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Modern Mishkan Installation

Wednesday, February 11, 2026 • 24 Shevat 5786

All Day for 11 DaysHavurah Shalom

The Modern Mishkan, an art installation by Diane Fredgant

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Modern Mishkan at Havurah Shalom, by Diane Fredgant

The ancient Mishkan of the Torah was a traveling sanctuary designed by Betzalel the artist and built under the supervision of Moshe and at the orders of Itamar, the son of Aaron. There are 450 verses in the Torah dedicated to the materials, building and use of the Mishkan.
Side view of the Modern Mishkan, with vibrant red and blue silks.
After the Israelites received the Luchot haBrit, the Tablets of the Covenant, at Mount Sinai, God says, "Make me a sanctuary, and I will dwell among them." (Exodus 25:8) The Mishkan acted as this sanctuary for 440 years, until the first Temple was built in Jerusalem. The original Mishkan was made of gold, silver, goat skins, and wood. The was sometimes called Mishkan haEdut, the Tent of Witnessing.
 

Imagine Entering a Space...

...where you are embraced by a Torah scroll, eight feet tall and 24 feet long.The inner walls are lined with 613 commandments (mitzvot) hand-written in ancient Hebrew letters. The viewer moves to the rear chamber to stand under a three-sided chuppah (canopy) enveloped by the branches and leaves of a Tree of Life (Etz Chaim) hand-painted on three layers of silk. The outer part of the scroll is beautifully painted silk, where the tree branches wrap around the outside and on each branch are English translations of the mitzvot we consider relevant today. It is quite experiential.
 

Havurah member Diane Fredgant designed this contemporary interpretation, a Modern Mishkan, as a place that invites everyone inside for refuge, connection, prayer, and solace.


The Modern Mishkan will be on exhibit at Havurah Shalom Feb. 11 to 22. Experience the Mishkan at the following Havurah events:

  • Kabbalat Shabbat, Friday, Feb. 13, 5:45 pm — The Mishkan will be open for viewing. No RSVP needed.
  • Torah Study, Saturdays, Feb. 14 and 21, 9 am — Study Torah inside the Modern Mishkan! No RSVP needed.
  • Artist Talk and Drumming Circle, Monday, Feb. 16 — Meet Diane Fredgant and learn about the making of the Mishkan at 5:15, then drum to your heart's delight with Patty Magid-Volk in a Drum Circle at 6:30 pm. RSVP

All are welcome.
 

 

Diane Fredgant Artist Statement

I have long been inspired by the stories and traditions in the Torah and other Jewish texts. My work as a silk and sculpture artist represents a wide range of Jewish beliefs, from Kabbalistic ideas to Torah commandments. For the last 25 years, I have specialized in custom works of functional art, combining each customer’s desires and spirituality with millennia of Jewish tradition to create chuppahs, challah covers, and tallitot, among other forms. My recent work focuses on the Modern Mishkan installation: an artistically interactive, educational, and spiritual experience designed to honor the Mishkan of the Torah and the key commandments that regulate Jewish life.

See more of Diane's beautiful work at her website.

The Tree of Life extends across the walls and chuppah of the Modern Mishkan.

A visitor to the Modern Mishkan is immersed among images of the Tree of Life and the Torah scroll.

The Tree of Life extends all the way around the walls of the Modern Mishkan.




 

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Sat, March 7 2026 18 Adar 5786