The Glass Ladder in the Beit Midrash serves as an artistic representation of the Torah’s story of Jacob. Jacob, having taken his brother Esau’s birthright, flees his home in fear of his brother’s wrath. Finally finding time to rest, he shelters upon a rock. There, he dreams of a glittering ladder that reaches far into the heavens, adorned with angels climbing its rungs. When he awakens, God speaks to him- and Jacob recognizes that he has been in the presence of God all along. It is none other than a Beit Elohim.

Constructed from hand-sculpted dichroic glass, the ladder’s rungs take on a dynamic character that varies in color depending on the perspective of the viewer. The shifting hues of the ladder’s colors represent the transformative nature of the relationship between yourself and a Beit Elohim, a house of God.

In addition to the artistic elements of the Glass Ladder, the installation is further enriched through the inclusion of the Hebrew words recounting Jacob’s story. Etched into the windows of the Beit Midrash, these words serve as a reminder of the spiritual significance of the space, and further deepen the connection between the viewer and the traditions of the Jewish faith.