Temple members encouraged to reflect at outdoor art exhibit

Two cohorts of Temple Beth Israel of Longboat Key wove amid groups of students touring the latest art installation at the Sarasota Bayfront Park on March 13.

Embracing Our Differences President and CEO Sarah Wertheimer led one group while TBI Rabbi Jessica Spitalnic Mates led the other, and both tour guides encouraged the 30 or so viewers to pause and silently reflect on what they drew from each piece.

The 2026 Embracing Our Differences showcase opened Jan. 17 at the park. It features 50 billboard-sized prints of artwork submitted for display from around the world. Wertheimer said the organization sees vast value in making the outdoor display open to all with no entry fee.

Longboaters in attendance said they appreciated the variety of art styles and visions on display. But several said they connected with Mae Bouchard's piece, "Generations."

The black-and-white image captures the hands of four generations resting upon one another, with each successively showing more character from a lifetime of use.

Bouchard, a sophomore from East Lake High School in Tarpon Springs, wrote in her artist statement, "Despite their differences in age and appearance, the hands come together in a gesture of unity and care. It's a quiet celebration of individuality coming together to form a strong, loving bond."

Tourgoers also engaged with its neighboring piece, "Language Bridges Generations." In it, a child practices writing Chinese calligraphy and eagerly texts his grandmother that he is learning her language. She responds by text, sharing how proud she is of his effort.

Artist Ruijun Pan, a sophomore from GinkGo ArtEdu in Ontario, California, said he was inspired by his brother and grandmother to show that differences in age and language aren't enough to keep them from finding connection.

"There is always a way to overcome those differences," he said in a video statement.

Each art piece is accompanied by a quote from another creator. Yuliya Mitskevich from Warsaw, Poland wrote, "Kindness is the language we all understand, even when our stories are written in different alphabets."

Embracing Our Differences has been working to promote inclusion, kindness and respect through public education since 2004.

Wertheimer said at a lunch following the tour that she finds the fact that EOD's core message of celebrating what makes people different, rather than focusing on differences as a basis for discrimination, needs to be heard more than when she first joined the leadership team somewhat discouraging. However, she said she focuses on how the artwork has helped people reflect and gain a better understanding of other people's perspectives.

To support that mission, the group facilitates free field trips from area schools. The tours offer a double benefit in building high-school-aged volunteer docents' confidence to lead the tours, and the younger students someone to look up to during the tour.

The public is invited to join free tours taking place at 10 a.m. every Saturday through the remainder of the exhibition. Registration is required, and groups of 10 or more can email Christina Fraser at [email protected] to schedule a private tour.