Each year, as Passover approaches, I find myself reflecting deeply on the image of the Red Sea splitting. It’s more than just a biblical event. To me, it’s a moment that lives in our collective soul. It is a visual symbol of hope, faith, and the unshakable human desire for freedom.
The Power Behind the Red Sea Splitting
When I paint themes from the Exodus, I return again and again to the Red Sea splitting. It’s such a powerful moment. Water, which is normally fluid and uncontrollable, suddenly obeys divine will. Walls of water rise, firm and towering, while the Jewish people pass through on dry land. It’s a moment that defies logic, yet speaks to something deeply real within us.
This story reminds us that the impossible can become possible. That even when we feel surrounded by fear, hardship, or uncertainty freedom can break through like light through clouds.
Freedom Then and Now
The story of the Red Sea splitting is more than just ancient history. As an artist and as a Jew, my heart remains heavy with the knowledge that even today, members of our community are being held hostage. Innocent people whose only “crime” is being Jewish. Their freedom has been stolen, and their voices silenced. We light candles for them. We pray for them. And still, every day that passes without their return is a wound that doesn’t close.
In moments like these, I turn to art not only as an expression but as a protest. The image of the Red Sea splitting becomes more than symbolic, it becomes a cry for deliverance. Just as our ancestors once stood at the edge of the unknown, praying for a miracle, so do we now. We wait. We hope. We remember that even in darkness, the light must persist. And we commit ourselves to keeping their stories alive until every hostage comes home.
Painting the Red Sea Splitting
In my painting The Waters Parted, the Nation Walked, I explored this very moment. The scene is dramatic, with mighty waters rising like fortresses on either side. But the heart of the painting is not the miracle. It’s the courage. The first steps into the unknown. The belief that there is something better waiting on the other side.
When collectors look at this piece, they’re often drawn in by the light, heavenly colors. They tell me it feels filled with hope. The soft blues and the central light all speak to a future of freedom. Many see more than just a scene from the past. They see a prayer for today. A vision that the hostage crisis we are living through will one day end. That we will be whole again. That those in captivity will return. This is the power of spiritual art, to take pain and transform it into light, to offer not just memory, but a path forward.
Why the Red Sea Still Splits
The image of the Red Sea splitting is more than a moment in history, it’s a symbol of hope and deliverance. It reminds us that miracles are not just part of the past. They are part of our present and our future. This powerful scene tells us that when the path seems blocked, G-d can—and does—make a way. He protects His people, the people of Israel. Even when surrounded by darkness, we are never abandoned. The Red Sea split once, and it can split again. That’s the message I try to capture in my brushstrokes. A call to remember that we are never alone. That we can still expect miracles. That hope is not lost.
Passing Down the Story Through Art
Art is how I keep this story alive. I want each brushstroke to carry both memory and message. This is the essence of Jewish tradition: telling and retelling. Painting and repainting. Never letting the story grow distant. Never let freedom become a forgotten word. With every stroke, I create a link to the past while envisioning a brighter future. The resilience embedded in these stories reminds us that no matter the challenge, our strength and faith will always guide us toward the light. Towards freedom. See my entire Splitting of the Red Sea collection here.
