Danielle and Michael Chouraqui

A Partnership

Couples who collaborate in running an art gallery are not uncommon in the art world. Usually, either the husband or the wife is the artist, and the partner joins in the business side of running a gallery.

In the case of the Chouraquis, not only are both Michael and Danielle artists, but they work in tandem, complimenting each other on pieces of exquisite Judaica which are sought by collectors throughout the world.

Both Danielle and Michael were born in Algiers, and immigrated to France as children with their families. They met in Israel in 1986 after they had, separately, become involved with the Chabad Hassidic movement, and married, deciding to come to Tzfat to establish their home.

Holy Texts

Michael is a "Sofer Stam", a scribe who writes religious texts in a carefully-prescribed manner. According to Jewish law, Torah scrolls, tefillin (phylacteries), mezzuza scrolls (the small scrolls containing a Jewish prayer which are found on the doorpost of Jewish homes) and other ritual scrolls must be written according to intricate Jewish laws and rituals. Men who engage in this work study these laws for years in order to insure that the parchments that they write are "kosher", or "fit", completely in keeping with Jewish Law and therefore acceptable for use by the most stringent users.

While some of these scrolls and parchments are quite plain, others may be decorated, and this is where Danielle's work comes to play. Danielle borders ketubot (marriage contracts), Megillot Esther (the scroll of Esther, read aloud on the Purim holiday), blessings and Biblical excerpts. Much of her work involves illumination in gold leaf, a rare craft today because the materials are so expensive. Yet many collectors of Judaica are prepared to pay large sums to beautify the ritual objects that are used in the performance of the mitzvoth, commandments that God gave to the Jewish people in the Torah.  Although the Chouraquis' work is not available to all, collectors who search out the best and most beautiful Judaica appreciate their work.

The Process

After Michael writes the calligraphy for a piece, Danielle illuminates it, sometimes according to her own inspiration and sometimes according to the wishes of the collector who has ordered the work. When she works in gold leaf, she finds ideas in ancient and medieval Jewish manuscripts, though when working with other forms of paints and acrylics, she feels freer to use more of her own ideas which often come to her after her morning prayers -- a way, she says, of acknowledging that her inspiration ultimately comes from God.

Jews have illuminated their sacred and holy texts for centuries - even the simplest homes will have prayers hung which acknowledge the Presence of the Divine and ask for His blessings. Adding beauty to the rituals, Jewish tradition teaches, enhances the performance of the commandments. The Chouraquis have added their own artistic inspirations and talents in enhancing Jewish texts and parchment scrolls. Added to the knowledge that these scrolls come from the holy city of Tzfat, collectors and laymen alike have come to regard the Chouraquis work as bringing Jewish ritual and observance to a new and high

The Chouraquis can be contacted at chouraqui@013.net or (04)6921810