Temima Gezari made a lasting impact on Jewish education through her vivid artwork and illustrations of children’s books as well as her many years of teaching pedagogy. Gezari earned degrees from the Jewish Theological Seminary in 1925 and the Master Institute of United Arts in 1930 before becoming director of art education for the Board of Jewish Education in 1940. For over sixty years in that post, she created workshops and resources for Hebrew school and day school teachers, organized annual citywide exhibitions of children’s art, and oversaw the publication of Brush and Color, a bulletin for art teachers. She also taught art education and art history at JTS’s Teacher’s Institute from 1935–1977. A painter and sculptor, Gezari had solo exhibitions throughout the US and Israel, and was commissioned to create a mural for the Society for the Advancement of Judaism in New York and a sculpture for Yad Vashem. She illustrated a variety of children’s books, including Gateway to Jewish Song, and wrote articles and books on using art to teach Jewish subjects, including Footprints and New Worlds: Experiences in Art with Child and Adult.
Place of Birth
Pinsk
Occupations
Date of Birth
December 21, 1905
Date of Death
March 5, 2009