Work of Jewish Artists Focus of Exhibit at UNO

Omaha – Nearly 1000 years ago, Jewish poet Judah Halevi wrote that “my heart is in the east, and I in the uttermost west” and, from that line, the University of Nebraska at Omaha’s (UNO) Natan and Hannah Schwalb Center has launched a one-of-a-kind art showcase of metro-area artists with ties to Judaism and Israel.

Starting March 1 and running through April 6, in the UNO Criss Library’s Osborne Family Gallery, “My Heart is in the East and I am in the Farthest West” will showcase a wide variety of artwork from ten area artists. One of these artists is Dr. Naava Naslavsky, an Israeli native who currently teaches Biochemistry at the University of Nebraska Medical Center.

“My lab has been a crucial resource for my artwork,” she explains. “I recycle and re-use many objects that come from the lab.”

Naslavsky came to the United States in 1998 as part of a post-doctoral appointment to the National Institute of Health (NIH) and then came to Omaha to join the UNMC faculty in 2003.

“After my military service, I had to make a decision: either go study art or science,” she says. “I chose science and never ever regretted it, but all these years I had a funny itch in the tip of my fingers to do something creative.”

Naslavsky, who is self-taught in the art of papier mâché, will join artists who specialize in sculpting, painting, graphic design and more.

Other Artists in the show include:
Annette Sherman Fettman
Beth Brown Gershovich
Bette Kozlen
Eliska Morsel Greenspoon
Evelyn Render-Katz
Lila Ferber
Dr. Jenni Schlosman
Ophir Palmon
Stephanie Grossman

“Over the centuries, through the diaspora, the Shoah and migration Jewish existence has been challenged and undergone constant redefinition,” says Anat Gilboa, exhibit curator and UNO’s first Schusterman Visiting Israeli Professor. “The artists represented in this exhibition express their quest for a Jewish identity in a wholly contemporary format; yet, it represents a search that is as old as Judaism itself.”

Gilboa’s residency at UNO is funded, in part, by Silvia Roffman and the late Dr. Larry Roffman of Omaha.

“My Heart is in the East and I am in the Farthest West” is free and open to the public any time the UNO Criss Library is open. A full list of hours can be found at library.unomaha.edu.

A special Artists Reception, which is also open to the public, will be held on Tuesday, March 18, at the Osborne Family Gallery from 6 to 8:30 p.m.

For more information on the exhibit, please contact Kasey Davis, Schwalb Center staff assistant, at 402.554.3175 or by email at kaseydavis@unomaha.edu.

For media inquiries, please contact Charley Reed, UNO media relations coordinator, at 402.554.2129 or by email at unonews@unomaha.edu.

Special Thanks: Avery Mazor, assistant professor of art and art history, for his work on materials for the exhibit.

About the University of Nebraska at Omaha

Located in one of America’s best cities to live, work and learn, the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) is Nebraska’s premier metropolitan university. With more than 15,000 students enrolled in 200-plus programs of study, UNO is recognized nationally for its online education, graduate education, military friendliness and community engagement efforts. Founded in 1908, UNO has served learners of all backgrounds for more than 100 years and is dedicated to another century of excellence both in the classroom and in the community.

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