Are “Orthodox” and “creative” mutually exclusive? Is it an accident that three very prestigious awards were won in recent years by Orthodox Jews: Haim Sabato, Shuli Rand and Robert Aumann? Why are Orthodox artists’ efforts being appreciated only now?
Perhaps the uniqueness of contemporary Orthodox creative artists and scientists lies in their remaining firmly rooted in their Judaism even while they do not possess answers to all the great questions. Our post-Holocaust generation has learned to retain its faith through life’s imponderables.
In the pages ahead, we take a look at a few highly creative Orthodox Jews—a writer, an actor, musicians and a film producer—and see how their deeply held religious convictions helps to shape and influence their art.