When I received the letter about the project for the Holocaust Museum, I jotted down these words as concepts of HOPE. Hope is respect, new life, new generation, new insight, new goodness, collective memory, regrowth, old roots, strong heritage. TRADITION, STRENGTH, HONOR, LOVE. I reread articles and stories about how I would paint these concepts. My first thought was of a tree. I pictured the buds as people and the proliferation of new life over and over again. Then I reviewed in my mind my many years of living in Israel and knew Israel was the HOPE, in so many ways. My painting is symbolic of the things that make Israel the hope for me and the world through my eyes. I saw the country and its establishment as the first hope; then the wonderful things that encompass the country for me----reforestation, the sabra plant, figs, and shabbat candles, Kiddush cup and pomegranate\as the symbol of new life, the sun rising. Kiddush lavana, a rainbow, as a blessing and hamsa. the symbol of protection.

The representation of humanity, the figure in the center of the butterfly, breaking down walls of imprisonment and hatred and turning them into things of goodness and beauty.

I felt honored to work on the project. My hope is that these symbols will always be there.

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