Threads of Faith: Israeli Women Create an Embroidered Book of Psalms as a Symbol of Unity and Prayer

A new exhibition showcases a moving and one-of-a-kind project — an embroidered Book of Psalms (Sefer Tehillim) created entirely by 154 Israeli women from across the country: from city centers and the periphery, from the political right and left, both secular and religious.

Each woman chose a Psalm that spoke to her heart and embroidered an artwork inspired by it. The embroidered pieces were later collected into a magnificent book, now presented in an exhibition opening at Beit Berl College.

Inside the exhibition hall, the artworks are displayed in the order of the Psalms, with each embroidery accompanied by the corresponding verse. Some pieces are vibrant and colorful, others minimalist in black and white; some interpret imagery from the text, while others are abstract.

As many women as there are — so too, many interpretations. Each needle and thread stitched a unique voice into a greater feminine symphony of prayer, creativity, and harmony.

Photo: Studio 'The Green Man' Oriyan and Amir Shavit

The Vision Behind “Rokmot Tehillim” — The Embroidered Psalms Project

The project was initiated by Merav Shaked, who explained the inspiration behind it: “In the Book of Psalms, letter by letter forms words, and words form songs. In Rokmot Tehillim, stitch by stitch became lines, and lines became works of art. All the individual embroideries came together into one moving creation — greater than the sum of its parts.”

She added: “I have always believed that within us women, lies the power to heal, unite, and create. Together we embroidered love and prayers into fabric — hoping to build a better society and repair the world. Since the war that began on October 7, the importance of prayer has grown tremendously.”

Photos: Ari Baltinshtar

Psalms Through Threads of Prayer and Hope

The Book of Psalms is one of humanity’s most ancient poetic works, composed by King David over 2,000 years ago. Its verses are read in moments of joy, distress, or danger — a timeless expression of the human soul reaching toward the Divine.

The Rokmot Tehillim project, which began in 2022 and continued through Israel’s most recent war, took on new emotional depth and meaning. Women from different communities gathered to embroider prayers and love into their creations — and even went further, sewing personal prayer pouches containing mini Books of Psalms that were later sent to soldiers fighting on the front lines.

Photo: Ari Baltinshtar

A Tapestry of Unity

What began as an artistic collaboration became a national statement — a vision of connection, compassion, and shared faith. Through fabric, thread, and heart, the women of Israel have woven not only art — but also a prayer for healing, peace, and unity.