Women, Art, and Jewish Symbolism: From the Wells of Genesis to the Depths of the Dead Sea

Dimona

Bat Yam

In recent weeks, Project Kesher Israel women’s groups in Bat Yam and Dimona explored the intersection of art, spirituality, and Jewish heritage.

In Bat Yam, artist and teacher Masha Potapenkova led an evening themed “Wells and Water.” Inspired by the stories of Bereshit (Genesis) — Hagar, Rivka, Rachel — participants reflected on wells as symbols of renewal and connection. Together they painted, discussed, and shared personal interpretations, each creating a small artwork to take home as a reminder of the deep, life-giving meaning of water.

In Dimona, the women’s group delved into the work of acclaimed Israeli artist Sigalit Landau with art historian Anna Smolyarova. Through her talk, “The Dead Sea as an Artist’s Studio,” participants discovered how Landau’s art — from her salt-crystal sculptures to performances filmed beneath the Dead Sea — explores transformation, memory, and the boundaries of the body.

Both gatherings showed how art connects past and present, text and creativity, faith and identity — inspiring women to see themselves as part of an ongoing story of resilience and creation.