1990, Israeli artist Royi met Italian artist Roberto, somewhere in Palm Beach and said:
“Your ancestors stole the Menorah, where is it?”

Roberto responded: “I don’t know, but we as artists should figure out a way to rebuild a new one”.

That was the beginning of the Menorah project and two and a half years of an all-encompassing collaboration.
They picked a story, then split the canvas in half, each one proceeding to paint his own section.

They criticized each others’ work while painting until both were satisfied about the look of the whole canvas.

This process was truly about compromise and listening. Side by side, using a groundbreaking approach, they figuratively rebuilt the old Menorah and brought it to the 21st Century.
Menorah as the “Tree of Life”.  Seven branches. Seven days of creation. Twelve paintings. Twelve tribes. Twelve months of the year. The fire of life being kept alive through the connection with the nourishing Earth.

The artists conceptualized the Menorah as light flickering against the dark walls of a cave. The cave of today’s social issues in turmoil. Their Menorah was created to heal.

The world might be ready to listen.

“The value of this project lies in the fact that a Gentile and a Jew, together, have metaphorically reconstructed a religious symbol that transcends both religion and culture.”

Aytun Altindal, Writer – Historian