The beautiful mosaic in the Sanctuary Lobby was created by artist Harold Haydon (1917-1994). It was originally hung at the front entrance of Beth Am, a Reform congregation on the south side of Chicago.

When Beth Am relocated in the 1970s, the building became a Chicago Public School and the mosaic fell into disrepair. As tiles began to fall out of the piece, a maintenance team member at the school picked them up and saved them in a coffee can. When the mosaic’s original site was slated to be renovated, Am Shalom arranged for the mosaic to be removed, restored, and ultimately installed in October 2008 at 840 Vernon Avenue, in partnership with the Art Institute of Chicago.

Today visitors linger outside of the Sanctuary to appreciate the intricate details of the huge, colorful piece. It’s a favorite backdrop for our bet mitzvah families’ photos. Some of the symbols contained in the mosaic include a Torah scroll, Burning Bush, Decalogue Tablets, Mount Sinai and the Hebrew Letter “shin” representing Shadai – one of the names for God.