6: Painting, Judith Margolis's "Full Moon Dancing," 2007.

6: Painting, Judith Margolis's "Full Moon Dancing," 2007.

Judith Margolis, an Israel-based American Jewish artist, is an activist and a feminist whose work reveals a commitment to merging the spiritual with the political. “Full Moon Dancing” was inspired by Rosh Chodesh rituals and their connection to women.

Suggested Activity: Have your students describe the image in their own words. What emotions does it evoke? Which aspects of femininity or womanhood does the painting accentuate, and which aspects does it deemphasize or neglect? How does it connect Rosh Chodesh and the moon with women? Ask students if the connection between Rosh Chodesh and women feels important to them, if it resonates.

If you have time, ask your students to create an image—using paint, crayon, marker, pencil, or whatever art materials you are able to offer them—that represents their own vision of Rosh Chodesh. Their images can draw on, or be radically different from, the texts and images they have encountered in this resource kit.

Source:  Judith Margolis, Full Moon Dancing, 2007. Gouache on acid-free quadrille paper, 9.5 by 11.5 in. Accessed June 28, 2018. www.judithmargolis.com. Used with the permission of the artist.