Sigal Edelman: "I Decided That If Hashem Wants Me to Leave Everything - So Be It"

The phenomenon of creators who return to faith and continue to succeed in their art, even excelling in it within their new Torah-oriented world, is relatively new. Today, it seems almost natural, even expected, but it wasn't always like this. For this very reason, artist Sigal Edelman, in the final moments before deciding to return to faith, thought she would have to abandon her talents and life aspirations, choosing a life she hadn't hoped for.

"When I finally decided, *b'ezrat Hashem*, to change my lifestyle and return to faith," Edelman says, "for me, one of the prices was giving up my professional dreams and the use of the talents Hashem blessed me with. In those years, there were no artists returning to faith on the religious side. Those who did left the world of art and creativity. I wanted to be a writer and continue with photography, and I was very concerned that the price would be leaving it all.

"Despite all that, after much thought, I decided that if Hashem wants me to leave everything - so be it. For me, it was a very high price to pay because that is what I wanted to do in my life. However, as I deepened my return to faith, I realized, to my great joy, that not only do I not have to give up on my aspirations and skills, but the opposite is true. I understood that the world I came to is actually very thirsty for refined art, created in the spirit of the Torah and according to halachic rules, and that we, those who returned to faith, have the opportunity and capability to create it and bridge between worlds in the right way.

"At the final exhibition of our art studies, I saw a stranger approach my work, look at it, and then write something in the exhibition guestbook. Curiosity led me to see what he wrote, and to my surprise, I saw that he wrote it was one of the most beautiful works he had ever seen. After he left, I asked who he was, and they told me he was the former editor of the world's most prestigious photography magazine. I achieved accomplishments and appreciation before returning to faith, and I am grateful to Hashem that I can continue doing this within the Torah world too."

The Western Wall Sigal Edelman

From Dizengoff to Mattersdorf

Currently, the exhibition "Women in Black and White," summarizing 30 years of artist Sigal Edelman's work (57), is displayed at "Heichal Shlomo" in Jerusalem. Edelman, who holds a master's degree in art and lectures in this field, is married, a mother of four living in Jerusalem, and deals with photography, phototherapy (therapy through photography), and book writing.

Although Edelman is now professionally engaged in photographic art, she says the desire to engage in this field began to emerge when she was a child. "I grew up in a secular family living in Jerusalem. During the Six-Day War, we were still in the city, and when I was six, we moved to Ashkelon. I started taking photos when I was 10. I asked my parents for a camera, and I got one. By 13, I received a better camera and darkroom equipment. It was very special back in those days.

"Over the years, I continued with it, and I completed my higher studies at an art institution called 'The College' in Ramat Hasharon, where I studied photography and art. It's a very esteemed place, equivalent to Bezalel. At 25, I participated in an Arakhim seminar. The things presented there were very convincing, but it was very difficult for me to return to faith because of it. I felt the seminar was like winning the lottery. You get a million dollars in one day. I felt that I wanted to gather dollar by dollar. That my soul should be prepared for it."

As a secular student from home, what made you suddenly want to participate in such a seminar?

"I was an art student, and every shekel I earned went to buying expensive photo papers. I saw an ad about the seminar, and the title 'Values' appealed to me. I missed a values-based discourse. They spread out the payments over ten months, and I thought I had made the deal of my life. I still think so. The truth is, I knew then that Values deals with what is called 'returning to faith,' but I didn't think they would succeed in convincing me. However, I took into account that if I were truly convinced - I would have to change my way of life.

"By the way, regarding returning to faith, according to my understanding and experience, there is no such thing as 'bringing back to faith.' No one brought me back. I made this journey myself. There are good people who accompanied me through the process, and for that, I am very grateful to them. But there is no person capable of bringing someone else back to faith, perfectly. It's arrogance and lack of understanding to think so. There is information given, support, and help, but ultimately, everyone chooses their path, and on this path, they are always alone. Only them and the Master of the World.

"Anyway, what happened after the seminar is that I somewhat returned to my regular life. But one big thing happened at that time - I promised myself not to forget the truth I found here. Indeed, for three years, I reorganized within Tel Aviv. I started keeping Shabbat, traveled to India as a Shabbat observer, and by 28, when I fully returned to faith, I was very much at peace with it and did not want my old lifestyle.

"When I decided to do it completely, I simply moved from Dizengoff to Mattersdorf (a Haredi neighborhood in Jerusalem, A.S.). I studied at the seminary 'Path of Insight,' and after a certain period, I married. My husband comes from an excellent family with deep roots in the Jewish world, and for me, it is impossible to talk about my activity in all areas without mentioning him. He is very wise and talented, and his guidance and directions greatly helped me find balance in my activities."

And Their Faces Toward Each Other (Exodus 37:9)

Thanks to Photos from the War

Beyond Edelman's artistic and professional engagement in photography, she also specializes in therapeutic work with people through photography. "I am involved in phototherapy, which is a relatively new field in art therapy. I teach it and also practice it. The therapeutic channels are many, but among others, you can open albums with the patient and talk to them about things that arise from the photos. You can take things together and look at pictures, and from that, reach deep layers, and more.

"The ultimate goal, of course, is to successfully improve people's lives. To achieve healing. For instance, I worked with portrait photographs with a woman who was abused. One of the things she said was that she had no ability to stand up for herself, that she wasn't built for it, and that's why she lived with an abusive husband and lacked the strength to assert herself. Through the photos, slowly, we saw she had it.

"We noticed various facial expressions that showed she had strength, the ability to set boundaries, etc. From this, she realized that she had power and was able to begin building new norms and patterns. We want to make the patient see things that exist within them. We look at photography as a document. Evidence. Something from which you can ascertain.

"Another example I can give from work I did with girls dealing with addictive substances. Those who come to these places are girls who have encountered great pain in their lives, and they are essentially looking to blur and remove it. Rehabilitation centers usually come after realizing that addiction leads to a dead-end. People come there to make a change.

"Photography is one of the best tools that can help in rehabilitation. For example, drawing something with the patient, or taking pictures together, and causing them to say what gives them strength to progress in their therapy, found in things they photographed or drew. Or, for instance, bringing photos of family members and talking about them."

Israeli Nature Still Life

Is this therapy suitable for older people?

"Certainly. One of my patients was a Holocaust survivor, who just before fleeing his home managed to grab a few old photos. He kept them in his coat all the time. One night, in one of the camps, he was ordered to give up the coat, and in response, he said they could take the coat but must leave him the photos. He had three family photos, and it was what reminded him of them and himself. It reminded him that he was worthwhile, valued, and had a human image. That there is a beautiful, good life. It was what gave him the strength to survive the war. These things came up in our conversations and greatly strengthened him."