CBI Blogs

This past Monday we celebrated Simchat Torah, in which we dance with our Torah scrolls, unwrap and hold the entire Torah around our sanctuary space, and complete and begin anew the reading of the Torah. During this time, we read the first verses of Genesis—the creation of the earth. It is a moment that captures the essence of renewal and continuity: as we close one chapter, we start another. 

If you joined us on Monday, you may have noticed a beautiful new addition adorning the walls of our transitional sanctuary—The Creation Series—seven large watercolors by artist Ruth Borinstein depicting the seven days of creation. When Ruth passed away in 2023, her wish was that her paintings be given to a Jewish institution, and her dutiful son Bob Borinstein reached out to CBI last year to fulfill his mother’s intention. 

Ruth owned a gallery off Bee Caves Road for decades and was well-known in the Austin art scene. The Austin Chronicle described the gallery this way: “Dali, Picasso, Chagall, Whistler, and Cassatt, along with Borinstein's own prize-winning "Creation Series," are but a little of what this space is offering. Although the gallery is a little far from downtown, there are some remarkable pieces of art here, not to mention that the proprietress is a gem herself. She's always happy to have a chat and talk about art and Paris.” 

According to her notice of death, Ruth‘s paintings “combine fantasy and reality in a prismatic scheme of intricate design and vibrant color. ‘I am often asked to name my style of painting’ said Borinstein. ‘Imagination and pattern, whether they are abstract or totally realistic, are tools I use to convey a feeling of emotion on canvas. If there is a name, let it simply be my own.’ 

Each vibrant painting in The Creation Series represents one of the seven days of creation, inviting us to reflect on the beauty, chaos, reordering, and divine inspiration that shape our world. They are ripe with emotion and color. Hung together in Smith, these works provide a different access point to Torah and to the divine, and I encourage you to take a moment and enjoy them the next time you visit CBI. 

I wish you all a Shabbat Shalom: may your week be made a little brighter through the gift of artwork, music, and peace.