Contemporary Jewish Museum: Do Not Destroy: Trees, Art, and Jewish Thought

Join us for a presentation by the Contemporary Jewish Museum on Do Not Destroy: Trees, Art, and Jewish Thought, an exhibition on view at the CJM through May 28, 2012. Do Not Destroy: Trees, Art, and Jewish Thought is an exciting opportunity to explore the subject of the tree in Jewish
tradition through the lens of contemporary artists who enable us to see the world in new ways and to encourage us to find fresh meaning in tradition. The tree is a universally potent symbol with particular significance… Show more in Judaism, especially now as global environmental concerns have begun to impact contemporary Jewish practice.
The title of the exhibition Do Not Destroy (Bal Tashchit in
Hebrew), is taken from a commandment in the Torah (Deuteronomy 20:19) that forbids the wanton destruction of trees during wartime. During the rabbinical period, this concept was broadened to encompass humanity's responsibility to shield all of nature from unnecessary harm. This ancient evidence of environmental protection, along with the rise of a distinctly Jewish environmental movement, inspired the CJM to explore a parallel initiative within contemporary art practice. By creating works of art with the tree as a central motif, artists reference the real world while envisioning an alternative.

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