All three images explore the role of Torah in my life. In one image, I hold the tallit over my head, symbolizing Torah as protection and a safe home to gather under. In another, I see myself literally wrapped in Torah, which provides the foundation for my life, giving me a lens to view the world from—a “code” to live by. In the final image, I raise the Yad in my clenched fist—symbolizing using the written word of Torah to inform activism that seeks to redress injustice. Taken together, the art captures how held I feel by this ancient tradition and the ways it informs modern life.
Header image design by Orly Zebak. Artwork courtesy of Leia Miriam.
Leia is an Australian scholar who developed a love of expressing themselves through drawing that emerged while undertaking their first Omer count in 2022. Now they can’t stop flexing their drawing muscles through sketching ideas and feelings stimulated by Torah study and what it means to live a “Jewish life.” They’re forever grateful for the inspiration drawn from the folks at Torah Studio, who have cracked open a new way forward for them.