his stuff really took off,” he said. “That was
one of the first large purchases I ever made.

I bought it at a gallery right next door to the
King David Hotel (in Jerusalem).”
Weisman estimated the Avram piece is
worth close to $3,000 now.

“I don’t go in for the paintings that are
up in the stratosphere. I let my work go
up in value. Once, I overpaid by a mile for
something I really wanted, and I should’ve
listened to my conscience, which told me,
‘Wait a while.’”
Not many know Weisman collects to
this extent — or is even a collector at all.

It’s not something he’s kept secret; people
just don’t seem to catch the vibe of a Jewish
art collector coming off a man who rarely
attends shul and was so devoted to his
professional life.

“They always tell me I’m the last person in
the world they thought would be collecting
art — it’s not me, they say. But, then, they
come over here, and they’re fascinated —
they only want to know what I’ve gotten
recently. And I take them in the den and
make sure the den door’s closed so my wife
doesn’t see anything new.” l
msilver@jewishexponent.com; 215-832-0737
JEWISHEXPONENT.COM Nathan Hilu is among Weisman’s favorite artists because his work is whimsical and humorous but
also deferential to tradition and ritual.

Courtesy of Robert Weisman
THE GOOD LIFE
MAY 14, 2020
13