Image of the Week: HaTikva (The Hope)
© D. Yael Bernhard
This illustration was commissioned by my dear friend Wayne Cochran for his forthcoming collection of poetry, Light Through the Prism of My Heart. A deep thinker and talented writer, Wayne has worked in human services for many years, often as a volunteer, helping the homeless and most recently advocating for hospital patients. His compassion for the human condition translates into his poetry, which he writes both for personal expression and as verses to be recited in his synagogue – as well as the Unitarian Church to which he belongs. Wayne often shares his poems-in-progress with me, and I've illustrated one of his collections before. This time, I was inspired by his poetic commentary on the Israeli national anthem, HaTikva (The Hope), and he asked me to go ahead and do the illustration.
Israel was a nation in the second and first millennia BCE, ruled by King David and King Solomon before being split into two kingdoms in 922 BCE – Israel (the "Northern Kingdom") and Judea, each of which were ruled by approximately 19 kings. Numerous conquests ensued, beginning with the Babylonians and ending with the fall of the Second Temple in 70 CE and of Masada in 72 CE. The final ancient national rebellion of the Jews, known as the Bar Kochba Revolt, ended in 134 CE with the Roman ethnic cleansing of Jews from Jerusalem and their exile from the Land of Israel, although pockets remained. Jewish dreams to return to Zion were incorporated into daily prayers for the next 2000 years, and the hope of a rebuilt Jerusalem.
In 1948, the State of Israel emerged once again from the ashes of the Holocaust. Surviving centuries of persecution, the Jewish people rooted their hope in their ancient homeland, joyfully working the land and building a new nation. In this painting, the figures are reminiscent of the famous painting "American Gothic" by Grant Wood, drawing sustenance from their physical labor – but as stated in the Torah, only under the eye of the Eternal is this possible. The eye of God in the palm of an outstretched hand is known in Arabic as a hamsa – a symbol of divine will and protection all over the Middle East.
The elements of creation – a river flowing with roots, a desert horizon, a sky with clouds, and the city of Jerusalem – form the background of the image, for that is the context in which these people strive to build a new beginning and a better life. Above and surrounding all, God's light extends through and beyond these forms. The original acrylic painting is done with highlights of metallic gold paint, which actually reflects light (not visible in this reproduction).
Wayne's poem, titled HaTikva! The Hope! – is written as a call and response for reading out loud in synagogue. The couplets speak to the innermost hope of the Jewish people:
Those who stand unflinching against the mountain shall gain its summit.
Those rivers rushing headlong to the sea shall greet their dreams.
We love the dawn, harbinger of day and rebirth.
We love the twilight, promiser of night and slumber.
Desolation can take hold of our hearts only for a spell.
For our veins return blood with hope from every one of our cells.
These words speak of a hope that is both particular and universal. Though my life emerges from a different era and I climb a different mountain, the poem kindled hope in my own heart. I left the spiral-bound manuscript open to this poem for weeks next to the armchair where I meditate – and where I often write these posts, including this one. This collaboration was a gift to me – and hopefully, to you too.
HaTikva is the image for May 2024 in my newly-published calendar, The Jewish Eye 5784/2024 Calendar of Art – available in my webstore ($20 with shipping included) or on Amazon ($16.95). If you buy it from Amazon, please consider writing a review!
You can view the entire calendar here.
A good week to all!
D Yael Bernhard
children's books • fine art • illustration
