Sunday, March 17
2:00 – 4:00pm ET Reception, 2:30pm ET Remarks
In Person at The Weitzman (5th and Market) – 3rd Floor
FREE | Registration Required

Their Portraits: Philadelphia Artist Honor October 7 Hostages
On view March 8 through April 14, 2024
3rd floor Atrium

Free With Registration

Their Portraits: Philadelphia Artists Honor October 7 Hostages showcases the poignant work of eight local artists, depicting the individual stories of more than 200 hostages taken from Israel by Hamas. Meet the artists and come together as a community to reflect on the humanity behind each portrait and honor the resilience of those affected by this conflict. In partnership with the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia and Combat Antisemitism Movement, this event stands as a testament to the power of art to inspire empathy and solidarity. Join us in acknowledging their courage, fostering understanding, and standing against antisemitism.

More about the Installation
Awakened by sirens as terrorists infiltrated Israel’s border on the morning of October 7, Philadelphia artist Sivia Katz Braunstein counted the hours while sheltering with her family in a safe room on the kibbutz where she was visiting family. Only later did she learn that some 1,200 people were murdered and nearly 250 were abducted on that terrible day.

After making her way home, Braunstein decided to use her artistic talent to raise awareness of the hostage crisis. She and a group of fellow women artists in Philadelphia – Nancy Gordon, Deborah Morris Zakheim, Judy Rohtbart, Jane Bennett, Carol Lert, Sue Seif, and Carol Sack Denmark – volunteered their time and talent to paint 8×10 portraits of each hostage, including the dead, the freed, and those still in captivity.

“We’re artists,” said Sivia Katz Braunstein. “This is our way to bring attention to the men, women, and children forcibly taken from Israel on October 7th. They were just living their lives, like we are doing now, when Hamas invaded Israel and abducted them.”

From March 8 through April 14, the special art installation will span the museum’s 3rd floor atrium, offering a profound reflection on humanity’s endurance in the face of adversity.