“Chaver,” an honorific with origins in ancient Jewish history, has been awarded traditionally to rabbinical scholars and pillars of the religious community. But the title has evolved over the centuries, and on June 30, it was awarded to Tobi Kahn, an Orthodox artist, at the Museum at Eldridge Street in Manhattan.  Kahn’s ceremony coincided with the unveiling of “Memory & Inheritance: Paintings and Ceremonial Objects,” a solo exhibition of Kahn’s art, which draws modern imagery from deep-rooted tradition.

“Each person who is awarded the title is recognized for a different kind of leadership, but all were recognized for leadership that encompassed spirituality, a sense of unity, and a sense of responsibility,” said Rabbi Saul Berman, professor of Jewish studies and Talmudic law at Yeshiva University and Columbia University.

Kahn’s career focuses on fusing art, Jewish spirituality and healing. “My being an artist, to me, is a religious act,” Kahn said.