Chagall Windows, Jerusalem

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The Chagall Windows are a series of 12 stained glass windows created by the renowned artist Marc Chagall for the Hadassah Medical Center in Jerusalem. Installed in 1962 they are considered one of Chagall’s notable works.

The Making of Chagall Windows

In the 1950s the state decided to built a new medical center on the outskirts of Jerusalem, next to the village of Ein-Karem. The hospital comissioned the renowned Russian-Jewish artist Marc Chagall to decorate the windows of the center’s synagogue. In 1962, after two years of work, the stained-glass windows were ceremoniously installed, marking Hadassah Women’s Organization’s 50^th birthday. Each window, about eight by 11 feet in size, symbolizes one of the twelve sons of Jacob, from whom stemmed the Twelve Tribes of Israel. The dominating color is dark blue, yet yellow, red, and green characterize some of the pieces. Chagall’s main inspiration was Jacob’s blessings to his sons (Genesis 49) and Moses’ words to the twelve tribes (Deut. 33). He also combined a few themes from his childhood landscape in Vitebsk, Russia.

Some of the windows were damaged in the Six-Day War in 1967. When hearing this, Chagall telegraphed the hospital’s message:” Don’t worry about the windows! Worry about Israel. I’ll make your new windows.” Indeed, a year later, he repaired the damage, except for one glass in the panel of Issachar that he left uncolored, in memory of the event. Chagall windows are considered the most famous artwork of Marc Chagall in Israel.