Prophetess of water

If Deborah is the prophet of war, and Jeremiah is the prophet of exile, Miriam is the prophet of water. Almost from the first moment we see her, she's next to the water, watching her brother's cradle to safety along the Nile. She knows the power of water to bring life and death. So it's appropriate that here in her Song of the Sea she sings of God's use of the waterpower. As the very next lines show (Ex 15.22-27), Moses himself doesn't know so much about water, but brings the people to a place of bitter waters, Marah, which precipitates the first stirrings of rebellion. He must appeal to God for help, who exacts a promise from the people to obey God's statutes in return for leading them to fresh water. In the desert, water is politics.

Tradition has it that Miriam secured the Israelites against future such occurences by her magic well of water. I prefer to think of it this way: her brother, Moses, is good at the flashy miracle--raise the rod, etc.--but Miriam's unique ability is to listen attentively and patiently to the earth's processes and find the sources of life deep in the aquifers below. When Moses wants to turn back a rebellion by Korach, God helps him by opening up the ground--but that sort of miracle won't work when it comes to the waterpower: the sources would be clogged by the violence of the collapsing earth. Moses doesn't want to speak to the rock to get water, even after God promises him 3 separate times that speaking to it will produce water. Instead, he beats it with his rod--the rod that turns the Nile to blood, the rod of war, the rod of a certain kind of masculine authority.

Miriam knows the secret of speaking to the rock; she knows the secret of dialogue rather than the exercise of autocratic authority. Moses' impatience and reliance on divine authority and power is vital to the success of his mission. Community-organizer, institution-builder, mover of a slave people to freedom--with a little coercion when necessary. Miriam's power of dialogue is no less vital to the success of her mission: that is, to get close to the pure sources of life.


It's no wonder that the people will not stir from Hazeroth until Miriam, punished by God for questioning Moses' authority, is readmitted to camp: the sources of life might dry up if not for her! (Num. 11). Neither is it any wonder that when Miriam dies in Kadesh (in about 1452 BCE) the Torah reports: "Miriam died there and was buried there. The community was without water, and they joined against Moses and Aaron." In this second water-related political crisis in the community, neither the political leader (Moses) nor the priestly leader (Aaron) knows how to respond appropriately. It's in this crisis that Moses disobeys God, raises the rod, and disregards the command to speak to the rock--for which he is condemned never to enter the Land.

Miriam is indeed a prophet: the prophet who knows that the process by which one gets near to the "fountain of living waters" is as important as the nearness itself. She models a type of relationship that is based on listening and respect. For sometimes, though one has the best intentions, the very impatience by which one attempts to construct holy relationships can poison one's own life, and produce such bitterness that it poisons the lives of subsequent generations. (from Anton Marks)



To learn more about Miriam, the prophetess check this out.


Judy Miller combines humor and talent to make this Miriam seder and matzah plate combination as well as her Miriam's cup, which has become a part of so many seder tables. Judy began making ceramics as a young art student in need of money. Thankfully, what she found was her niche!

Another lovely Pesach marriage

Ron and Brenda Orenstein offer yet another option for your seder table- seder plates made from wood (they also have lovely Elijah's and Miriam's cups). Ron and Brenda Orenstein have designed and produced Judaica and functional items primarily for the home since 1977. Their love affair with creating imaginative crafts has been rewarded with personal notes and letters from appreciative collectors and recognition and placement of their work in the permanent collections of Museums and Jewish Centers. Their work is contemporary and has clean lines, geometric shapes and it is always functional. They use sustainable American Hardwoods. The work is all hand turned, carved and constructed by Ron and Brenda.



While I love beautiful things, I also am quite practical. I love the Presentation Seder Plate because it would save so much room on my table. No longer would I need a separate plate for my matzah and the seder plate. Someone will still spill some red wine on my white table cloth, but it would not be Passover if tht did not happen.

Why is this seder plate different?

The seder plates I shared with you recently have had soft edges- whether from ceramic or metal. These two plates from the married couple Brian and Alice Bergner are square and encorporate glass in them. Actually both seder plates- like the artists who made them- are a marriage. In these seder plates a marriage of two materials- glass and mother of pearl or glass and Jerusalem stone. I love the combination of the man made and the natural elements.















The couple live in Caesarea, Israel and say this about how their home influences their art: Living as we do on the shore of the Mediterranean, the quality of our life is determined to a great extent by the sea and all it represents. My family spends as much time as possible combing its beaches, and we are lucky enough to have a bird's eye view of it from every window of our home, including our studio. Willingly or not, our moods and inspiration are in tandem with the mood of the sea. Our work, inevitably organic, is a homage of sorts, a salute to its life and debris.

Geometry for Jews

I offer a range of Seder plates to accommodate your Passover, as well as a modern alternative set for a more inclusive celebration. I make Seder sets in two different patterns, so the first step is to choose which design you want and in which colors. Click on any of the images below for an enlargement of that pattern and a price. Then choose whether you need 6 or 7 Seder minis from the link below. The images at the top of this page are also clickable. For an exciting action photo of our eco-feminist Seder plate in use at my sister's home look to the above left.

Seder plates are used in the celebration of Passover by the Jews, which we have been observing for the past three thousand years. Every year we commemorate the flight of our ancestors from slavery in Egypt and our birth as a free people in the desert. We use the Seder plate to help us tell the story of Passover and there are special places for symbolic items.

While yesterday's seder plates from Shagra Landesman and today's from Paul Barchilon are traditional, the former have more of a modern coolness as a result of their being aluminum. The colors of the glazes on Barchilon's ceramics exude a warmth. I also love the geometric designs reminiscent of the mandala. The Israeli artist Ofira Oriel features the Star of David in her mandala paintings.

Margaret Starbird wrote the following about the Star of David as mandala in her book The Woman with the Alabaster Jar (very much NOT a Jewish text). As an archetypal symbol for the sacred union of the opposite energies, it (the Star of David) is the yin-yang of western civilization. Formed by the intertwining of the fire and water triangles (the male blade and the female chalice) this symbol represents the masculine and feminine principles in perfect union, the sacred marriage or hieros gamous of the ancient world....The message of the Star of David in the heavens is undoubtedly peace on earth. But it is more than that. It is a reminder that we are not alone--that we are part of a whole and that the Living Force of the Cosmos is with us. Equality, mutuality, community and wisdom are all summed up in this beautiful mandala whose ultimate archetypal meaning is harmony in diversity.

Ki Tisa

The Torah portions of the last two weeks were less than exciting... but here in Exodus 30:11–34:35 the action returns. At the start of the parsha, Moses remains on Mt. Sinai and the Hebrews grow restless and fearful. Out of the their anxiety they encourage Aaron to find them a god... and thus the golden calf is molded. Moses returns from the mountain, he smashes the two tablets he had spent weeks transcribing and destroys the calf as well. God is angry and wishes to destroy the Hebrews but Moses defends the good Hebrews. Those who do not repent for their sins are killed; the rest are forgiven. Moses returns to the mountain for another forty days... but when he returns to the camp, he is different. Aaron and all the Israelites saw that the skin of Moses' face was radiant; and they shrank from coming near him. (Exodus 34:31) It is from this series of verses that the light eminating from Moses comes, and the misinterpretaion that Jews have horns also arises.


In Exodus 34:18 we find You shall observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread — eating unleavened bread for seven days, as I have commanded you — at the set time of the month of Abib, for in the month of Abib you went forth from Egypt. And thus the commandment to observe the holiday of Passover or Pesach is given to Moses for the Jewish People. This year, the first night of Passover is Monday April 2. Many of us are planning our seders so I will be introducing some Judaica over the next few weeks which may grace your family's table.


The centerpiece of any seder is the seder plate. While my most treasured seder plate is the one created by my older son in preschool, there are many variations on the plate which are available. Made of glass, ceramic, plastic or metal each has a separate space for the required items.
Shraga Landesman a designer of jewelry and judaica in Israel creates biblically inspired seder plates. They are from cast aluminum and I find them beautiful.