CHAI

“ CHAI “

Steel

2014

Joan Frazier Memorial Award for Judaism & The Arts

The Joan Frazer Memorial Award for Judaism and the Arts was established at Hillel at Arizona State University in 2002.

The grant is awarded to create art that in some way portrays Judaism, Jews, Jewish community, or Jewish culture.

ABOUT:

“Chai” in Hebrew is made from the characters Chet (ח‎) and Yod (י‎) forming the word chai, meaning "alive", or "living".

This piece is to honor a family amulet that has been passed down through generations. Although not technically considered Jewish, as my mother was not (( Jews are a matrilinear society )) I would not be the person I am today had I not grown up with the tradition and tight knit family, with whom I was very close, from my father’s side. Many of the stories, both ancient and personal, are how the Jewish people were resilient in their connection to way of life and one another. This piece is representative of the torch of life that is carried by each generation and passed down to the next. This is the way the culture has endured for millenea. Even through persecution and hardship this group of people kept their values and passed important ways of being into prosperity. I honor my family with this sculpture, who supported me to be who I am today, as well at the diaspora of Jewish family I have met in my life, always offering a comfort of home.

In permanent collection at ASU Hillel House