Published: 17 February 2023
Last updated: 5 March 2024
NOMI KALTMANN speaks to five Hasidic painters about the relationship between their religious life and their art.
DovBer Naiditch remembers the disappointment he felt when he received a B grade on a philosophy essay he wrote while studying for his Master of Fine Arts at the University of Pittsburgh.
Despite working hard on the piece, he was unaware he had not structured his essay in the classic academic format required for this assignment.
Naiditch approached his teacher to plead his case. “I argued that I structured the essay in a Hasidic way,” he chuckles. The teacher was convinced and upgraded his essay to an A.
Today, Naiditch, 40, and the father of 11, uses his writing talents to produce short stories for children. He has worked as a writer for shows on Netflix and YouTube, including the globally popular Mighty Little Bheem, Netflix's first animated series from India.
While most stories he writes are not for an exclusively Jewish audience, he says his Hasidic background influences his creative talent. “My own art reflects who I am. I’m a Hasid, so I love little stories that tell big things. As Hasidim, we are always seeking union with God. We seek mysticism. And we try to live above nature. I just make it more magical with my writing.”
Some might think there is a tension between living a religious Jewish life and the free expression of an artist's life. This tension was captured by US Jewish author, Chaim Potok in his best-selling novel My Name Is Asher Lev. The main character is born into a Hasidic family and wants to be an artist but is unable to reconcile the tension he feels in wanting to freely express himself alongside his upbringing.
However, it need not be that way. The Jewish Independent spoke to five Hasidic artists, some of whom are just starting out, others with decades of experience. Not one regarded their religious life as an obstacle to creating their art.
