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Couple Aims to Fill Void of Modern Art for Jewish Kids

While Yossi and Tal Belkin were expecting their first child, they scoured the World Wide Web for all things baby, and pinned away their days full of adorableness on all fronts but one: modern art for Jewish kids. They were shocked to find a gaping hole in such a modern art-centric world.

Yossi, a graphic designer by trade, realized that if he wanted to find the genre he was looking for, he would have to create it himself.

“As a graphic designer, and soon-to-be dad, I had been working on branding projects ranging from hipster BBQ joints to Fortune 500 companies. A lover of art and all things creative, I jumped on the baby-art-making bandwagon and decided to conjure up some of my own designs,” said Yossi.

“When I was young I heard a tale of a sacred man, a sneaky fox, and a frightened fish. Rabbi Akiva lived during the times of the Roman Empire, a time when the study of Torah was punishable by death. Once, when asked by his students why he wasn’t afraid to continue his learning, he responded with a parable: A hungry fox was walking through the forest when he happened upon a stream filled with fish swimming to and fro. When the fox learned the fish were swimming from the nets of men trying to catch them for food, he decided to give his cunning a shot and sat down at the river bed to chat with the fish. ‘If you come out here onto dry land we can live together in peace and harmony.’ Said the fish to the fox ‘You’re not quite as smart as they say. At least in the stream we have a chance at survival, but a fish could never live out of water!’

“The world may offer solace and comfort to us now in a myriad of modern ways, but a Jew could never live without Torah. And surely, a Jewish child could not thrive without it,” Yossi explained.

And thus was born Fox & Fish, the ‘little Jewish print shop’ where all things baby – from onesies to framed artwork and lots more – can be purchased for your little bundle of joy.

The Belkins say they are working hard on getting a larger selection of products, including canvas prints, more framed artwork and clothing.

Click here for more information or to shop at Fox & Fish.

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13 Comments

  • Chani

    Brilliant! May Hashem bless you with success. Love, love the concept. Great products.
    can’t wait to give my new baby gifts

  • Great stuff

    Only recommendation is many families are very into only showing children kosher animals. An owl saying shema may not be allowed in many homes.

  • Shlomo

    Adorable. So happy there’s finally somewhere to get adorable art for Jewish children!

  • Citizen Berel

    This is very special.

    I always think about voids and not long ago I considered the gaping void in Jewish childlife — modern art.

    • Hate to be that guy

      I love the idea and modern art, but the clothing are extremely expensive.
      Need to get better resourcing.

  • Lots of Hatzlacha

    Remember what the Rebbe said about children only seeing kosher pictures & kosher animals

  • Artist

    From an artist’s perspective, this guy is real good.

    Artists among us need to be pulled out of their caves.

    Just whats with that davening monster. Is that a yetzer hara? (oh, I see, he’s doing tshuva).

    And the one-eyed tzedaka alien from Mars… (ken Eyin Hara)

    And the traifa whale (oh, its a kosher Livyathan)

  • what do u advice?

    I read in the a chassidishe derher, or the moshiach weekly. I dont remember which one, that the rebbe said that cartoons need to be realistic. Ex: dont draw a nose thats to big.

    In my opinion, the the pictures of torah, tefillah and tzedakkah the cartoons looks like a disgrace to be holding a siddur for example, since the pictures are not realistic , or the horns. It reminds me of pictures germans drew to make fun of yidden.