
Curricula
The Ann Belsky Moranis School of Arts has made a strong impact on the Junior High and High Schools of Ohr Torah Stone, serving as a catalyst for the development of an innovative and unique art curricula.
A large amount of time and thought is devoted to the reconciliation between two seemingly opposed philosophies: art and outer beauty on the one hand; Judaism and inner power on the other. Other courses focus upon the connection between art and the Jewish holidays, Israeli history and archeology. For example, a class on the relationships of shadow and light in Impressionist painting will be connected to Chanukah themes of light and dark, good and evil. Similarly, the art of portraiture is associated with masks, costumes and Purim themes; nature in art is conveyed in correlation with the Jewish Arbor Day-Tu B'shvat-and studies of the land of Israel.
Parallel to the formal learning, students also go on field trips to relevant museums and locations relating to archeological sites, ancient synagogues, Jewish art and mosaics, Cartography, Jewish ritual objects, and ancient manuscripts. Classes then consider the relationships and compatibility between the age-old traditions inherent in their rich historical surroundings and modern technological advances and methods of communication.
The goal of the school is to continue to combine rather than segregate the study of history with culture, aesthetics with design, hands-on studio instruction, metaphysical theory and theology with arts and communications techniques.
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