LUNAR (The Jewish-Asian Film Project)

Davi Cheng is a graphic designer in Los Angeles. Born in Hong Kong, Davi immigrated to the United States with her family when she was fourteen. In addition to her rich Chinese heritage, Davi has embraced Judaism and is actively involved in her synagogue and the larger Jewish community. Davi’s art work reflects the diverse aspects of her life and the unique perspective it has given her, she like to combine traditional methods of drawing and painting by hand with advanced digital design techniques and has created original Jewish art with a Chinese flare. Davi is one of 54 women Jewish artists of the “Women of the Book” project – A visual, midrashic (interpretive) scroll based on the form and content of a traditional Torah scroll and created on 54 parchment panels (the number of Torah portions) by 54 Jewish women artists from around the world. Davi has designed, co-fabricated and installed an original large-scale stained-glass window project at her Los Angeles synagogue Beth Chayim Chadashim (BCC). Her installation includes a Ner Tamid (Eternal light fixture) made with 1,000+ one-inch glass squares, and a set of stained glass Ark doors, glass Mezuzah and glass-stone magnets for the memorial board (in lieu of light bulbs).

Davi has served as the Executive Vice President at the Union for Reform Judaism (URJ) Pacific Southwest Regional Board and she is the Past President of Temple Beth Chayim Chadashim (BCC), “House of New Life,” the original gay and lesbian synagogue.

Davi is the co-founder of a Klezmer band, “Gay Gezunt.” where she plays the trumpet and French horn, she also sings in the choir. In addition to her interests in art and music, Davi holds a second-degree black belt in Judo. Davi holds an A.A. in Graphic Design from Platt College and a B.A. degree in Biological Science from the University of California, Berkeley, where she met her spouse and life-partner (40 years and counting), Bracha Yael, who was selected in 2008 as one of Top Ten Mensches by Jewish Journal of Los Angeles. Bracha and Davi often co-lead Shabbat services as lay leaders.

Jared Chiang-Zeizel is an LA-based writer, editor, and producer. Growing up he never found himself fully part of any community — not quite Asian enough, not quite Jewish enough. A compulsive daydreamer, he often would dive into his imagination and explore fantastical worlds and stories. It wasn’t until after he graduated college that he realized that this pull towards fantasy stemmed from a life of otherism and a lack of community. Nowadays, he’s drawn to projects and ideas that feature mixed individuals and third culture kids. He hopes that being part of the LUNAR projects will further his curiosity and understanding of himself and those like him.

Maryam Chishti is a proud “Mus Jew” who works in the political/arts space in New York City, with a soft spot for work that intersects the two. She is interfaith, with an Indian/Muslim father and Jewish American mother who raised her in both religions and cultures. Maryam received a B.A. from Brandeis University in American Studies and Theater for Social Change. Outside of Lunar, she runs a new Moishe House in New York City and is passionate and excited to bring more Asian Jews into the growing community.

Is Perlman (they/them) is a transgender, Asian-Jewish artist, poet, designer, and student living in Miami Beach, FL. They are passionate about the intersections of LGBTQ+ advocacy, arts accessibility, and representation of people of color in Jewish spaces. Perlman works in these areas through organizations such as Keshet, Jews Against Marginalization, Culture Shock Miami, and The Alliance for GLBTQ Youth. In 2021, they were named a YoungArts winner in Visual Arts and Writing (Spoken Word). They work primarily in installation and performance art, exploring connections between transgender identity and Judaism. In their free time, they enjoy spending time with their family, doing karaoke, and hanging out with their English teachers. This fall, Perlman is starting their undergraduate education at Columbia University in the City of New York.

Jenni Rudolph is a Los Angeles-based songwriter, vocalist, and vocal producer, with a broader background in media production. Jenni was featured in Jubilee Media’s “Do All Multiracial People Think The Same?”, and has created a song, music video, and upcoming documentary, “Water & Oil,” about mixed identity in collaboration with a team of mixed creatives.

Gen Xia Ye Slosberg is a writer, community organizer, and Jewish non-profit professional based in the Bay Area. Gen was born and raised in Southern China and moved to the United States as a teenager. She received her B.A. in Political Science from UC Berkeley in December 2020. She hopes to foster a sense of shared identity among participants in LUNAR and increase the visibility of Asian Americans in the Jewish community.