Arts Editor

The melding of Judaism and art. That's what congregants at the Conservative Tifereth Israel Congregation in the District will see when they gather to daven on Shabbat.

But when they view the new fiber art in the ark and on the Torah covers, the reading stand and lecterns on the bima, they will also be looking at the fruits of the close collaboration between artist Karen Fricke and the shul's fine arts committee.

"The committee was very involved" in the project, says Fricke, 48, of Rockville. "They had done a lot of research to come up with the thematic concepts that they wanted represented."

Heike Bailin of the District says her committee was shooting for "a simple but elegant design based on Exodus' description of the Mishkan [Tabernacle]."

Once the committee decided on a general theme, "we talked with Karen about our ideas," Bailin says. "She came back with some concrete patterns, giving us a choice of five different quilting patterns, and brought in samples of fabrics."

The interior curtain of the ark -- the sheer linen exterior curtain is the color of linen, a natural cream color -- is purple, blue and crimson quilting, consisting of hundreds of pieces of fabric sewn together, according to Fricke. Donors' names are stitched into the interior curtain.

Seen from afar, "there is almost a luminescence from the center, representing the power of Torah," an idea enhanced by the Torah scrolls sitting in front of the glowing center, says Fricke, who belongs to the Reform Temple Emanuel.

Three of the synagogue's Torah scrolls will be encased in plain royal blue quilted covers, ready to be adorned with their breastplates.

The other three are embroidered with a border of pomegranates, with bells and pomegranate flowers in the stitching, which will be visible only up close, Fricke says.

The cover for the reader's stand and lecterns is purple and blue and is again quilted with bells and pomegranates, items that comprised the motif of priestly robes, the artist explains.

"It's an update and hopefully a change toward a more timeless design," Bailin says of the shul's revamped bima.