'This is my Torah scroll': Artist's travelling exhibit of 54 parshas opens in Toronto

Montreal artist Sheila Nemtin Levine didn’t plan to fulfill the final commandment of the Torah, which says that every Jew should write their own Old Testament. But that’s what ended up happening after she painted 54 vibrant, mixed-media canvases—one for each parashah in the Torah—and imbued each with a modern take on the ancient Biblical verses.

Her exhibit, Tablet Tableaux, has just opened for a three-month tour of prominent Toronto synagogues. It begins at Beth Emeth Bais Yehuda this week, then heads to Holy Blossom Temple until the end of December, and finally moves to Darchei Noam for all of January 2027.

Nemtin Levine calls the panels a journey of exploration. Audience members are encouraged to physically engage with the works by touching the grains of sand, family photos and architectural blueprints for the Israelites’ portable desert tabernacle.

Her works have been displayed at several synagogues across Montreal and, last month, at Ottawa's JCC. Jewish high schools have used them for special b’nei mitzvah study modules. The project has also spawned a coffee table book, a free audio guide, and a forthcoming documentary video series.

On today’s episode of The CJN's North Star podcast, we bring you Nemtin Levine's interview with host Ellin Bessner, who visited the artist's studio in Montreal in July 2025.

Related link

• Learn more about Tablet Tableaux at the artist's website.
• See the original story on The CJN.ca from 2025

Credits

• Host and writer: Ellin Bessner (@ebessner )
• Production team: Zachary Kauffman (senior producer), Izzie Helenchilde (producer and video editor), Michael Fraiman (executive producer), Alicia Richler (editorial director)
• Music: Bret Higgins

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