Five Israeli artists to know

Hi friends,

What a devastating week. It seems like every hour something even more unimaginable is reported out of Israel. Our nerves are raw, and our hearts ache. 

We need each other more than ever. We need to support each other more than ever. 

Last night I moderated a Zoom book talk in partnership with the Jewish Book Council and The Jewish Museum. The first thing the authors and I said was how good it felt to just be together, in community, talking about Jewish stories. 

It’s a reminder of how important these small Jewish acts can be—however you define them. 

I was lucky to have a very Jewish day planned for yesterday. I visited The Jewish Museum to try their fantastic new restaurant, Lox, and meet with the curator of an upcoming art exhibit about Queen Esther, the heroine of the Purim story. Afterward I popped into the Jewish Museum Shop, one of my favorite places in New York City, where I saw and promptly purchased this Susan Alexandra evil eye bracelet. (I later found out she calls it the Taliswoman bracelet, which was honestly exactly what I was looking for.) I also picked up a copy of Happy Purim, Grover for my daughter Edith, who loved last year’s It’s Passover, Grover.

Shopping isn’t frivolous. It can be a powerful way to articulate our sense of self, and telegraph that identity outward. The retail decisions we make are important, and remind us that we have agency in how we spend our money. 

This became incredibly clear to me recently when I bought my first “real” piece of art. My husband and I now live in a grown-up apartment (it has sconces), and we were looking for something to put on the large wall above our couch. Our wall decor had been charmingly DIY thus far—framed mementos or prints from places we love—and we were feeling ready for a proper piece of art. I started searching online for fun abstract paintings, and soon enough came across artist Gabriela Kramer on Instagram. Her work was bright and poppy and exactly what I was looking for. 

I visited her studio and we immediately connected. She was raised in San Diego by an Israeli mother, and moved to Israel after graduating high school, returning to the States a few years ago with her husband. She told me how her work was influenced by Israel—the food, the people, the music, the desert, the sea. She also told me about the challenges of making art, and being an Israeli artist, after Oct. 7. 

It felt bashert. I knew I wanted Gabriela to create something for us. 

Fast forward a few months, and Gabriela delivered our very own custom piece. Nothing is more special than this personalized—and deeply personal—piece of art hanging in our home. Edith especially loves the E’s that Gabriela incorporated throughout the design for her. 

It felt really good to support an artist whose work I happen to love, and whose background felt extremely meaningful. 

There are so many incredible Israeli artists working today. I asked Michelle Azout, a talented Miami-based art advisor and curator, to share a few favorites with us. Michelle knows what she’s talking about: she recently put together an art show called Home | Land, featuring and designed to promote the work of Israeli artists. 

There are lots of ways to support these artists: follow them on Instagram, get on their mailing lists, go to their shows, and, if you’re in the market, consider buying their work. 

I’ll let Michelle take it from here.

Ron Chen

Ron Chen creates landscape paintings that explore the intersection of digital imagery, perception, and light. His works are characterized by an Impressionist-like dotted surface that focuses on capturing the ethereal quality of images.

I will be presenting an exhibition of Chen's recent paintings in Miami in March. The title of the show, Eternal Window, is a nod to the poem by noted Israeli writer Yehuda Amichai. The poem captures the significance of memory, particularly in the Jewish tradition, which serves not only to understand the past but also to fortify oneself for the future—a message of strength particularly poignant in 2025, at a time when global antisemitism has reached record-high levels.

Ron Chen: Eternal Window opens March 27 at the JB Project Space in Miami. 

Follow Ron Chen on Instagram @studioronchen.

Guy Yanai

Guy Yanai, who lives and works between Tel Aviv and Marseilles, paints colorful flattened depictions of scenes from classic films and domestic interiors; his work has garnered international recognition. Yanai has a show up right now with Harper's Gallery at the Felix Art Fair in Los Angeles.

Follow Guy Yanai on Instagram @guy_yanai.

Iris Cintra

Iris Cintra, who paintings were prominently featured in HOME | LAND, is based in Haifa and paints abstracted landscapes. (She happens to be married to Boaz Noy, who is also an accomplished painter and whose work I also admire.)

Follow Iris Cintra on Instagram @cintra_iris. 

Orna Degani

Orna Degani creates intricate textiles and embroideries featuring people and places around her. Many of her works are on a small scale, making them tiny but precious. Degani lives and works in Tel Aviv. 

Follow Orna Degani on Instagram @ornadegani.

Ronen Tanchum

Ronen Tanchum is an artist and technologist who explores the intersection of nature, science, and the environment. His art, a blend of immersive installations and digital canvases, often feature elements from nature.

Follow Ronen Tanchum on Instagram @ronentanchum.art.

I’m so grateful to Michelle for introducing us to these impressive Israeli artists. You can learn more about Michelle Azout Art Advisory here and follow along with Home | Land here.

By the way, my favorite thing to do in Israel is find prints and postcards from local shops, and a lot of those places now ship to the U.S. Last time I was in Jaffa I got lost inside Asufa, where I discovered these funky Tel Aviv A-Z postcards. We framed our favorites and gave a bunch away based on friends’ initials. 

Godspeed, GOLDA gang. May the coming days bring better news and, on our walls, better views. 

Stay GOLDA,

Stephanie