SIGI TEMPEL
Sigi Tempel, a Brazilian Jew from Sao Paulo was born in Leipzig in 1921, the son of an Orthodox Jewish family. At the age of 17, with the help of “Joint”, he left Nazi Germany for Rio de Janeiro where, five years later, he became a designer for industry. He soon began to express his mystic visions in oil paintings and his concern about ethics and morality began to show themselves in his art when he found that in the grain of wood he could express his feelings, ideology and thoughts. In the National Year of the Disabled, he painted “EFETA” as homage to the deaf mutes of the world and this painting was purchased by UNESCO and has now been reproduced by the Brazilian Postal Authorities, as postage stamp.
He is married with three children and believes in upholding his Jewish tradition and background.
EFETA- EFFATA
According to my research, a 1981 South Africa stamp, celebrating the 100th Anniversary of the Institute for the Deaf and Blind in Worcester, has an EFFATA motto on the stamp. This is because it is the institute’s motto. It is the Aramaic word used by Jesus Christ, according to Mark 7:34, in the healing of a deaf-mute that means BE OPENED.
Since Brazil’s language is Portuguese, it is obviously inferred that EFETA is the same as the EFFATA quote, especially when the South African and the Brazilian stamps are about the Deaf subject. The “T” fingerspelling sign is different because we understand that our American “T” finger spelling sign is offensive in some other countries, thus these countries finger spell the “T” letter differently.
These items are available for sale at JDCC. The First Day Covers are $5.00, with autograph $8.00, and an autographed poster for $15.00. California residents, please add 8.25% sales tax. Free shipping if over $25.00. Under$25.00, add S5.00 for shipping.
