Out my Window: An Exploration of Photography, Community, and Torah presented by Gail Albert Halaban (Multi-access Tish)

Out my Window: An exploration of photography, community, and Torah presented by Gail Albert Halaban

See Gail’s photos here: https://www.gailalberthalaban.com/

During the pandemic, we have all become acutely aware of the presence of our neighbors across the window space. You would assume from Jewish tradition, we should avoid spying on our neighbors – privacy, and modesty are fundamentally important. However, we realized during Covid, not only is that impossible but it is irresponsible. On a day-to-day basis, when we are all in quarantine, we gained a sense of comfort and connectivity by gazing at the neighbors across the street. But many of us did not allow this gazing to be anonymous instead, we signaled our neighbors to see if they needed help. This reaching out to others, to check on people in our community, has long been a defining characteristic of Jews. On the everyday level, this focus on peoplehood is translated into an emphasis on the community as the primary organizing structure of Jewish life. Jewish texts treat participation in communal affairs not as an option, but as a religious obligation.

Community in a big city is hard to define but in my work, I define it as the people we see each day – who, though we may not know or acknowledge, give us a sense of place and belonging. Through my work, I am acknowledging the importance of the community built across the window space. I photograph from window to window with the consent of the neighbors. The work is about loving my neighbors – partaking in the joy’s and celebrations of their lives.

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Multi-access Tishes are held at 9:00 a.m. ET on Shabbat in the SAJ Social Hall in person and also can be attended using the Zoom room listed below.

SAJ members often arrive 10 minutes early at the Social Hall and on Zoom to enjoy fellowship.

Tish Zoom Room:

• https://zoom.us/j/964139778
• Meeting ID: 964 139 778

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