Deborah Rolnik Raichman is a Brazilian judaica artist presently living in Houston. The warm and vivid colors from tropical Brazil, where she was raised, are a steady presence in her work. From her European parents, who were Holocaust refugees, she inherited a passion for everything Jewish. During her graduate studies in architecture, she became interested in Jewish art and religion which has… Read more →
danielgolani
Selected Publications
03/2013 – ‘Yiddish Redt Zich Aleyn’ (Yiddish Comes Naturally) is the cover of the Jewish Herald Voice Passover Magazine. 09/2009 – Featured Artist of the 2009/2010 Women of Reform Judaism Art Calendar. 09/2009 – Featured Artist of the: Safeway 2010 Jewish Heritage Calendar (600,000 printed) 09/2008 – Featured Artist of the: Safeway 2009 Jewish Heritage Calendar (450,000 printed) 09/2007 –… Read more →
Videos
Deborah Raichman – "Nu? Voss zogt a yid?" Yiddish Expressions Exhibition from Elisheva Golani on Vimeo. Deborah Rolnik Raichman from Elisheva Golani on Vimeo. Read more →
Articles
Jewish Latin Princess The Yiddish Daily Forward (יידיש) The Houston Chronicle The Jewish Herald Voice Read more →
Exhibits
SOLO EXHIBITS 08/ 2015 – Deutser Gallery, at ERJCC, “Nu? Voss Zogt A Yid? A Personal Interpretation of Yiddish Sayings and Proverbs”, Houston, TX 05/2014 – Chabad Center of Stamford, “ Deborah Rolnik Raichman’s Art, Stamford, CT. 01/2014 – Meyerland Minyan, “Deborah Rolnik Raichman’s Art”, Houston, TX 11/2013 – United Orthodox Synagogues, “Deborah Rolnik Raichman’s Art”, Houston,TX. 01/2010 – Chabad… Read more →
Tav
Shin
Reish
Watercolor 25″ x 19″ Reish is the Aramaic word for head, or beginning. According to the Midrash: Rosh,head in Hebrew, is the Holy One, Blessed is He. He is the ‘Head’ of the entire world, and He is the ‘End’ of the entire world. The shape of the letter can be seen as a passageway through which man can… Read more →
Kuf
Watercolor Private Collection of Mr. & Mrs. Barnett ‘Kuf’ is composed of two elements: one higher and one lower. The higher one seems to represent the sky, while the lower one reminds us of a humble praying person. The letter Kof alludes to the word ‘keddushah’, holiness. The Torah tells us: ‘Holy shall you be because I… Read more →
Final Tzadi
watercolor 20″ x 26″ The final “Tzadi” with its upright shape represents the righteousness of God and devout human beings. The final Tzadi is the final letter in the word earth, which is one of the four elements with which the world was created: earth, air, water and fire. It’s also the final letter of the word ‘ets’ (tree), the… Read more →
Tzadi
Watercolor Part of the private collection of Mr. and Mrs. S. Amber “Tzadi” or “Tzaddik” is the eighteenth letter of the Hebrew Alphabet. The “Tzadi” represents the righteousness of God and devout human beings. The term ‘tzaddik’’ is applied to those who conduct themselves with integrity, truth and justice. One who lives in accordance with the Torah’s dictum: ‘Justice,… Read more →
Final Phey
Mixed Media 20 3/4″ x 26″ The letter Peh is related to the mouth: peh, mouth in Hebrew. “Final Fey” was associated by the rabbis to the open mouth, speaking and words. This painting was inspired by sayings from Mishleh that compare words to the sea: ” hurtful words are like stormy waters, they can harm and destroy; kind words… Read more →
Peh
Mixed media 27″ x 20″ The peh, mouth in Hebrew, makes a human being able to fulfill te ultimate purpose of creation: to sing the praises of the Almigty and to study his Torah. As the Psalm (115:17) says “the dead do not praise God but living people do, by virtue of their speech.” Read more →
Ayn
Watercolor 26″ x 20″ The word Ayn means eye. Another meaning for the word Ayn is spring of water. Just as a spring brings water from the dark depth of the Earth to the light, so the eye brings the perception of the world to man. Read more →
Samech
Private Collection: Dr. & Mrs. I. Fishman The round closed frame of the letter “samech” represents an inner core protected by a surrounding perimeter. Its closed circle indicates that Hashem protects His children like a “surrounding wall of fire” (Zechariah 2:9). The burning bush is a symbol of the Jewish people and their survival throughout history. Read more →
Nun
Watercolor on oriental paper 25″ x 19″ “Nun” is the initial letter of the word “neshamah” (soul), which is symbolized by a burning candle. The flame of fire shoots heavenward, apparently defying the very laws of gravity. Read more →
Mem
Watercolor Collection of the Mikveh Taharas Ysrael at the Chabad Lubavitch Center in Houston “Mem” begins and closes the Hebrew word for water (mayim) and symbolizes for Jewish mystics the vast sea of human consciousness. It is also associated with “mikvah” which brings about purification. Read more →
Lamed
Watercolor 25″ x 19″ The name of the letter ‘Lamed’, is related to ’lamad’, which refers to teaching and to learning. The fact that the tallest letter of the alephbet is the one that implies learning and teaching shows us that this quality is man’s greatest gift. The name ‘Lamed’ , for learning, is an acronym of ‘a heart understands… Read more →
Chaf
Watercolor & collage 27″x 34″ The Hebrew word ‘chaf’ means the palm of the hand which represents productivity and accomplishments. There is so much more that can be accomplished by putting many hands together, like the flower in this painting. Read more →
Yizkor (Memorial Box)
Memorial to my grandfather Avrumele who was murdered, in Poland, during the Holocaust.Those who knew him called him a “sheyner Yid”. My father’s tefilin are the only thing our family owns that was ever touched by my grandfather. With that in mind I designed this box. The inside has a broken and burned picture frame around his photo and a… Read more →
The Shoah
Watercolor and Collage 23 1/2″ x 29 1/2″ This collage was made in rememberance of the artist’s grandparents, Avrumele and Bayla Rolnik, and aunts who were murdered, in Poland, during the Holocaust. The image is covered by red and black symbolizing fire and destruction. The gate of Aushwitz, with the words: Arbeit Macht Frei (works brings freedom) oversee the map… Read more →
דאס לעבן איז ניט מער ווי א חלום, אבער וועקט מיר ניט אויף (Life is Just a Dream, But Please Do Not Wake Me Up)
20″ x 24″ Mixed Media on Plexiglass Read more →
א וועלט מיט וועלטלעך (A World with Worlds)
Mixed media on plexiglass 16″ x 20″ x 4″ Each person has an aura, an area of influence.Some people are very important and influential in our lives, while some are seem to be unimportant. However, even a child may have influence and impact on the adults and other children than surround them. Every action of ours affects the universe. These… Read more →
א מענטש טראכט און ג-ט לאכט (Man Dreams While G-d Laughs)
“A Mentsh tracht un Got Lacht” means that we plan and build dreams but ultimately it is all in G-d’s hands. He knows what will really happen. The young man is dreaming, building a castle of paper cards. What he does not see is the fire approaching his castle. Read more →
יעדער מענטש האט זיך זיין פעקל (Every Person Carries a Bundle)
The Yiddish expression: ” Yeder Mentsh mit Zayn Pekl“, everyone carries a bundle, means that everyone has a set of problems, conditions, difficulties in their lives… Some carry them more easily thaמ others! Among the background lines of life, images of people and their packages were placed. Some carry them more easily than others. It’s sometimes a matter of attitude. Read more →
יידיש רעדט זיך אליין (Yiddish Comes Naturally)
Mixed media on plexiglass and light bulbs As a child growing up in South America, I often heard the expression: יידיש רעדט זיך אליין, ( Yiddish comes naturally). I was always amused by it, since it assumes that all Jews spoke Yiddish effortlessly. Read more →
I Never Saw Another Butterfly
(mixed media on plexiglass) 15 1/4” x 13 1/4” Inspired by a poem written by a 12 years old Jewish boy who was killed in the Holocaust. This boy wrote that for the seven weeks he had been in the ghetto, he had not seen another butterfly. He missed his freedom and nature. Read more →
Yud
Watercolor Private collection: Mr. & Mrs. M. Weiss This letter stands for Joseph and his multicolored coat, the interpreter of dreams. Read more →
Tet
Watercolor 28″ x 22″ Private Collection Tet’s numerical value is nine, which corresponds to the months of gestation. The first Tet that appears in the Torah is in the word “Tov”, which means ‘good’ (Genesis 1:4). Our Guide in choosing the good in life is the Torah, which is called “a good acquisition”. “For a good acquisition have I… Read more →
Chet
Watercolor 24″ x 30″ Private Collection: Mr & Mrs. M. Weiss ‘Chet’ stands for ‘chalom’ (dream). The Jewish people’s dream has always been that of redemption and the rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem. Read more →