Bringing the Torah to Life on Painted Nails
Source: NY Times
Elissa Gootman writes of a very popular school club at Solomon Schechter School of Westchester - the Midrash Manicures club, attended weekly by 25 middle school female students. At the club meetings, Rabbi Yael Buechler teaches girls in the sixth, seventh and eighth grades how to do their nails with designs inspired by the weekly Torah portion.
Rabbi Buechler, recently ordained by JTS has been painting her nails since her youth, utilizing detailed Jewish and other designs. Utilizing themes from the Torah and Midrash requires detailed textual reading and reflection in order to plan the designs. Her students follow the weekly Torah portion and its Midrashim closely in order to get inspiration for their Midrash Manicures.
On her website, Rabbi Buechler posts photographs of her nails, alongside explanations of how they connect to that week’s Torah portion — or more secular events. Among the featured designs, The Flood, The Ten Plagues, The Creation according to Bereishit Rabbah and many others.
A while back Tablet Magazine carried a feature about Rabbi Buechler and Midrash Manicures.
Rabbi Buechler is available to do Midrash Manicures workshops at local synagogues, schools, or JCC to introduce this unique form of Torah body art.