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Bringing Text to Life: An Integrated Beit Midrash Project
Milken’s 10th grade Beit Midrash students recently joined forces with Engineering II and AP 3D Art & Design to bring Jewish wisdom into dialogue with art, architecture, and innovation. The result was a truly interdisciplinary project that wove together text study, artistic exploration, and hands-on design.
From Text Study to Creative Vision
The project was inspired by Avot d’Rabbi Natan 6:2, a text that speaks to themes of creation, persistence, and meaning. After studying the text extensively in class, Beit Midrash students began by teaching the passage to their peers in engineering and art, leading discussions on the text’s lessons and design implications. Together, the classes then developed “art investigations”—visual interpretations of their insights.
From there, the focus shifted to design and engineering. Students explored how their ideas could take physical form through the creation of a fountain—an enduring symbol of flow and transformation. By integrating principles of architecture and engineering, they envisioned structures where water might fall and flow in meaningful ways, embodying the text’s themes in tangible form.
Student Reflections
Throughout the process, students shared how engaging deeply with Jewish sources enriched their creative practice. For many, the ancient wisdom became a lens through which they approached both technology and art, sparking new ideas and connections. Their work demonstrated how Jewish learning can inspire innovation, serving as a living example of the power of integration across disciplines.
How It Began: Rabbi Shamash’s Vision
The project’s origin traces back to Rabbi Shamash’s own encounter with the story of Rabbi Akiva in Avot d’Rabbi Natan. As someone who came to serious Jewish learning later in life, the narrative resonated deeply with him—so much so that he envisioned creating a sculpture to capture its meaning.
“I had the creative energy and the vision,” Rabbi Shamash explained, “but I quickly realized I didn’t have the engineering skills to build what I was imagining. For three years, I’ve taught this text to our 10th grade Talmud students, hoping it might inspire them to create something of their own.”
That hope found new life through Milken’s integration initiative. Inspired by past collaborations—like Mr. Kang’s architecture class, which explored the halachot (Jewish laws) of building a sukkah—Rabbi Shamash saw the opportunity to bridge disciplines. The introduction of AI tools provided an extra spark, helping him translate abstract ideas into initial sketches. With the support of the Fab Lab, engineering, and art departments, the project began to take real shape.
A Milken Model of Integration
What began as a personal vision grew into a collaborative endeavor that engaged multiple departments and fields. This interdisciplinary approach reflects Milken’s commitment to integrating Jewish learning across the curriculum, allowing students to experience how timeless texts can inform and inspire modern creativity.
As the fountains designed in this project illustrate, when Torah learning flows into the realms of art, technology, and design, it creates something new—an educational experience where tradition and innovation enrich one another.
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