Sam Philipe
Sam Philipe is an Israeli sculptor. He is known for his sculptures of biblical and New Testament figures. Biography. Shlomo (Sam) Philipe was born in Jerusalem to an old Jerusalem family. After serving in the Israel Defense Forces as a combat medic, he spent a year in New York City restoring antique furniture and studying art. When he returned to Israel, he earned a living sculpting animals in chocolate. Artistic career. Sam Philipe opened a studio in Jerusalem in 1989. In addition to sculpture, he began to design jewelry and Jewish ceremonial art. Philipe's sculptures have been  presented to government leaders around the world as gifts from the Israeli government. Philipe's statue "Jesus' blessing" was presented to Pope John Paul II on behalf of the Ministry of Religious Affairs. King Hussein of Jordan received a sculpture embodying Isaiah's prophecy of the lion and the lamb; George H.W. Bush, an elephant with the Star of David; and Princess Diana, a guardian angel. Yitzhak Rabin was presented with a sculpture depicting a paratrooper praying at the Western Wall. Outdoor sculptures by Philipe have been installed at various locations in Jerusalem, among them Ammunition Hill and Yad Labanim  Soldiers House near Sacher Park. Many of his smaller sculptures, crafted from sterling silver and 24 karat gold, are mounted on polished stone bases using stones from the desert. Philipe often uses blocks of Jerusalem stone or black basalt from the Galilee as pedestals for his work. In February 2011, his bronze sculpture "Binding of Isaac" was displayed at Mamilla Mall as part of its "Stories of the Bible" exhibit. "Mother and child," a sculpture by Philipe, is displayed at the Revi Karuna Memorial Museum in Alleppey, India. His seven-foot bronze statue of the Prodigal son was installed in  the museum courtyard in March 2012. "Reut" (Camaraderie in Arms) is a 10-foot bronze on Mount Scopus, overlooking the Judean Desert, depicting a combat medic embracing a wounded soldier. His inspiration for the work was an Israeli army doctor, Uri Freund, who was awarded the IDF medal of distinguished service for going out under heavy crossfire to rescue his wounded commander. To mark the 70th anniversary of the voyage of the SS Exodus, Philipe designed a memorial sculpture featuring a bronze relief of the Land of Israel. The monument was unveiled at Haifa Port in July 2017. Philipe's  goal is to "reach God through art." He creates sculptures based on Bible themes in the belief that his work transports viewers back to ancient times and allows them to feel a connection to the Bible in their own life. Recent Projects. SS Exodus Memorial, Haifa, Israel 2017. The Exodus, nicknamed the "Ship that Launched a Nation" by famed writer Ruth Gruber, was an American Aliyah Bet ship that attempted to bring in 5,400 desperate Holocaust survivors. The Exodus' story fundamentally affected the United Nations vote on the United Nations Partition Plan for Palestine dividing Mandatory Palestine into two States , one Jewish, and one Arab. The Memorial was funded by the Jewish American Society for Historic Preservation. The artistic design concept, a relief map of Israel with a model of the Exodus anchor, artistically interpreted her historical role, reflecting upon the Gruber moniker, "The Ship that Launched a Nation." Machal Memorial - Ammunition Hill, Jerusalem 2018 The Memorial is the artistic interpretive creation of Sam Philipe, noted Jerusalem born sculptor. It interprets the role of the desperately needed 5,000 foreign volunteers who came to help defend the new state of Israel in the 1948 War of Independence. The interpretation, the Rock  upon whom the State of Israel was born, is adorned with sculpted models representing the three military services that the volunteers served in, Navy, Air Force and Army. The Memorial was principally funded by the Jewish American Society for Historic Preservation with support from the American Veterans of Israel Legacy Corporation, Mahal (Israel)). Anne Frank Children's Human Rights Memorial, Ma'aleh Adumim, West Bank Philipe's Anne Frank Children's Human Rights Memorial combines interpretive art and realistic, life size representations of Anne Frank sitting at her desk in the Secret Annex. The interpretive arched roof and the naked hanging  light bulb above Anne Frank as she works at her simple desk leaves nothing to imagination of the young girls isolation hiding from the Nazis in the streets below. The informational plate at the front base of the sculpture notes, "Children are the ultimate victims of adult hatred, bigotry and ignorance." The sculpture, sponsored by the Jewish American Society for Historic Preservation, was funded by Judy and Jerry Klinger. Golan Heights Eagle - Menorah, Trump Heights, Golan Heights The large, realistic bronze eagle and Menorah sculpture is modeled upon the indigenous Golan Eagle and the depiction of the Menorah found in  the 5th Century Golan Heights synagogue, Ein Keshatot. The sculpture is sited on a basalt plaza adjacent to the Trump Heights Community sign funded by an anonymous Christian friend of Israel. Sam has an exemplary ability of bringing together and working with diverse communities of faith to achieve common goals. Trump Heights and the Golan Eagle - Menorah sculpture were dedicated specifically in appreciation to President Donald J. Trump. The Golan Eagle - Menorah was funded by the Jewish American Society for Historic Preservation. Temple Lions, Beit Shean, Israel The Lions were inspired by a basaltic relief discovered in archeological excavations in  Beit Shean and attributed to a local Temple from the 14th BCE. The Temple Lions were donated by the Curt Landry Ministries to the City of Beit Shean. 2019 Shmuel Cohen, Rishon LeZion Restoration and interpretation enhancement of the resting place of Shmuel Cohen and his wife. Shmuel Cohen was the musical composer of the Hatikvah, the National Anthem of Israel. The project is funded by the Jewish American Society for Historic Preservation. Departure and Expulsion Memorial, Jerusalem, The artistic interpretation is based upon the historic, iconic image of Jewish Yemenite refugees fleeing in the desert attempting to reach the  safety of Israel. The Memorial’s text. “With the birth of the State of Israel, over 850,000 Jews were forced from Arab Lands and Iran. The desperate refugees were welcomed by Israel. By Act of the Knesset: Nov. 30, annually, is the Departure and Expulsion Memorial Day.” The memorial is donated by the Jewish American Society for Historic Preservation with support from the City of Jerusalem and the Jerusalem Foundation.