A disturbingly alluring devil, a ram that may intuit its imminent slaughter, and dancers entangled in a web of trust and rebellion are all elements of the Obedience (Gehorsam) exhibit at the Jewish Museum Berlin. The visitor is greeted by a seemingly endless Brady Bunch array of children who tell us that they are Isaac…or that they are Ishmael. Once you tear yourself away from the children, you embark on a journey through a series of rooms that dramatize the biblical story of God’s command to Abraham to sacrifice his son. There’s still time to see this provocative exhibit before it closes on September 13th.
Your response to the multitude of sensations that await you in this 15-room display will probably depend on whatever issues of sacrifice, obedience and trust you face in your own life. As a secular Jew, my willingness to make sacrifices for my children comes before obedience to any higher authority. But have I made the right sacrifices, expected obedience at the right times for valid reasons, and earned the trust of my children? I wish I had an answer key because the first of our three children is just a year away from leaving the nest for college. How strong are the family bonds that have been woven over the past seventeen years and will they remain intact and even grow stronger when our children become adults?
The Obedience exhibit reminds us of the ways that we overlook and sacrifice children in modern times. The biblical story of Abraham and Isaac has parallels in contemporary commands to fight wars, dominate people, and devote ourselves to causes that harm others. You may have a different take-away from this expansive multi-media installation, but it’s likely you will find the experience as stimulating as I did.
Donna Swarthout 