Artist’s Statement
I created this Kiddush set in a teen pottery class as possibly the only Jewish student. I was asked repeatedly why I wanted to make shot glasses. At a time of intense disagreement about Israel, I was apprehensive about revealing my Jewish identity. Therefore, I laughed the comments off, reluctant to explain the “shot glasses” were for the wine my family drinks at our Shabbat meals. In a more recent class, however, I met another Jewish girl. She wore a Magen David necklace, and I felt a burst of joy the first time I saw it. It was September, so we talked about Rosh Hashanah, and her two Jewish friends joined in the conversation. They understood when I made another Judaica item—a menorah. Meeting her led me to wonder if I had missed other Jewish teens in past classes because I hid my religion. Correspondingly, this Kiddush set symbolizes my becoming more comfortable in my Jewish identity and finding community because of it.
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