The Orthodox Artist Whose Painting Was Displayed in Manhattan: "You Won't Believe What I Painted"

The phone call Karin Hoetzel received a few days before Chanukah left her astonished, struggling to believe her ears.

True, she is a renowned architect and artist across the U.S., frequently engaged in painting Judaica. This led her to participate in a nationwide competition where 5,000 artists were invited to submit images of selected paintings. But to be chosen as one of the top ten finalists? It never crossed her mind.

"I knew from the start that the competition was organized by a non-Jewish entity," she explains. "So when I applied, I was quite hesitant about which images to send. In the end, I chose two landscape pictures, and only at the last moment did I add a third – a painting of the Menorah near the Western Wall. It's a piece I worked on for three and a half months, to which I felt very connected. It's unique as it's an exact replica of the Menorah, down to the smallest details, appearing in 3D against the Western Wall. Personally, I'm deeply connected to the Menorah and genuinely believe in this painting, in its beauty and holiness. I decided that my faith is part of me, and if I needed to select the leading painting in my view – this was it. So I included it, praying as the scripture says, 'Cast your burden upon Hashem, and He shall sustain you' - I make my effort, and if Hashem wants something to come of it, it will happen. But in my heart, I was sure the painting had no chance of winning, especially with the current widespread antisemitism in the U.S. It just seemed implausible."

Not at the Cost of Shabbat

On Wednesday, the eve of Chanukah, Karin received the astonishing call that out of 5,000 participants, she and nine other artists were selected to advance to the finals, where the winner would be decided whose artwork would be displayed in 'Times Square' – Manhattan's iconic square on the most significant night for non-Jewish Americans, during the New Year's celebrations.

But she was also told something else: To participate in the final stage of the competition, she had to travel to Georgia on Friday, where the ceremony would take place in the afternoon, and plane tickets were to be given to her and her family. "At this point, I encountered a problem," Karin recounts. "I am an Orthodox woman, observant of the commandments, and a Friday afternoon ceremony sounded very borderline to me, especially when in a foreign country and needing to prepare for Shabbat. It was clear to me that I would not compromise my Shabbat for any wealth in the world. I quickly contacted one of the rabbis in Israel and asked if I could travel and participate. The rabbi told me there was no problem as long as I didn't desecrate the Shabbat, and clarified that, of course, after the ceremony, I would have to stay in my hotel room with my family and observe Shabbat fully. I was pleased by the response, but since this also concerned my livelihood, I feared my bias, so I approached the rabbi of our synagogue who told me the same: 'You may participate in the competition as long as you don't violate the Shabbat.' At that moment, the decision was made, and we set off."

During the flight, Karin repeatedly messaged her family, asking them, "Pray that I merit to sanctify Hashem's name, pray that in contrast to the viral videos of rising antisemitism in the U.S., we will succeed in spreading a different kind of video – one of Hashem's sanctification. That the sacred Menorah will be displayed in the heart of Manhattan, among all the nations, making everyone believe that Hashem has always been with the Jewish people, even now."

Ultimately, when Karin arrived at the event with the other nine finalists, they were in for a surprise – the judging panel announced that there wasn't a single winner; instead, all ten received the grand prize – each painting would be featured at a size of approximately 300 meters on a digital billboard in 'Times Square,' and additionally, all the artists would get their works displayed in leading galleries across the Southeast U.S. throughout the coming year, courtesy of the giant company that organized the competition.

"Immediately after the ceremony, I managed to reach the hotel with my family, and of course, we observed Shabbat fully, including kosher meals," Karin details. "On Saturday night, we flew back home to Long Island, arriving just in time to light the first candle of Chanukah. When my husband lit the menorah, I cried. I thought about how that same candle is lit on that very day in the Menorah at the Western Wall, the same Menorah I painted. It seemed so perfect to me that Hashem led a non-Jewish organization to precisely match it with Chanukah and choose its exactly right picture."

Sanctifying Hashem

How do you truly explain that the Jewish painting was chosen among thousands?

"I have no explanation for this; I saw other paintings submitted to the competition, some by top-notch artists. I truly don't know why I won, but I believe that Hashem is the sole judge in the world, and He can do anything. Perhaps the special holiness of the Menorah simply passed on, and the judges couldn't resist it. Hashem is the one who created this incredible scenario in which the Jewish Menorah is shown on a giant digital billboard for viewers celebrating the New Year. He's the only one who made this unforgettable spectacle happen."

And what about the future, as part of the prize you will display your works in various galleries across the U.S. What are your plans?

"It's not clear to me yet, but I know that as part of my publicity, the company is now monitoring every post or article about me. This doesn't stop me from emphasizing each time the sanctification of Hashem and the immense thanks I have to the Creator of the World. I'm not afraid it will harm my reputation because I know everything comes from Him, and if Hashem brought me to this place, there's no reason to fear. I continue to believe that the Master of the Universe controls everything, and may we all always merit to sanctify His blessed name."