Yemenite Jewish Bride Getting Ready

The synagogue in Chodorov, in western Ukraine, was built in 1652 completely of wood and has remarkable, multicolored painting on its walls and ceiling. The artist drew his inspiration from Jewish heritage, Hebraic motives, the Bible and Talmud and from hand-written, illuminated manuscripts from the Middle Ages. Reconstruction of a section of the ceiling at Tel Aviv Museum of the Diaspora.

More beauties here.

Mur des Lamentations (The Wailing Wall), 1880, Jean-Léon Gérôme, Israel Museum

Six designers, six cities. Discover Rome, Italy with Dior’s perfumer-creator François Demachy on Diormag.com.

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The definitive biography of Henry Kissinger, based on unprecedented access to his private papers No American statesman has been as revered or as reviled as Henry Kissinger. Once hailed as “Super K”—the “indispensable man” whose advice has been sought by every president from Kennedy to Obama—he has also been hounded by conspiracy theorists, scouring his every “telcon” for evidence of Machiavellian malfeasance. Yet as Niall Ferguson shows in this magisterial two-volume biography, drawing not only on Kissinger’s hitherto closed private papers but also on documents from more than a hundred archives around the world, the idea of Kissinger as the ruthless arch-realist is based on a profound misunderstanding. The first half of Kissinger’s life is usually skimmed over as a quintessential tale of American ascent: the Jewish refugee from Hitler’s Germany who made it to the White House. But in this first of two volumes, Ferguson shows that what Kissinger achieved before his appointment as Richard Nixon’s national security adviser was astonishing in its own right. Toiling as a teenager in a New York factory, he studied indefatigably at night. He was drafted into the U.S. infantry and saw action at the Battle of the Bulge—as well as the liberation of a concentration camp—but ended his army career interrogating Nazis. It was at Harvard that Kissinger found his vocation. Having immersed himself in the philosophy of Kant and the diplomacy of Metternich, he shot to celebrity by arguing for “limited nuclear war.” Nelson Rockefeller hired him. Kennedy called him to Camelot. Yet Kissinger’s rise was anything but irresistible. Dogged by press gaffes and disappointed by “Rocky,” Kissinger seemed stuck—until a trip to Vietnam changed everything. The Idealist is the story of one of the most important strategic thinkers America has ever produced. It is also a political Bildungsroman, explaining how “Dr. Strangelove” ended up as consigliere to a politician he had always abhorred. Like Ferguson’s classic two-volume history of the House of Rothschild, Kissinger sheds dazzling new light on an entire era. The essential account of an extraordinary life, it recasts the Cold War world.

Farkash Gallery - Vintage Israeli Posters, Israeli Art and Judaica  

Jew at Prayer, Marc Chagall. 1913.

A Decorative Synagogue Plaque Indicating the Times of Prayer, [detail], by Abraham Pavian, Hermannstadt (Sibiu), Romania, (1878), multi-coloured paint on paper with metal dials set in a wood and glass frame, 40.6 x 55.9 cm, private collection. The five manual clocks designate the times of the daily morning and afternoon prayer service as well as the times of the services for the Sabbath prayers. The Hebrew inscription around the border, comprised of verses from the book of Psalms (88:13-17), alludes to the morning prayers, source: sothebys.com.

Artistic Stuff. Paintings Blog. Rainbow-colored drawings by Fiona Woodcock, posted on the blog… via Tumblr

Charming Baker • “Intelligence is No Match for Adaptability,” 2008 • The House Sale • Aug 19 — Sep 01

In anticipation of the BBC’s upcoming documentary A Day in the Life of Andy Warhol, several of his friends and acquaintances give a rare glimpse into the life and reality of the elusive artist.