Art for the Soul, Food for the Body

For Richard Hoffman (80), art has always been part of his life. He grew up knowing he was “always an artist.” Richard fed his creative soul at a young age with doodles in the back of his notebook and with drawings of his favorite cartoon characters. Born and raised in Newark, NJ, he attended Weequahic High School and went to college at Seton Hall. Though his parents were not thrilled with him choosing art as a career, Richard notes “I knew I couldn’t help myself, I had to draw.”

He was driven to trust his talents and found work as an illustrator. He focused on developing his comic strips and illustrating and writing children’s stories that brought his life into his art. Richard self-published four illustrated books highlighting his love of visual storytelling and favorite Jewish recipes.  In “Old World Secrets, with Jewish Recipes” he writes a reflective story of his ancestors coming to the U.S. and how he met his wife, Rosalyn, a nurse by profession who was a great mother, supportive wife, and passionate cook. She had a fascination with giraffes with her favorite being, Jerome—a 2ft giraffe sculptor that Richard keeps since her passing in 2000. His comic strip, Tippy and Rachel¸ ran for 3 years in the Somerset paper, The Setonian, and his illustrated children’s story, A Turtle Named Harry, shares a tale of a good Samaritan who finds a lost turtle rescues, nurtures, and reunites it with its family. Richard taught art and driver’s education, which inspired him to share his talents within his community. Whether he was sketching and painting a mural at a hospital or creating a 3-foot replica of the constitution, Richard filled his life with creative pursuits and trusted his artistic vision to: “If I can see it, I can do it!”

One of his last murals was in 2015 at the age of 73 when he recreated The Kiss (“Der Kuss”) by Austrian painter Gustave Klimt for a senior center in northern Israel. When speaking on this experience, he shares that he was honored and delighted to be invited to uplift the spirits of seniors abroad. Over the years, he has expressed himself through shapes, colors and textures, which has helped him embrace life’s beauty and nourish his soul. JFS staff recently visited Richard, where he shared his appreciation for JFS’ Kosher Meals on Wheels (KMOW), and the kind and caring staff who reach out to him weekly. He states, “The meals are important. I stay at home and appreciate JFS checking in.” When asked what his favorite dish from KMOW was, he said “the stuffed cabbage.” Though, he admits it doesn’t compare to his wife’s stuffed cabbage–a recipe he includes in one of his illustrated books.

To support JFS’ Kosher Meals on Wheels (KMOW) which provides weekly meals to seniors in Middlesex County, call 732-777-1940, email [email protected] or donate online.