A side view of an exhibition of laser-cut and CNC-cut wood pieces painted and hung on the wall. The pieces are fruit and nuts from trees, with Hebrew and English words spelling the four stages of the Tu B'shvat seder. + Enlarge
Untitled 2023 Wood, Acrylic Paint
A figure looks at the exhibition pieces on the wall. + Enlarge
Untitled 2023 Wood, Acrylic Paint
The open Haggadah is held in front of the exhibition pieces on the wall + Enlarge
Untitled 2023 Paper, Hemp Cord
Two figures look at the pieces on the wall + Enlarge
Untitled 2023 Wood, Acrylic Paint
A hand extends to touch the wood letters on the wall that are part of the exhibition illustration + Enlarge
Untitled 2023 Wood, Acrylic Paint
A person reads the haggadah on the table with the exhibition pieces in front of them on the wall + Enlarge
Untitled 2023 Wood, Acrylic Paint, Paper, Hemp Cord
Close-up of hands holding a haggadah with the title on the cover "Rooted Here" with root and vine illustrations + Enlarge
Untitled 2023 Paper, Hemp Cord
Statement

This thesis project uses graphic design to explore the landscape of justice-based Jewish Diasporism. Rooted Here: A Tu B’shvat Haggadah is a prayer book and manual for celebrating Tu B’shvat, the Jewish New Year of Trees. In recent history, this holiday has been rebranded to bolster nationalism within Israel. In contrast, this haggadah aims to disentangle the holiday from its Zionist history and to ground it in its original, spiritual roots: using the fruit and nuts that originate from trees to learn truths about ourselves and the Earth around us.