Third Space: A Photographic Reconstruction

Third Space: A Photographic Reconstruction

is a collaborative exhibition featuring the work of three photographers from the Baltimore Photography Club. Through their collective lenses, they document the metamorphosis of a historic sanctuary as it undergoes a physical and spiritual rebirth. These images capture the delicate transition of a storied building learning a new purpose—bridging the gap between its sacred past and its sacred (and joyful!) future as a space for learning, laughter, performance, and most of all, community building.

About the Artists

Barry Berman has spent half a century behind the lens, transitioning from the technical photography of his dental career to a creative exploration of storytelling and image variation. His work on the Third Space Restoration project captures the remarkable rebirth of a historic sanctuary as a community center. This collection serves as both a professional milestone and a personal tribute; it was here, at Shaarei T’filoh, that Barry’s brother became a Bar Mitzvah seven decades ago.

Bill Petok is a psychologist with a background in the visual arts. His dissertation investigated children’s attention to animated and live-action films, stemming from his experience working in his father’s animation studio during high school and college. Today, his photographic work primarily explores the quiet strength of landscapes and architectural forms. Dr. Petok was drawn to this project by a lifelong commitment to synagogue life and a desire to document the physical and spiritual evolution of a sacred space.

Ofer Sabath Beit Halachmi studied at the Bezalel Academy of Art and Design in Jerusalem and Haifa University and was ordained as a Reform Rabbi in 2005. His co-founding of the organization Aspaklaria reflects his commitment to learning through creativity. As a rabbi in Israel, he converted his sanctuary into an art gallery; a galler-ya, a sacred art space. Since moving to Baltimore four years ago, Ofer has continued to explore the world through a lens of meticulous detail, capturing scenes and objects that invite the viewer to look closer at the beauty of the everyday