“Rooted Here” Haggadah and Thesis Exhibition
My thesis project for the graphic design MFA program at Maryland Institute College of Art focused on creating Jewish resources. I designed a haggadah (prayer book/instructional menu) for Tu B’shvat, the Jewish New Year of Trees. The haggadah I designed aims to disentangle the holiday from its Zionist history and to ground it in its original, spiritual roots: using the fruit and nuts that originate from trees to learn truths about ourselves and the Earth around us.
2023, Maryland Institute College of Art
Advisors: Ellen Lupton, Jennifer Cole Phillips, Abraham Burickson, Rabbi Ariana Katz
Illustrations
This series of illustrations is used on each cover page for each stage, or “world” of the Tu B’shvat seder (dinner/service.) During each stage of the Tu B’shvat seder, different fruits and nuts are eaten that have special symbolic significance.
Rooted Here Haggadah
Click through below to see the haggadah in its entirety. Like many Jewish texts, the haggadah is read from the right page to the left page (though to click through, use the button on the right to see the next spread).
Thesis Exhibition
For the exhibition portion of my thesis project, I translated my digital illustrations into laser-cut and CNC-cut sculptural pieces, that I painted and displayed. The printed haggadot were laid out for viewers to peruse.
