This post is part of ARC’s Chronicles of Change and Hope series. This is a curated project for sharing stories, songs, prayers, poems, images, or insights that capture a moment of connection or new life. It is a place to share small acts of resistance or transformation you want others to know about. Rights remain with the contributors. To contribute to Chronicles, read more here.

Today’s contribution of text and image comes to us from Berit Engen, a fine-arts weaver. Born in Norway, 1955, she currently lives and works in Oak Park, IL. She shares that in the spring of 2007 she asked herself, “How can I contribute to Judaism by using my talents and skills?” The following Rosh Hashanah, she started project, “WEFT and D'RASH – Weaving a Thousand Jewish Tapesries.” She now now combines her love of her Norwegian heritage with her love of Judaism. More about Berit and her work is available here. Talking about this contribution, Berit says:

I felt like contributing with these three tapestries as they, and the lines from the psalms which I chose to weave, express both despair and relief. They treasure God’s Creation, but the Creation is not always pretty; a challenge that is difficult to deal with. Now, in springtime, there are blossoms and beauty everywhere I look, and then there is the invisible attacker on life, the virus. Where do I turn?

The Companion

The Book of Psalms (I call it “The Companion”) moves me as it grew out of the human experience to help us confront the tests of life. A book of largely personal prayers, it gives each of us, regardless of our verbal skills, an opportunity to speak and cry to God in beautifully crafted language. Right now, that is what I need. As for my tapestries inspired by the psalms, I like to use them as commentaries to current events, and I hope they can give some comfort in these dire times.

ARC Blog

The Companion