Response By
Ailene Wittstein
Kerry Thompson As in the Days of Noah, 1993
acrylic on masonite Gift of Dr. William Lucas, Brampton, Ontario, 1994
The ancient story of Noah, the Flood, and the Arc is recognized within all Abrahamic religions, including Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.
Response
I was once told: “If you want something done, find a fanatic, or better yet, Be One!”
Strongly influenced by experiencing the 60’s, I have spent a lifetime building community, supporting the arts and working to end racism, discrimination and poverty.
I now come to this work of art As in the Days of Noah with the determination of a fanatic to continue to do what I can to calm the waters of our troubled world!
Anti-poverty activist, family advocate, and community fundraiser, Ailene Wittstein worked at Merrymount Family Support and Crisis Centre since 1987, retiring in 2018 as Executive Director. A committed supporter of the arts, Ailene is currently a coordinator of El Sistema, a free, intensive after-school music program for children, associated with The Aeolian Hall. Wittstein’s husband, Rabbi Joel Wittstein (1935-2010), was the founding rabbi of London’s Temple Israel.