Abstract
Like all art forms, Judaism has its own traditions, rules and conventions. It is difficult to be a practicing Jew without engaging in the script, sculpture, and choreography that are deeply embedded in our ritual and social lives. Yet we are not habituated to thinking about Jewish living in quite the same way as we do music, visual art, or theater. This volume offers the first joint attempt by Orthodox scholars, educators, and artists to wrestle with the way our religious lives intersect with cultural domains. It examines key artistic themes such as creativity, visual experience, and audience awareness as they relate to Jewish theology and lived Orthodox communities. The recent societal change which has pressed the issue, of course, is the increased availability and consumption of culture through the internet and smartphones. Culture is now more everywhere than it has ever been. The reality today is that loyalty to Judaism and the Jewish People is enhanced when people feel engaged personally through intellectual, spiritual and cultural encounters that they themselves create not only that they have inherited. People are seeking information that enriches their lives through experiences that inspire them and touch their hearts and souls. By limiting learning to text-based educational processes alone we run the risk of reaching the few while neglecting large segments of the Orthodox community and beyond.