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One of the oldest symbols of the Jewish faith is the menorah, a seven-branched candelabrum used in the Temple.   It has been said that the menorah is a symbol of the nation of Israel and its mission to be "a light unto the nations. Light is not a violent force; Israel is to accomplish its mission by setting an example, not by using force.   

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The menorah in this panel from the Arch of Titus represents the victory of the Romans, under Titus, in the Jewish rebellion at Judaea.  

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The Jewish diaspora has resulted in the settling of Jewish communities worldwide, and the idea the Jews were a people without a land.  

Discovered by accident in 1928, the Beit Alpha Synagogue is an archaeological site.  Mosaics on the walls depic scenes from the Torah, menorah, and the synagogue.  The syanagogue was in the style of a basillica.  Inscriptions are in Aramaic and Greek.  

The floor mosaic is most famous for its large Zodiac wheel. The Zodiac, originally a Persian symbol, was “converted” by the Jews of the Byzantine period and infused with Jewish meaning. Leo became the royal seal of King David and Gemini became Cane and Abel. The vibrantly colorful Zodiac wheel surrounds the Greco-Roman sun god, Helios.  The zodiac wheel is surrounded by stories from the bible, including the one shown here, the Binding of Isaac featuring Eleazar, Ishmael, the ram caught in the bush, Abraham, Isaac and a fiery altar. 

Reuvin Rubin was a Romanian painter who trained in Romania and Paris. He came to immigrated to Israel in 1912 and his art is filled with his love of the landscape.  Here Rubin depicts a romantic biblical landscape scene of Bethlehem. The town can be seen in the distance of the painting, built upon steep rolling hills. In the foreground amongst trees, a group of shepherds are visible cooking over a stove. A herd of goats stand by, looking towards the men, with a single shepherd standing behind and two more approaching the scene.  What does the use of light convey?  Rubin was known for his spiritual use of translucent light.   

Is Cubim or someting else?  Chagall's art is hard to pin down into a neat category.  Born in 1887 in what was Russia, he was the oldest of nine children.  His mother owned a grocery in the town of Vitebsk, a place that is often found in his paintings.  Chagall painted from the heart, a place filled with memories and mixed with fantasy.  Religious icons are as common as metaphore in his works.  How many Jewish symbols can you find in this work? 

Camille Pissarro was born in Saint-Thomas, Virgin Islands, in 1830.  Against the family wishes, Pissarro became an artist and moved to France.  In late 19th century France, Pissarro was the only Jewish artist to maintain a pivotal position in the vanguard of his time. Camille Pissarro was one of the principal figures in the founding, development and dissemination of Impressionism.

In fact, this scene is not just a vision of the city at night, it is an impression of a city at night.  Painted after an eye disease made painting more difficult and forced Pissarro indoors, late in his career, Pissarro focused on urban scenes.  The scenes bustles with progress.  The lighting bathes the city scene, creating a pleasant feeling.