Biblical Blue: Baruch Sterman Guest Speaker

Biblical Blue is a cachet that points with immediacy to the work of Baruch Sterman, the guest speaker at our joint science and religious studies workshop on Tekhelet, the very special shade of sky blue that was the chosen color for the ancient Israelites.  The story of this sacred dye dates back to biblical times when the inky gland of a sea snail was meticulously extracted, milked and oxidized to produce the specific color.  Then, in the 7th century, the color and extraction process were lost; the dye was substituted, and the practice forgotten.  Enter our presenter, Dr. Sterman, the founder of  Ptil Tekelet, an association devoted to restoring the ancient dye and teaching the complex history and chemistry behind its revival.  Students and faculty in attendance were left breathless as the modest cotton ball in his hands evolved from grey, then purple to a brilliant azure.  The idea that ancient artisans, ancestral Israelites, were witness to the same transformation on the shores of the Red Sea thousands of years ago was a transcendent experience for an audience that watched in awe and appreciation.