The annual B’nai B’rith Victoria Jewish Youth Art Competition celebrated its 28th year, welcoming Bendigo Bank Community Bank Caulfield Park as the major sponsor. The Competition works to promote artistic competence and a sense of unity among the Jewish community’s youth.
This year a total of 225 artworks were displayed, including paintings, drawings, sculpture, mixed media, photography and video / animation. The exhibition featured artworks by 169 students aged between 11 and 18, from 25 schools throughout Melbourne. The quality of the artworks delivered was, as always excellent.
Mayor of Glen Eira City Council, Cr Jim Magee, officially opened the exhibition at a ceremony on Sunday 18 June 2023 to an audience of over 200 in the Glen Eira Town Hall Gallery. Other dignitaries who participated in the prize-giving ceremony included Leah Boulton (representing Bendigo Bank Community Bank Caulfield Park), David Southwick MP, Dr Benny Monheit (President of B’nai B’rith Aus/NZ), Ian Allen AM (representing patron Jeanne Pratt AC), and other officials and guests.
Guests enjoyed a very impressive afternoon tea, sponsored by Passionate Catering.
Thirty-four prizes were awarded.
SPECIAL PRIZES:
Morrie Gold Memorial Prize for the Overall Winner: Jesse Onas – “Erosion”
Bendigo Bank Caulfield Park Award: Sianna Levin – “The Beauty of Shabbos”
Jewish Theme Prize: Hadassa Ribeiro – “The Shabbat Table”
Judges Special Commendation: Meitar Harel – “Girls in Red”
Raymond and Leah Black Prize: Sterna Raskin – “Orange Still Life”
Thalia Hakin Memorial Prize: Eli Nagel
Yossi Skurnik Memorial Prizes for Landscape – Baila Serebryanski (14-15) and Mordechai Cohen (16-18).
Jeffrey Weiner Memorial Prize for Portraiture / Caricature: Chana Pesha Faigenbaum – “The Balancing Act”
Congratulations to the winners as well as all the other students whose artwork were on display. It was impressive to see the talent in our community!
Click here to view the Art Competition catalogue.
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Background to the Competition
Morrie Gold was born in 1917 in Warsaw, Poland and immigrated to Australia in 1937.
Always a lover of the arts, his work was furthered by his artistic wife, Marie. As an art benefactor he contributed to the National Art Gallery of Victoria. His interest in fostering art in Jewish youth was prompted by watching his grandson’s artistic abilities developing. He realised that to encourage the interest and confidence of children in art there must be interaction with the public.
Having been a member of B’nai B’rith for some time, Morrie felt it was the right organisation to fulfil his wish of running an Annual Jewish Youth Art Competition.
Morrie Gold died in May 1993 with the annual Jewish Youth Art Competition established through a bequest left by Mr. Gold to B’nai B’rith.
Past patrons have been the late Hon Sir Zelman Cowen and Lady Anna Cowen AM with the current Patron, Jeannie Pratt AC.
The competition aims to promote artistic competence and a sense of unity among the Jewish community’s youth.
