This piece is a Jewish star wrapped in blue and yellow ribbons, referencing the hostage ribbons after October 7th. I made it while I was a student at Columbia, witnessing the rise in antisemitic hate and the intensity of post–October 7th discourse on campus as a Middle Eastern Jewish student. It became very easy to see how quickly people were villainized, and I wanted to create something that pointed toward compassion rather than hatred.
The quote written on the star comes from Vayikra in the Torah, a commandment to free your heart from hatred. In moments like this, it serves as a reminder of the Jewish obligation to choose love over hate.
