"Dwelling Place" Celebrates, Teaches about Sukkot
“Dwelling Place”, an installation by award winning Maine Sculptor Asherah Cinnamon, can be seen and experienced from October 12 through October 22 on the Portland campus of the University of Southern Maine. The structure is temporary public art based on Jewish customs in celebration of the annual Festival of Sukkot, and is designed to meet traditional kosher standards.
This is an opportunity for anyone interested in Jewish culture, religion, or tradition to pay attention to the spiritual connection between humans and nature that is at the core this tradition. Designed for Hillel of Southern Maine, “Dwelling Place” will be in front of Luther Bonney Hall, near Bedford Street.
During the week long Festival, weather permitting, traditional Jews live, eat, and sleep in a temporary booth called a Sukkah. The Sukkah (the plural, Sukkot, is also the name of the Festival) is both a celebration of the fall harvest and a reminder of the years ancient Jews spent wandering through the desert in search of the promised land, after their escape from slavery in Egypt.
There will be two events in conjunction with this installation.
Hillel of Southern Maine will sponsor a Break for Bagels for students in the Sukkah from 9:30am to 11am on October 12.
Artist Asherah Cinnamon will lead 20 minute informal “Artist Talk and Walk” sessions in the Sukkah and will provide a hands-on opportunity to learn about and participate in the project between 2:30 and 5:30 PM on Monday October 17th (rain date October 18th same times): Open to the public with special invitation to students, faculty, and staff of southern Maine’s colleges and universities.
Sponsored by Hillel of Southern Maine in cooperation with the University of Southern Maine; funded by a Linda and Joel Abromson Fund Award. For more information about the artist : www.asherahcinnamon.com.
Hillel of Southern Maine: Southern Maine Hillel on Facebook.
Solidarity, Sympathy, and Silence for Boston
The tree on the Portland campus dedicated on September 11, 2011 reminds us that when those attacks took place, we didn’t know how we’d go on, but we have. Another hateful act has rocked our world; more people have died and suffered grave injury. But the tree has continued to grow, to blossom and leaf, to rest in winter, and to begin again each spring. Life is resilient.
The explosions in Boston on Monday were powerful. The pain on the part of those whose loved ones were killed, and on the part of those injured is powerful. The hatred that motivated the act, and the fear and anger it provoked are powerful.
But our gathering in solidarity and sympathy is more powerful still. Solidarity, because it means we are one people, is more powerful. Sympathy, because it means we are being with, feeling with, those who grieve and ache and must heal, is more powerful. Solidarity and sympathy have more power to carry the day. They have the power to redeem this divided, killing, maiming, aching, and yet somehow resilient world.
In solidarity and in sympathy, we hold in our minds and hearts all those impacted by the horrible events of Monday in Boston.
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