Neil Folberg: And I Shall Dwell Among Them - Hardcover

Assis, Yom Tov

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0893819387 ISBN 13: 9780893819385

Publisher: Aperture, 2005

Synopsis

Among the phenomena Neil Folberg detected in his search for historic synagogues was that wherever Jews settled--whether in Morocco, Hungary or the American South--the designs of their temples reflected the prevailing style of the environment. But it is the building's power to evoke spirituality that comes across most forcefully in his photographs.
--New York Magazine
For nearly two millennia, from the year 70 until the founding of Israel in 1948, the Jewish people were without a homeland. But wherever they wandered in the great Diaspora they continued the tradition of building synagogues as refuge for their beliefs and testament to their strength and accomplishments as a people. And I Shall Dwell Among Them considers the spiritual, architectural and cultural significance of these structures. It is the first study to document the synagogues with both scholarly depth and photographic excellence.

About this title

About the Author

Neil Folberg is a former student and colleague of the late Ansel Adams. He now lives in Jerusalem.

From Booklist

Renowned photographer Folberg has been, primarily a landscape photographer so it was quite a challenge for him to adapt his vision and techniques to the interiors of historic synagogues. His success in capturing the beauty and grace of these cherished houses of worship is testimony as much to his talent and sensitivity as to the powerful spiritual aura of the synagogues themselves. Folberg traveled far and wide to find old, intact synagogues, and the array of architectural styles he discovered is awe inspiring. Folberg photographed synagogues in Italy, Turkey, Uzbekistan, the Caribbean, the U.S., Israel, and, most poignantly, all over Europe. Each synagogue reflects the indigenous architecture of its location, from the elaborate patterning of Turkish tile work to the clean cool stucco of the desert, to the carved wood, stained-glass windows, frescoes, and crystal chandeliers of Europe. The atmospheres range from earthy and homey to grand and showy, but every variation expresses devotion, pride, and gratitude. Although the seeds of Judaism have been forcibly dispersed all over the world, they have flourished wherever they've landed. This handsome and illuminating volume documents and celebrates that resilience and fortitude. Donna Seaman

About this edition

• Publisher: Aperture
• Publication date: 2005
• ISBN 10: 0893819387
• ISBN 13: 9780893819385
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 176