With all the talk about the environmental protection, who was the first to actually celebrate nature with a special holiday? Long before Earth Day, Arbor Day – and even before Al Gore – the Jewish calendar honors Tu B’Shevat, the 15th of Shevat as the day that marks the beginning of a “New Year for Trees.” This is the season in which the earliest-blooming trees in the Land of Israel emerge from their winter sleep and begin a new fruit-bearing cycle.

We observe Tu B’Shevat by eating fruit, particularly from the kinds that are singled out by the Torah in its praise of the bounty of the Holy Land: grapes, figs, pomegranates, olives and dates. On this day we remember that “Man is a tree of the field” (Deuteronomy 20:19) and reflect on the lessons we can derive from our botanical analogue. Appreciating the Divine in everything around us – especially the habitat that provides us sustenance and allows us to live – is the essence of the entire purpose of existence. That’s the reason the Old City Jewish Art Center is inviting you to participate in an artistic exhibit entitled “celebration of Trees” to open minds and perhaps reflect on the means to enhance our understanding. Therefore, we would like to exhibit some of your best of your works of art. The exhibit will be open to artists who create all form of art, including painting, works on paper and photography, and sculptures. For details and conditions, please see the prospectus below.

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PROSPECTUS:
“Celebrations of Trees” Exhibition at the Old City Jewish Art Center, Philadelphia, PA January 28 through February 23 2024 Submissions: You may submit up to 3 works. Maximum
Accepted Works Per Artist is 3.
Entry Fee: Free for JAC members To become a member see here: https://www.ocjac.org/membership or email us for more info.
Non member: $25 total entry fee.
Online Submissions: Please make your submissions to info@ocjac.org. Submissions must include a digital image of each submission, medium, measurement in inches, Price, your name, e-mail and telephone number. For questions and assistance info@ocjac.org or 484-431-3770or +1 (610) 256-6037
Deadline for Online Submissions: Wednesday January 21 2024 at Midnight.
Notification of Acceptance: Thursday January 22 2023, after 1 PM, by e-mail sent for all submissions.
Delivery of Accepted Works: Monday , January 27 2024 8am-5pm or reach out for another day and time at the Old City Jewish Art Center, 119 North 3rd St., Philadelphia, PA
Payment for non members of $25 Entry Fee should be paid by then.
First Friday Reception: First Friday, February 7 2023 at the Old City Jewish Art Center, 5-9pm open house, with a Sabbath dinner, 9 PM.
Artist Reception & talk & Special Jewish holiday celebration for the new years for trees. Wednesday February 12 6-8pm
Pickup of Unsold Works: Monday February 24 2024 8Am-5PM, or by appointment, at the Old City Art Center: info@ocjac.org or 484-431-3770).
Works Eligible: All works in this curated exhibit should reflect the theme of the exhibition. This exhibit is for: 1. Paintings where the principal medium is oil paint, acrylic, casein, tempera, gouache and other mediums used to represent painting; 2. Works on paper, utilizing oil, acrylic, charcoal or ink or a combination of them; 3. Mixed media; and 4. Photography. Maximum size for any one dimension is 30 inches (excluding frame). Works must be framed, unless framing is not intended for the work. All works must be labeled on the back with the title, the price, the artist’s name, e-mail and telephone number. All works must be wired for hanging (no hooks, brackets or holes). All works must be original. Works containing nudity will not be accepted. All works must be for sale. Work accepted on-line that is deemed not suitable upon delivery at the OCJAC will not be displayed. Liability: All work will be handled with care; the OCJAC is
insured for loss or damage.

Sales: All works accepted must be for sale, and a sales commission of 30% will be charged by the OCJAC on all sales. [All works will be shown on the OCJAC’s online gallery.] Questions: Rabbi Zalman Wircberg, at info@ocjac.org, or telephone 484-431-3770; or Linda Garfield at garf621@aol.com or telephone 610-256-6037

Curators:
Linda Dubin Garfield, an award-winning printmaker and mixed media artist, creates visual memoirs exploring the mystery of memory and the magic of place, using hand-pulled printmaking techniques, photography, collage and digital imaging. Her abstract and dynamic works use multiple layers of ink that waver between background and foreground creating a fusion of surface design and abstract expressionism She also creates installations that include public participatory art, especially when she is exploring themes relating to women in today’s culture. In 2005 she founded ARTsisters, a group of professional artists who empower each other and their community through art. In 2007 she started smART business consulting, helping artists reach their goals and their audience, providing consulting and coaching on the business side of art through individual, small groups, and workshop experiences as well as providing opportunities to exhibit work. Today she serves on several non- profit boards, including being President Ex Officio of Da Vinci Art Alliance, and appreciates her good fortune to be able to make art every chance she gets.

Rabbi Zalman Wircberg, Director of the Old City Jewish Art
Center. Rabbi Wircberg earned his rabbinic degree in 2008. He has lived and served as a Jewish communal professional in various locations in the United States, as well as in South Africa and China. He began his career with OCJAC in 2014. As the organization’s director, he develops and produces all of the center’s exhibitions and projects. Rabbi Wircberg is a devoted student of the arts and is especially inspired when exploring how the arts intersect with Judaism and Jewish spirituality. The OCJAC is also the home base for the work Rabbi Wircberg and his wife Emunah do with the Jewish Heritage Program’s Young Professional Network. At the OCJAC, the Wircbergs host Shabbat Dinners, happy hours and holiday programs for hundreds of young professionals in the Philadelphia area. Rabbi Wircberg and his wife Emunah live in Old City, Philadelphia, with their four children. The Old City Jewish Art Center The Old City Jewish Art Center of Philadelphia (119 North 3rd St., Philadelphia, PA 19106) promotes mutual understanding between Judaism and other cultures through the study and appreciation of the arts in its diverse forms and expressions. Founded in 2006, the OCJAC was envisioned as a platform to build community through the arts. Building steadily since then, the OCJAC gallery has become an exhibition space for serious artists, holds monthly "First Friday" art receptions with a Jewish twist and provides social and Jewish holiday programs throughout the year. OCJAC is now a landmark gallery in the Philadelphia art scene, and is the only gallery dedicated to Jewish artistic expression and cultural exchange in Philadelphia.