5 minute read
Hadassah Hosts Empowering Painting Days and Plans to Reveal Masterpieces
October 2024
By Aileen Greenberg-Kriner
If you were looking for artists to paint women’s tatas, where would you start? When a woman at the craft store said she was an artist and offered to help two Hadassah women pick the right body paint, they asked her to volunteer for Painting Days. One Hadassah member went to get a tattoo and recruited two artists from the studio. Other members recruited three artists at an art fair, and another when they shared a table while painting calaniot (red anemone) at the Levine Jewish Community Center (LJCC).
Painting Days, held on August 19 and 20, could only have happened when Hadassah volunteers who are passionate about what they do found other volunteers to make the magic happen. Painting Days was an emotional, empowering, creative, educational two-day event, part of Hadassah Charlotte Metro’s Celebrate the TaTas initiative, our annual fundraiser for cancer research at the Hadassah hospitals in Jerusalem.
This year, there were 66 models, 19 artists, and 20 tables with experts, who support and fundraise for women’s health, and vendors, who donated a portion of their sales to Hadassah. But Painting Days was much more than the numbers. Painting Days was a celebration, a triumph over cancer, and a chance to transform your body into a beautiful work of art.
Many women chose the subject or style for their body. Some brought photographs. Others gave their artist carte blanche. Bodies were turned into colorful flower gardens and butterflies, landscapes and seascapes. There were pictures of hamsas, pets, a superhero spider shield, and so much more – artwork limited only by the model’s and artist’s imaginations. Some models were breast cancer survivors, several were there supporting family or friends, and others got painted to support cancer research. Many Hadassah members donated the $36 Painting Day fee so women who otherwise couldn’t afford to be painted, could come and participate in the transformation. Once the painting was complete, a female photographer took pictures of each model.
Debbie Buchman saw a post for Painting Days on a friend’s Facebook page. Debbie drove from Atlanta so she and her friend Cheryl Alley could get painted. Debbie shared, “Breast cancer runs in my family. My grandmother had it. So this seemed like a cool thing to do.”
Cheryl added, “When Debbie wanted to do it, I thought I’d give it a try. It was a terrific experience. The event is well-run and everybody’s friendly and doing it for a good cause.”
Debbie admitted, ”I thought I would be more bashful about it, but it was no big deal, the way they did it. The artists made you feel very comfortable.”
The Reveal After Painting Days, the tata pictures were made into a poster-size photo collage that will be unveiled at The Reveal Gala on Saturday, Nov. 16 at Temple Beth El from 6:30-9:30 p.m. This celebratory fundraising event, with Patti Mercer as emcee, will include dinner and live and silent auctions.
Natalie Robinson, mural artist, will be live painting during the event and we will auction off her original painting. Also being auctioned: a week in Hilton Head, a winter weekend in Banner Elk, and wine tasting for 20 people.
Buy your tickets ($90/person) on our website. If you would like to be an event sponsor or advertise in our program, are interested in assisting during The Reveal, or have items to donate, contact Cindy at (980) 553-1880 or celebratethetatas.Hadassah@gmail.com.
Hadassah Directory
Sign up for the 2025-26 Hadassah Charlotte Metro Area Jewish Community Directory today! There is no charge to include your personal listing. Because of privacy laws, even if you were listed in previous directories, you must sign up again.
To be listed in the Directory, place an ad, or order the online and/or print version, go to our website. If you have questions about your personal listing, email cltdirectorylisting@gmail. com. If you have questions about business advertising, email clthadassahdir@gmail.com, or call (980) 553-1880. Proceeds from the Directory go toward funding a pediatric emergency bay at Hadassah’s Mt. Scopus Hospital in Jerusalem.
Monthly Events
The next Hadassah Wine & Schmooze is Tuesday, Oct. 1 at 7 p.m. at Vintner Wine Market in the Arboretum Shopping Center. Short Story Discussion Group will not meet in October because of Yom Kippur.
Hadassah BookTalk discusses “Uncomfortable Conversations with A Jew” by Emmanuel Acho and Noa Tishby at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 22 via Zoom. The next Hadassah CLT Metro Board meeting is Monday, Oct. 21, at 7 p.m. on Zoom.
Helpful Info
To learn about membership, contact Laurie Sheinhaus at the phone number or email below, or come to one of our events. Our website, www.hadassahcltevents.org, has details and registration links for our events. If you have questions or need additional information, email HadassahCLT@gmail.com or call our general phone number, (980) 553-1880. Follow us on Facebook (Hadassah CLT Metro) and Instagram (Hadassah Charlotte Metro).
