This month, Congregation Kol HaNeshamah of Englewood, in collaboration with the Jewish Federation of Northern New Jersey, is holding a sale of prints, watercolors, and papercuts by artist Herb Stern at the Tenafly public library. All proceeds from the sale will be dedicated to JFNNJ’s fund to aid victims of the war in Ukraine. The fund provides housing, food, medicine, clothing, security, and transportation and other humanitarian aid to refugees.
Holocaust survivor and artist Herb Stern grew up in Germany. Shortly after Kristallnacht in 1938, after a harrowing brush with the Gestapo, the family fled Germany and settled in Washington Heights. While the immediate family survived, the Sterns left behind grandparents, uncles, aunts, and cousins. Herb Stern
After graduating from Bronx High School of Science in 1948, Mr. Stein attended the New York Institute of Applied Arts and Sciences, where he trained to be a graphic designer, working mainly as creative director for Ziff-Davis Publishing until he retired in 1999. In the early 1960s, he took painting and printmaking courses at the Art Center of Northern New Jersey, working in watercolor, oil, and acrylics, and learning the skills of silkscreen, etching, and lithography. Today, at 91, he continues to work in painting, printmaking, and Judaica papercuts and has exhibited in many solo and group shows throughout New York and Bergen County.
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As a survivor, Mr. Stein has a special empathy for victims of war and political strife. This is what prompted him to approach the leaders of his synagogue, Kol HaNeshamah, and the federation to propose mounting an exhibition of his work dedicated to Ukrainian relief. The solo exhibition running through the end of June, will include prints, watercolors, and papercuts.
A meet-the-artist reception will be at the library on Thursday, June 23, at 6:30 p.m. All displayed items will be available for sale either at the reception or online up until June 30. All proceeds will go toward the JFNNJ’s fund for Ukrainian relief. For information, email: info@KHNJ.org or call (201) 816-1611.