Artist Designs Creative Mural at Chabad Hebrew School

The Chabad Center in Chester, NY headed by Rabbi Pesach and Chana Burston now boasts one of the most innovative and imaginative murals in the country. The “Aleph-Bet Adventure Fantasy Mural” was recently designed by local artist Corbett Hoffman of Goshen.

“Aleph-Bet” refers to the Hebrew alphabet, and Chabad’s new mural combines creativity with intellect with this colorful new project.

A vibrant scene stretches across the large classroom wall in the upper level of the Chabad Center in Chester. Each Hebrew letter can be found near a picture that makes its sound. “This wall teaches the Hebrew letters in a more sophisticated way than a conventional chart. Students will use associations to learn letters and sounds,” says Chana Burston.

“In twenty years from now I want students to remember that in Hebrew School there were ‘challah clouds in the sky’ for the letter Chet, and giant lollypops for the letter ‘lamed’,” says Hoffman. “It’s an exciting introduction to the Hebrew language.”

The mural was the brainchild of Hoffman, who holds a BFA in fine arts from Florida Southern College. She also dressed celebrity clients at Bergdorf Goodman as high fashion personal shopper and presently designs modern art with strong colors that tie rooms together.

Hoffman attends Chabad’s Mommy & Me with a Jewish Twist with her one year old son, Shepard, and noticed the large wall which had not yet been decorated. Hoffman sketched a concept of the “Aleph Bet Adventure Fantasy Mural” and the project began. Hoffman generously donated materials as well as her time and talent to accomplish this project.

“I believe Corbett has created something that will have lasting impressions on viewers of all ages,” says Chana Burston.

Chabad Hebrew School students greeted their new wall with excitement last week as they pointed to their favorite parts of the mural. With a sky-blue backdrop, giant lollypops and brightly colored cupcakes rest in tall green grass beneath a lovely bird on a branch. A fluffy sheep wearing roller skates eats pink ice-cream, and a family of ducks munches on popcorn. In the sky are “Challah” clouds floating, with a rocket ship, a Torah scroll, and a helicopter carrying a yellow crayon nearby. A giant zipper and traffic light are several more of the exciting features of the wall.