In preparation for a Festival in December at Temple Shalom in Newton, Connection Lab is leading a series of glass activities. These include a collaborative mosaic project, a stained glass class for young adults, a docent training about the temple’s stained glass windows and a presentation at an interfaith stained glass tour. All of the activities are designed to celebrate the Temple’s spectacular stained glass windows. The Temple’s sanctuary is lined with 22 stained glass windows, installed in 1959. Designed and built by Napoleon Setti, the glass is strikingly large and uses bold colors and abstracted images to represent passages from the Torah.
The interfaith tour that took place few weeks ago visited three churches of different denominations and Temple Shalom, all in West Newton. Traveling on a school bus, nearly 80 participants learned the history and techniques of the various stained glass windows. Interestingly, one window in a local church was also designed by Setti and we were able to compare the styles that he used for a church setting with those that he used for a Temple. Being on a school bus together fostered casual conversations between participants and the tour strengthened the connections between the four institutions.
The adult stained glass class is also underway, and eleven young adults are learning to make their own stained glass panels.
The hardest part about the stained glass class is protecting the carpeted floors!