Convergence: An Exploration of Arabic, Hebrew and Persian Calligraphy
Our friends at The Samantha Woll Center for Jewish Detroit (The Sam) in partnership with the American Sephardi Federation present:
Convergence: An Exploration of Arabic, Hebrew and Persian Calligraphy
Head over to The Sam for a hands-on calligraphy workshop and an immersive look into the expansive world of Sephardi and Mizrahi Jewry, led by Ruben Shimonov, and in celebration of Mizrahi Heritage Month!
Join educator, community builder, and artist Ruben Shimonov to dive into the rich visual worlds of Arabic, Hebrew and Persian calligraphy. Through historical, spiritual, linguistic and artistic lenses, we will discover the connections between these languages. Educator, community builder and artist Ruben Shimonov will also take us on an exploratory journey of his own multilingual calligraphy—sharing the ways he has used his art to build Muslim-Jewish interfaith bridges and celebrate the cultural diversity of the Greater Sephardi world. Participants will then have the opportunity to engage with these languages through a hands-on calligraphy workshop.
No previous experience with Hebrew or calligraphy required. All materials, dessert bites, and drinks will be provided. Tickets are available at three pay-what-you-can tiers. Please select the ticket that works best for you. Finances should never be a barrier to participation. Please contact Marisa Mahoney at mahoney@downtownsynagogue.org with questions or for financial assistance.
Thursday, 12 November at 7:00PM
@ The Samantha Woll Center for Jewish Detroit (The Sam)
1457 Griswold St.,Detroit, MI, 48226
About the Presenter:
Born in Uzbekistan, Ruben Shimonov is an educator, community builder, and artist passionate about Jewish diversity and intercultural understanding. He is the American Sephardi Federation’s National Director of Education & Sephardi House—an innovative initiative that works to enrich Jewish campus life and young leadership with the vibrancy, richness, and wisdom of the Greater Sephardi world. He is also the Founding Executive Director of the Sephardic Mizrahi Q Network—the sole international organization building a supportive and much-needed community for LGBTQ+ Sephardic and Mizrahi Jews. Previously, he was the Director of Community Engagement & Education at Queens College Hillel and Director of Educational Experiences & Programming for the Muslim-Jewish Solidarity Committee. As a visual artist, Ruben uses his multilingual Hebrew-Arabic-Persian calligraphy to build interfaith bridges and celebrate the diversity of the Greater Sephardi world. His art has been featured in international publications and exhibits, including at the U.S. Embassy in Uzbekistan. Ruben has brought his multilingual calligraphy workshops, as well as his lectures on Sephardic and Mizrahi Jewish histories, to conferences, universities, and museums around the world. He recently concluded an Artist Residency and Visiting Lectureship at the Tuohy Center for Interreligious Understanding at John Carroll University.