HINENI AT 40:  A TECHNICOLOR TREASURE

 

BY: FERN SIDMAN

 

Celebrating its landmark 40th anniversary as the world's first Torah outreach organization, Hineni, (under the leadership of Rebbetzin Esther Jungreis), has been memorialized in a most spectacular and vivid pop art poster and 3-D collectible.

 

Having been specifically selected by Hineni to illustrate the indelible memories of the movement for the last 40 years is internationally renowned pop artist and 3-D innovator Charles Fazzino. His unique, three-dimensional fine art prints and originals are sold and exhibited in hundreds of galleries and museums in more than twenty different countries around the world. He has been commissioned to create artwork for such high profile events such as OpSail, the Olympic Games, Major League Baseball, the Belmont Stakes, the Super Bowl, the Grammy Awards, and the Daytime Emmy Awards.

 

Most recently, Mr. Fazzino collaborated with Chabad/Lubavitch on artwork displaying Chanukah menorahs used in different countries throughout the world. "When I was a student at Manhattan's School of Visual Arts, I paid frequent visits to Jewish delis on the Lower East Side and started painting them. I found that many Jewish people really enjoyed my work and became avid collectors. They were impressed with the way I interpreted Judaism; through the eyes of a gentile, such as myself," he said.

 

In order to familiarize himself with Hineni, Mr. Fazzino said he watched many videos of Hineni events and worked with people close to Rebbetzin Jungreis. "I found that the people in Hineni were deeply passionate and committed to Torah, to their Jewish heritage and culture and have done so many wonderful things. With that in mind, I thought I could do something really interesting," he said.

 

Describing his first impressions of Rebbetzin Jungreis, Mr. Fazzino recalled, "Quite frankly, when I heard her speak for the first time, I was totally mesmerized and I listened intently. The Rebbetzin just rivets you with emotion. She may appear frail but she is a real powerhouse in every sense of the word.  As she imparts her  deeply held beliefs, her words not only captivate her audience, but they also serve to inspire them to great heights. I was so moved when she spoke of her personal triumph over the Holocaust as it was clear to me that she was speaking from her heart. It should be noted that I attend many events and hear many speakers, but no one has left such a lasting impression as she."

 

Mr. Fazzino's piece is entitled, "Hineni 40 Years: The Homecoming of a People" and realistically captures the essence of the Hineni mission of reaching out to and reconnecting Jewish people throughout the world. In this vibrant and celebratory tribute to Hineni, Mr. Fazzino's piece encompasses everything from holidays and customs to Jewish heritage and sends a message of hope, love, and respect for Jewish tradition.  The viewer will be taken on a bright, animated, multi-hued global journey to such places as Jerusalem and New York, along with other countries represented by a panoply of flags flying from the branches of the "Tree of Life", represented above a Torah scroll. 

 

The Hineni Heritage Center building, located on Manhattan's upper west side is the focal point of the piece with a banner hoisted above it that speaks volumes: "A People Without A Memory Have No Future". No Hineni artwork would be complete without the glorious representation of its official launch in 1973, (when Rebbetzin Jungreis packed Madison Square Garden with thousands of people to hear her initial address on Jewish identity) and Mr. Fazzino includes the uniquely shaped edifice in this masterful piece.

 

It is available for purchase as an open edition poster print, 3-D limited edition fine art print, and 3-D open edition mini print. Proceeds from the sale of the artwork will benefit the Hineni Heritage Center. To place an order, please visit the Hineni web site at www.hineni.org, or by e-mailing Hineni at: hineni@hineni.org or by calling 212-496-1660.