Avy Ashery

Residence : Rockville, MD

Biographical information
A nationally noted graphic designer, Judaic artist and Jewish educator, Ashery graduated Tulsa University in 1966 with a BFA Visual Communications. He attended the Hebrew Institute of Pittsburgh and Gratz Hebrew College in Philadelphia. Paving new contemporary directions in Judaic art, Ashery was invited to present his Jewish Bicentennial design at the White House in 1976 and requested to publish his Jewish logos in the World Book of Trademarks and Symbols the bible of graphic symbols.

In his Federal career, he was the former graphics and creative director of the National Institute of Mental Health and the Walter Reed Medical Center, while teaching Jewish studies and lecturing about Jewish media and P.R.(hasbarah) and using Jewish culture as an educational tool and for Jewish outreach. He was the past president of the largest Jewish cultural arts society in the U.S. and senior member of ArtSites Guild for Judaic Art.

He paved new Jewish P.R. directions and attitudes in his creation of the national "Jewish Book Month" and "Jewish Music Season" posters for the JCCA. He was a P.R. consultant to the Embassy of Israel and the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum. He has lectured and exhibited at numerous synagogues, JCCs, and Jewish organizational forums, discussing new perspectives in Jewish P.R. and Jewish culture.

Although not an athlete, Ashery broke new ground for a serious Judaic artist in the athletic realm. He designed first the football helmets for his college alma mater and a few other college teams followed by the helmets for the NFL Cincinnati Bengals. He found that credit grabbed the attention of all his Jewish Studies students.

Ashery is presently writing his first book No Business Like Shul Business, which should prove to be quite controversial. He is the father of 2 older sons and is waiting to be promoted to "sabah." He resides with his wife Susan in Rockville, Maryland outside of Washington, D.C.

Discussion topics

• Cultural Diversity and where are the Jews?--An analysis of what the state of Jewish culture is in the family, synagogue and community and are Jews able to communicate their cultural heritage beyond Matzo Ball soup?
• Jewish and Israeli P.R. (Hasbara) failure or success?--A look at how jews attempt to communicate in media their important issues to both Jews and non-Jews. A perspective from the media trenches.
• Jewish leadership workshop--how to communicate your important Jewish issues with impact
• Teenage or collage workshop--presenting your Jewish identity and culture in a cultural diversity program at your high school and college campus.Are you familiar with your own jewish cultural identity?
• Visual concert--A picture is worth a 1000 jewish melodies - a unique Jewish cultural experience of music and art by nationally noted artist/designer Avrum Ashery and internationally noted Cantor Ramon Tasat- educational and entertaining fundraiser event includes contemporary and controversial Judaic art exhibit and sale.
• Family workshop--create your own historical family crest or logo.
• Judaic art exhibit and walk through lecture and sale--the real stories behind the internationally controversial judaic art - (fundraiser)

« Go back to FSB home page

For more information please contact Carol Fass Publicity & Public Relations at 212.691.9707