Unique retreat brings together top
young Jewish Artists from around the world

Garrison, New York, March 23, 2014 – Some 70 top young Jewish artists from around the world are gathering today in Garrison, NY for the second Asylum Arts International Jewish Artist Retreat. The unique networking and learning experience is intended to connect and empower Jewish artists around the world, ultimately to help cultivate an international community of Jewish artists.

The retreat is organized by Asylum Arts, a global network of Jewish artists that has recently launched and aims to engage more people with Jewish ideas, identity and community through the vibrant Jewish and Israeli cultural landscapes. Asylum Arts supports contemporary Jewish culture worldwide, bringing greater exposure to artists and cultural initiatives, providing opportunities for new projects and collaborations and elevating the level of excellence and artistic activity.

The Retreat brings together visual artists, playwrights, choreographers, musicians, composers, photographers, filmmakers, screenwriters, poets and writers. Artist/participants were selected for being outstanding in their fields and for their dedication to careers creating new works. Participants include Rafram Chaddad, from Tunisia and Israel, who is a photographer and food expert; Menachem Kaiser, from America and Eastern Europe, a writer who has also recently created and launched reVilna, an interactive map of the Vilna ghetto; Joel Waldman, from Bogotá, Colombia, who is a self-taught musician who wrote music for the musicians of Whitney Houston’s 2010 World Tour; Ildikó Hermann, from Hungary, who is an award-winning documentary photographer; and Itai Gal, also known as Ricky Riot, a musician from America, who is part of the band “Schmekel”, the only all-transgender, all-Jewish, schtick-rock band.

Asylum Arts International Jewish Artist Retreat was created as part of Schusterman Connection Points. Additional support is provided by Genesis Philanthropy Group and Righteous Persons Foundation.