Piecing Together Passion: A Canadian Olah's Self-Made Path in Mosaic Art

Combining stained and crushed glass, mirrors, acrylics, and Jerusalem's natural elements, self-taught artist Leah Lasry creates distinctive mixed media mosaics while sharing her passion through teaching and selling her unique artwork worldwide.

Yetzirati Art

Can you introduce yourself and tell us a bit about your business? What do you do, and who do you serve?

Hi, my name is Leah Lasry. I'm a mixed media artist specializing in stained glass mosaics. I sell my artwork worldwide and I teach mosaics three times a week to women in Jerusalem.

What might set me from other artists is that I have no official background in art. Aside from a few classes that I took, I learned art entirely on my own. I've worked really hard testing techniques and mixing different mediums together. I incorporate acrylics, stained glass, crushed glass, mirrors, and sometimes even real earth and rocks from Jerusalem into my art.

What inspired you to make Aliyah, and did you always know you wanted to start a business in Israel?

I was born and raised in Montreal, Canada. At the age of 15, I participated in a month-long trip to Israel with my class. I fell in love with the country, and in that moment, I felt that I didn't want to leave.

Of course, I returned to Canada, and over time that feeling faded somewhat. I completed my studies in psychology and social work and met my husband, who happened to be Israeli. He had moved to Canada at age 10 and grown up there. Only when we were already engaged did he tell me, "You should know that I'm not staying in Canada. My goal is to go back to Israel. Do you still want to get married?"

I didn't actually want to move to Israel at that moment, but I said, "Yeah, okay, fine." I thought he'd eventually forget about it, but he never did.

After we married, a few years went by. He wasn't pushy, but he reminded me from time to time that we should look into making Aliyah. I was very reluctant until about six years into our marriage, when there was a pro-Palestinian demonstration in Canada with a government official participating and affirming support for the Palestinian cause. In that moment, I understood it was time to go.

We started the paperwork and did our pilot trip. I tried to figure out what I could do in Israel. I had psychology and social work degrees, but my Hebrew wasn't great, so I didn't think I'd be able to work in my field—which was fine, as I wasn't certain I was in the right field anyway. After our pilot trip, I gained a better understanding of how things worked in Israel and decided I would start offering chugim (after-school classes) for kids once we made Aliyah. That's what I planned a few months before we moved to Israel.

What was the lightbulb moment or experience that led to the idea for your business?

I don't recall a specific lightbulb moment that led to my business idea. Rather, it developed through extensive research before making Aliyah. I stayed in touch with the family we had met during our pilot trip, asking questions about how feasible my plan was, which helped tremendously.

Starting small classes seemed like the most realistic option when I arrived in Israel. As a mother of young children, I discovered that in Israel, it was both acceptable and practical to offer classes from my home. This cultural difference made it possible for me to begin teaching while balancing family responsibilities, so that's exactly what I did.

Did your background or previous experience help you, or did you have to reinvent yourself in a new industry?

Since childhood, I loved art and showed talent for it. However, my parents always emphasized academics, so becoming an artist never crossed my mind as a viable option. My mother wanted me to be a doctor because I was a straight-A student, but that path didn't resonate with me. Instead, I pursued psychology and later earned another bachelor's degree in social work.

When I made Aliyah, my limited Hebrew gave me the perfect excuse not to work in those fields. It became my opportunity to pursue my dream. Although I didn't become an artist immediately, I started by offering after-school classes for children, beginning with creative cooking since it required less investment in equipment and supplies. The following year, when I felt more established, I expanded to teaching art classes.

I never initially thought beyond teaching—I never imagined I'd actually start selling my artwork. I was content teaching art, first to children and eventually to adults. My children sometimes tell me, "Mom, you did all these studies for nothing." But I always respond that it wasn't for nothing. My academic background taught me perseverance and not giving up, which proved invaluable when starting a business that can often be discouraging when you don't see immediate results. I kept pushing forward and refusing to give up—qualities I developed through my educational journey.

My background in psychology has also given me a deep appreciation for the therapeutic power of art, and presenting my classes this way has really resonated with some students—especially after the war broke out.

We were all carrying a sense of trauma, and having a quiet space to pause, step away from everything, and focus on something creative has been incredibly helpful.

Some students who have tragically lost a parent or child have shared that attending my classes has been a meaningful source of comfort and healing for them.

When it comes to my own artwork, I think my background in psychology has trained me to look beyond the surface for deeper meaning. I don’t want my art to be just aesthetically pleasing—it’s important to me that each piece carries a story and a message.

Since all my art is made from broken pieces of glass, the overarching theme is one of resilience and unity. Rebuilding from fragments speaks to the strength found in coming together, the beauty that emerges from perseverance, and the journey of our people.

I also incorporate mirror into many of my pieces, sometimes subtly. They reflect light, adding sparkle to my work, but more importantly, they symbolize our nation’s role as a light unto the nations. While this is the general essence of my art, each piece also tells its own unique story.

How did you get your first customers or clients? Was there a moment when you realized, ‘This is really working’?

This is a two-part answer about my journey as an instructor and artist.

First, how I got my first client as an art instructor: I started by offering cooking classes to kids in the afternoons. My first client was a neighbor we had met on our street. After telling her my competitive price, she enrolled her child. I offered her a free class for every new client she referred, and she ended up bringing four other parents—giving me my first group while she received a free month. Eventually, thank God, I developed a good reputation and opened more groups, including art classes, which was my true goal from the beginning.

As for when I really felt my business was working—that happened when I moved from Ma'ale Adumim to Jerusalem. I made Aliyah to Ma'ale Adumim and lived there for 10 years. Recruiting students was a struggle, even though people knew me. My remote neighborhood at the end of Ma'ale Adumim was difficult for people to reach. Even residents from other neighborhoods would say, "It's too far." But once I moved to Jerusalem about five years ago, doors really opened. I had people willing to travel from different cities to attend my classes, which made a huge difference. Regarding selling my artwork, I only started selling my art in Israel one year ago.

I sold my first two pieces 17 years ago in Canada at a Hilula organized by my former school. My father-in-law, who taught there, helped me get in. Those first sales gave me enough confidence to take a break from my social work degree and create art full-time for a few months. For the first time, I thought that maybe I could become an artist. However, I didn't know how to maintain momentum, became discouraged, and forced myself to finish my social work degree since I was so close to completion. I knew I was in the wrong field but didn't know what else to do. We made Aliyah soon after, and I stopped thinking about selling my work—I just focused on teaching cooking and art.

One day, a friend asked, "You're teaching art, but why don't you also sell your pieces?" I replied that I thought I'd make more money just teaching. I told myself, "There are so many artists here, why would anybody buy from me?" I simply didn't believe in myself enough. Years passed, and my husband also encouraged me to try selling my art, but I didn't act on it.

About 2 years ago, my husband brought up again the idea that I should try to sell my art. I decided to finally give it another try. I had developed skills and techniques over the years that I thought might set me apart. I created a piece I was particularly proud of and submitted it to an art magazine. To my astonishment, not only was my piece featured in the magazine, but it ended up making the front cover. I was ecstatic, and even though it didn't sell, I was slowly creating more with the hope that one day, I would make a sale. With help from my sister, I built my own website featuring only 5 pieces.

I also decided to invest in myself and took a workshop from an artist I followed on Instagram who taught other artists how to market themselves on social media. Within 24 hours of implementing her suggestions, I made my first sale—simply by posting my art on a Facebook group without even stating it was for sale. That was an amazing, encouraging feeling.

Shortly after, I began creating maps of Israel out of broken glass and signed up for an outdoor fair that would take place 2 weeks later, just before Yom Ha'atzmaut. This was the turning point for me. I made a few sales there and a few more through social media. It felt like the start of something bigger. With the war weighing on people's hearts, I think many were drawn to something that symbolized their deep connection to the land of Israel, a meaningful reminder of home and resilience.

Ever since, I've mostly been selling Maps of Israel—I have perhaps 20 different models on my website, and I still have many ideas for more.

How is the business doing financially? Has it reached profitability, and what have been the biggest financial challenges?

Thank God, my business has grown steadily and continues to expand. I started with just one small group of five children when I made Aliyah, and now I'm teaching three groups of women weekly.

Regarding financial challenges, I think my biggest struggle was sometimes forgetting that I was running a business that needed to be profitable. I love what I do so much that I would enthusiastically purchase all sorts of art supplies without proper budgeting. I had to constantly remind myself that I needed to make a profit at the end of the month—otherwise, it would just be an expensive hobby rather than a sustainable business.

What role has the Olim community or Israeli networking culture played in your success?

A particularly valuable resource for me has been the Israeli Women Entrepreneurs' Network Facebook Group. It's an incredible community where you can comfortably ask business-related questions and get thoughtful, helpful responses. The support and insights I've received from fellow women in this group have been truly invaluable.

What’s next for your business, and what’s your long-term vision for its growth?

I primarily create maps of Israel at the moment, but I’d love to explore other themes as well. Most of my work is on a smaller scale, but I’m eager to take on larger formats in the future.

I’d also love to be represented by a gallery and have exhibitions one day. Right now, most of my sales are in the U.S. and Israel, but expanding into the European market is an exciting goal.

In addition, my husband and I are working on a new concept that combines his expertise as an architect with my artistic style. We hope to create original artwork that will bring something truly innovative to the art world.

What advice would you give an Oleh/Olah thinking about starting a business here?

Believe in yourself. Work hard. Don’t get discouraged if things don’t take off right away. Do your research, and find a way to stand out from the competition. But most importantly—just start. Don’t wait until you have everything perfectly planned, because you might never feel "ready." Take the leap, try, and trust that as long as you do your best, the rest is in Hashem’s hands.

To learn more about Yetzirati Art, please visit yetziratiart.com

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