Spertus Judaica Prize -- Seder Plate

At this year's Seder Phil Spertus showed a seder plate designed by the artist Susan Fischer Weis.  This Seder Plate was the winner of the 1996 Philip and Sylvia Spertus Judaica Prize, an international competition that ran for about five seasons with a specific ceremonial object specified each year.  The Finalists' works were on exhibit at the Spertus Museum in Chicago each year.

In these photographs, Phil focused on hale, boils, wild beasts and darkness/slaying of the firstborn. Most of the other entries in the competition that year focused on the display of different foods that are served in the meal. What sets this Seder plate apart is that it presents renditions of the plagues. One of the key objectives of a Seder is to tell our children and grandchildren the story of our deliverance from slavery from Egypt. How nice it is to have these images in front of us as we tell this story!

For more information on the artist and the competition please click here.