Samantha Vinokor-Meinrath. 2021. Bitter/Sweet. [Paper]

Artist Statement: In creating art to represent Korech, the “Hillel Sandwich” part of the Passover seder, what immediately drew me in was the dichotomies that this part of the seder embodies. I wanted to portray complexity, with contrasting colors and elements showing that different, sometimes disparate pieces, are able to come together into something larger than themselves. The seder is the embodied reenactment of an age-old story of transitioning from slavery to freedom, and darkness to light. As all of us are constantly on individual journeys, we spend time in the gray area between poles such as dark/light, past/future, etc. Putting the various pieces together is a lifelong pursuit, embodied by the bitterness and sweetness of this juncture. 

Artist Bio: Dr. Samantha Vinokor-Meinrath is a lifelong Jewish educator and learner. An alumna of the University of Pittsburgh (BA), the Jewish Theological Seminary of America (MA), Gratz College (EdD), and the Pardes Experiential Educators Program, Samantha has taught learners of all ages across North America and in Israel, and specializes in the engagement and identity development of Jewish adolescents and emerging adults. She currently serves as the Associate Director of Adolescent Initiatives for the Jewish Education Center of Cleveland, and is an adjunct lecturer in Jewish Education at Gratz College. She has received awards as a researcher/practitioner for her doctoral dissertation, An Exploration of Jewish Identity Development in Generation Z Religious School Alumni. Samantha lives in Pepper Pike, Ohio, with her husband and two beloved rescue dogs.


haggadah Section: Koreich