The Book of Exodus

Between miracle and memory: The evolution of Miriam in art over the years

Whether in medieval ‘Haggadot’ or the lithographs of Bezalel, artists trace Miriam as she emerges, tambourine in hand, to lead the aftermath of the Exodus.

|ByNERIA BARR
BYZANTINE MOSAIC, Abbey of the Dormition, Jerusalem (c. early medieval) – Miriam, tambourine in hand.
ZOHAR FRESCO: The work of acclaimed percussionist Zohar Fresco traces the roots of frame drumming back to ‘Miriam’s drum’ and its place in Jewish cultural memory

Miriam’s beat: From Exodus to modern Israel, women reclaim rhythm and resilience

Pe’imat Miriam, a female percussive endeavor, revives an ancient rhythm to find a collective voice of hope – core to the biblical Passover narrative and to our spiritual well-being.

|ByBARRY DAVIS
TAMBOURINE PLAYERS from the ‘Golden Haggadah’ (c. 1320), reflecting a medieval vision of Miriam and the women’s song after the crossing of the sea, The British Library, London

The hidden well: Exploring Miriam's leadership as a source of hope in war's shadow

Within a world of harsh decrees and cruelty, Miriam creates a human partnership that crosses boundaries for the sake of saving life.

|ByRABBA AMIRIT ROSEN