When artist Roslyne "Ros" Leeb Smith lost her father, she searched for a way to honor his memory that felt deeply Jewish and personal. Smith found healing and purpose through her art. What began as a single act of love soon blossomed into the Shabbat Shalom Art Project-a body of work that transforms grief into light and celebrates the enduring power of faith and connection.
When my dad passed away, my rabbi told me to do charity work and Jewish learning to elevate his soul," recalled Smith, originally from South Africa but now based in Chicago. Her father, Dr. Jules Leeb, was a beloved obstetrician in South Africa who delivered countless new lives into the world. "I didn't know where to start… I had big shoes to fill," she said. "Use your art," her rabbi encouraged. Shortly thereafter, the COVID-19 pandemic arrived, and Smith found herself with the time and motivation to do just that.
Inspired by a trip to Israel, Smith began painting a different lady each week for Shabbat and sharing them on social media. Each "Shabbat Lady," shown praying before glowing candles and bearing a Hebrew name, was meant to radiate joy and bring light to dark times. The project deepened her interest in uplifting Jewish art and the spiritual meaning of Hebrew names-how they connect us to our ancestors and to G-d. Lighting Shabbat candles opens a direct line to the divine, Smith explains: "When people are praying with the Shabbat candles, G-d is listening."
Her art soon began to take on a life beyond her own community. Smith was contacted by a Chabad rabbi from St. Lucia in the Caribbean. Every Friday, this man went down to the cruise ships docked on the island to bring challah and Shabbat candles to the Jewish passengers. He asked Smith if he could use one of her Shabbat Ladies to decorate packaging for the candles. Smith happily donated an image, requesting only that the words "In loving memory of Jules Leeb" be added to the box. As a result, Smith's Shabbat Ladies have traveled all over the world, as has her father's name and legacy. Locally, these radiant figures were featured on this year's Chabad
sukkah
in Daley Plaza.
The Shabbat Shalom Art Project also caught the attention of a well-known Jewish matchmaker and life coach in New York's Hassidic-Orthodox community. She asked to use one of Smith's Shabbat Ladies to rally prayers for a friend's daughter, Hadassah, who was battling cancer. Smith donated her piece Gila-meaning "joy"-to comfort the girl and her family. The image inspired thousands of women to pray for Hadassah by the light of their Shabbat candles. Though Hadassah passed away days later, she learned of the outpouring of love and prayers for her.
Smith's most recent Shabbat Lady was created to mark the one-year anniversary of October 7; to honor those who were killed and call attention to the hostages who remain in captivity. As a gesture of gratitude to Krinsky, Smith used her likeness and name for this meaningful piece. In the portrait, Krinsky is shown with her eyes closed in prayer before her grandmother's Shabbat candlesticks. Yellow ribbons, symbolizing hope, and red anemones, Israel's national flower, surround her.
From a personal act of remembrance to a project embraced worldwide, Smith's Shabbat Shalom Art Project brings light, hope, and connection to Jewish communities. Each Shabbat Lady honors her father, uplifts those in need, and celebrates the power of prayer and art.
See all her Shabbat Ladies on Instagram @theshabbatshalomartproject and explore her other work at
roslynesmith.com
. All proceeds from the sale of the paintings support charity.
Jenna Cohen is a marketing and communications professional living in Chicago. She recently earned her master's degree in Environment, Culture, and Communication from the University of Glasgow - Dumfries.
