expression is an outworking of various art forms that notably helps define that people of whom it is a part, but it also helps to define who they/we are as a distinctive people-group within the world.

The Twelve Tribes Glass Windows by Marc Chagall

We must note that Chagall’s depiction of the Twelve tribes has avoided any explicit images, but is rather abstract in its interpretation due to the prohibition of the visual representation of humans and beasts in the Torah.

Notwithstanding, from the mid-nineteenth century Jewish artists under the influence of the Enlightenment threw caution to the wind, and began to boldly enter the world of European artistic expression that held no such restriction upon the portrayal of general everyday human life. This included breaking through another taboo of the representation of Jesus of Nazareth, who had been most certainly off limits to Jewish people in general, and in this context artists as well.

Christian art

Christian artistic representation of Biblical, theological, ecclesiological and general religious themes have been part and parcel of the Christian faith from its inception and did not follow Judaism’s ban on the visual presentation of humans and animals as explained above.

Messianic Jewish art

Where you may ask does Messianic Jewish art fit into the scheme of things? Is it constrained by the Torah’s prohibition as in the case Orthodox Jewish interpretation? Has it fully embraced the Christian world-view? Or does it fall somewhere in between the two faith, a bit like a half-way house, or a bridge, to use these two metaphors?

This is where the ‘new perspective.’ When we speak about a ‘bridge,’ this analogy fits well the attempt that Messianic Jewish artist and their supporters are attempting to achieve giving a clear presentation of Biblical themes and everyday life.

Work in progress

We are on a journey to ‘somewhere,’ not nowhere, as Talking Heads says. The ‘somewhere’ is what this venture and exploration is all about. We want invite you to consider what we have been discussing and discover your place within this ‘new perspective.’

Additional Resources Available:

This art book is available from Amazon Worldwide in Hardcover & Paperback

Elisheva’s & Roni’s Other Books are available from Amazon Worldwide:

anic Jewish Passover. Personal anecdotes are included of the author’s experience of cross-cultural ministry and life experiences in ministry.

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Roni’s Books Available From Amazon:

Encountering This Jewish Jesus: Messianic Jewish Faith and Practice by Roni Mechanic | 27 Aug 2023
Available from Amazon Worldwide: