THE GREATEST PAINTER IN ISRAEL
by David Kiern
All of our characters in I Am Israel represent a theme of the rebirth of Israel, and for the middle portion of the film, we wanted to find a talented Jewish artist to represent the rebirth of art and culture in the Land. After researching the many talented painters working today in Israel, one artist captured our imagination more than any other — Alex Levin.
Alex is a husband, father and professional painter who lives near the Mediterranean coast in the town of Rishon LeZion.
From Paris to Vienna, Sydney to New York City, Alex's work has been celebrated around the world. Christian churches and Jewish synagogues hang his paintings on their walls to communicate the tangible reality of God's beautiful land. In the film, we take the audience into his studio and look on as Alex paints an original canvas of Jerusalem. As he paints, he shares stories about his deep love for the Land of Israel and insights on where his inspiration comes from as an artist.
Who is the greatest artist in the Bible?
Some would answer David or Solomon. I think a very strong case can be made that the man who crafted and built the Ark of the Covenant, the Tabernacle and all of the treasures inside is the greatest artist of the Bible. Bezalel was his name, and he was specifically called by God and empowered in his talent. In the desert, God told Moses...
"I have filled Bezalel with the Spirit of God,
with wisdom, understanding and knowledge in all kinds of craftsmanship, to design artistic works."
EXODUS 31:3-4
Bezalel was the greatest artist in Israel, and his heart's desire was to create artistic works that glorified God.
To me, Alex is a modern-day Bezalel. His chief joy is to paint Jerusalem in the most vibrant and awe-inspiring of ways so that people will see Jerusalem and praise God for its beauty.
The moment I saw Jerusalem for the first time, I looked at it and couldn’t believe that a place like this really existed. I said this is my calling to be a painter! To take Jerusalem and set it as my chief joy.
-ALEX LEVIN
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