In the prayer as women light their Shabbat candlesticks, they say: “Please hear my prayer at this time through the merit of our matriarchs Sarah, Rivka, Rachel, and Leah, and cause light to shine from our candle so that it shall never be extinguished.” In these candlesticks, inspired by Henri Matisse’s painting “The Dance” (1910), we honor the Four Matriarchs as they hold each other, dancing on the circle of life upon which are inscribed these words. The matriarchs’ heads support the candle holder. The space enclosed by their touching feet represents the womb, and the candle, which symbolizes life in Jewish culture, emerges from this womb.
