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 become the focus of her life.

    Symbols of the Jewish tradition, especially the rich imagery associated with the Hebrew alphabet, are her main sources of inspiration. Lately, she is inspired by Yiddish sayings and proverbs, their wit and their humor. The artist feels that art dealing with Yiddish expressions should be approached with very contemporary media to assert that Yiddish wisdom is not something ancient, of the Old Country, but on the contrary, very apropos.

   Her artwork, based on traditional sources, aims to remind the modern Jew of his long forgotten heritage. As she says, ” When I make my public curious about Jewish culture, I’ve reached my goal”. Her work can be found as part of several fine private collections in the U.S., South America and Israel as well as several synagogues and Jewish buildings.

Deborah Raichman – "Nu? Voss zogt a yid?" Yiddish Expressions Exhibition from Elisheva Golani on Vimeo.

Deborah Rolnik Raichman from Elisheva Golani on Vimeo.

The Yiddish Daily Forward (יידיש)

The Houston Chronicle

The Jewish Herald Voice

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 Lubavitch Center, “Deborah Rolnik Raichman’s Art”, Houston, TX.

03/2009 – Suzie’s Grill, “ New Works of Art: Watercolors & Collages”, Houston, TX.

01/2004 – Goldman Art Gallery,” The Art of the Hebrew Letters”, JCC of Greater Washington, Rockville, MD.

11/2003 – JCC of St. Paul, solo exhibit “The Art of the Hebrew Letters”, of St. Paul, MN.

03/2003 – JCAA Art Gallery, Austin, Texas, solo exhibit: “The Art of the Hebrew Letters”.

11/2002 – Houston Congregation for Reform Judaism, Houston, “The Art of the Hebrew Letters”.

01/2002 – Deutser Gallery, JCC, Houston: “The Art of Hebrew Letters”.

GROUP EXHIBITS

01/2014_  Anne Frank Center, “Faith &Form: Addressing Intolerance and Antisemitism”, organized by the Jewish Art Salon, New York, NY.

12/2013 – Canton Museum of Art, “Sacred Voices Exhibit”, Canton, OH.

08/2013- JLI Convention, “ Living in Joy”, Alexandria, VA.

05/2011- Art League of Houston, “Sacred Songs & Sacred sites: Calligraphy and The Call”, Houston, TX.

02/2007- Kraft Center for Jewish Life, Columbia/Barnard University, New York “Words  Within” Jewish Women Artist’s Network National Juried Exhibition

01/2007- Watercolor Art Society of Houston Gallery “Bayou City Watermedia Artists”.

09/2006- Morton Street Gallery,  “Watercolor Buffett”, Richmond, TX.

09/2006- Deutser Gallery, “Houston Showcase 2006″ Art exhibition on the themes of the High Holy Days by 5 Houstonian artists.

09/2005- Margolis Gallery, Houston “Ketubbah” An Invitational Exhibit, Houston, TX.

03/2005- Deutser Gallery, “The Ten Plagues” An Invitational Exhibit, Houston, TX.

03/2004- Norman and Sarah Brown Art Gallery, JCC of Greater Baltimore, MD, “The Secrets of the Aleph Bet: Mystical DNA” An Invitational Exhibit.

09/2002 – “Jewish Echoes Exhibit”, The Strand Theatre, Galveston, Texas.

40″ x 30″

28″ x 22″

30″ x 24″

According to the Kabbalah, the hidden meaning of the first phrase of the Torah:   ‘Bereshit barah Elokim et hashamayim ve’et ha’aretz”, is that G-d’s first act was to create the letters from Aleph to Taph (et).

27″ x 21″

While we associate letters with the dark printed characters of the prayer book, the original aleph-bet was composed of white spiritual forces.

27″ x 21″