Barkai Parasha Drawings

During the 2013–2014 school year I had the pleasure and privilege of teaching Judaic studies at Barkai Yeshivah in Brooklyn. On Fridays my 4th graders would study the parasha ahead of an exam the following week, and I thought I could add some fun to the class. So I brought in my pastels, set up an easel, mounted some paper, and started drawing while the kids told me the stories.

I did three quick drawings for Parashat Va’era. From that point on it turned into a tradition. Some drawings took longer, and some were made over vacation, to keep it going.

How it started — the Nile turns to blood

Nachliel Selavan drawing at an easel in the classroom, working red pastel and water into the Nile
Drawing it in front of the class
The Nile half transformed to blood, the red spreading down the water — pastel, in progress
Half way
Moshe and Aharon at the Nile as the river turns to blood — pastel drawing
Moshe and Aharon turn the Nile to blood

Bereshit

Avraham at his tent watching the three visitors arrive — pastel drawing
Vayera — Avraham and the Three Guests
The binding of Yitzchak — pastel drawing
Vayera — The Akeda
A lone figure on a cliff edge looking out over the plain toward Sedom — pastel drawing
Vayera — Avraham Overlooks Sedom and Prays for It
Fire falling on the city of Sedom against a dark sky — pastel drawing
Vayera — The Destruction of Sedom
Jacob's ladder rising as a staircase into a starfield above the curve of the earth — pastel drawing
Vayetze — Jacob’s Ladder
Joseph's dream of the sheaves under a night sky with sun, moon and stars — pastel drawing
Vayeshev — Joseph’s Dream
Joseph in the pit, arms raised toward the opening above — pastel drawing
Vayeshev — Joseph in the Pit
Pharaoh's dream — pastel drawing
Miketz — Pharaoh’s Dream
Yaakov and Yosef embracing after their reunion — pastel drawing
Vayigash — Jacob Embraces Joseph
Yaakov's blessings to the tribes, with animals leaping out of the stones of the breastplate — pastel drawing
Vayechi — The Blessings, with the animals of the tribes leaping out of the breastplate

Shemot

Pharaoh's daughter standing in the reeds of the Nile, reaching for the basket — pastel drawing
Shemot — Pharaoh’s Daughter Finds Moshe
The burning bush, flames rising from the branches without consuming them — pastel drawing
Shemot — The Burning Bush
The plague of hail — stones of ice with fire burning inside them — pastel drawing
Va’era — Hailstorms
Pharaoh and his chariot caught in a green spiral of water, the wheel coming off — pastel drawing
Beshalach — Pharaoh Engulfed in Water
The bitter waters of Marah turning sweet — pastel drawing
Beshalach — The Bitter Waters of Marah Turn Sweet
Moshe judging the people, a long line of them waiting across the camp — pastel drawing
Yithro — Moshe Judges the Nation from Dawn to Dusk
Mount Sinai erupting under a dark sky, drawing still in progress — pastel
Yithro — Mount Sinai, in progress
Mount Sinai as an erupting mountain, white lightning breaking out of the summit — pastel drawing
Yithro — Mount Sinai
Moshe disappearing into the cloud on the mountain — charcoal and pastel drawing
Mishpatim — Moshe Vanishing into the Clouds at Sinai
The keruvim above the ark, rendered in gold — pastel drawing
Terumah — The Ark
Moshe asking the people to stop bringing donations for the mishkan — pastel drawing
Vayakhel — Moshe Asks the People to Stop Bringing
The cloud resting over the completed mishkan — pastel drawing
Pekudei — The Mishkan is Ready to Go

Some of these have their own posts: The Burning Bush, Pharaoh Engulfed in Water, Mount Sinai, and Sinai and Ice Wine.

Vayikra, Bamidbar, Devarim

A woman bringing her offering after childbirth — pastel drawing
Tazria — An Offering for a Newborn
The blasphemer surrounded by a circle of onlookers — charcoal drawing
Emor — The Blasphemer
The menorah in gold flame against a dark ground — pastel drawing
Behaalotcha — Moshe Sees the Menorah
Moshe addressing the people of Israel, supported by Yehoshua — pastel drawing
Nitzavim — Moshe Addresses the People, Supported by Yehoshua

At the school

The parasha drawings pinned up together as an exhibit at Barkai Yeshivah
The drawings on display at Barkai
Nachliel Selavan showing the parasha drawings to parents at a PTA meeting
Showing the work at a PTA meeting