"It was like 'Eureka!' " the architect said in a phone interview this week. "I simultaneously thought that it must have two meanings: the eternal light that hangs in every synagogue, and Liberty's torch. It represented the continuity of Judaism through thick and thin; the Statue of Liberty, of course, represents the coming to America and finding shelter and encouragement."
Polshek said the dual symbolism was fundamental to the museum's mission, which is to be a destination institution appealing to and connecting with visitors of all faiths and backgrounds.
But over time, said Michael Rosenzweig, president of the museum, the original term planners had used for the feature - beacon - was scrapped for a more straightforward description.
"We're calling it an LED light sculpture, because that's what it is," he said. "We're resisting calling it any one thing, because the truth is, it's derived from a number of different sources and is evocative of a number of different sources - some religious, some secular."
For his part, Rosenzweig said, the sculpture encapsulates the tension between tradition and modernity.
Into this metaphoric fray came Rubin, 46, hired by the museum on Polshek's recommendation and charged with representing the eternal flame as well as Liberty's torch, plus the past, the present, and the future.
In many ways he seems an obvious choice - a secular Jew from a spiritual family, with knowledge of tradition and comfort with technology. He speaks the digital language unaffectedly; his studio, a third-floor walk-up in Manhattan's Chinatown, is anything but sleek.
