Creative energy of the Chosen People

Since the dawning of time, people have loved to create art that reflects the feelings and experiences of their lives. The Chosen People are no different. The longevity of their history has given them a rich, deep and colorful creative cannon from which to draw. Whether the creations come from the Bible and the hundreds of well-known Bible stories or from the history of genesis, living kingdoms of Israel, dispersion across the world or eventual joyous return to the Holy Land; there is something that all people will love.

Personalized Gifts for You and Those You Love

We love personalizing our products for our customers. For example, when going to a friend’s house for Shabbat, one of our customers asked that we frame a print she bought in green so it would match the plush carpets of her hostess. This was a wonderful surprise, it elevated a mere thank you gift to something that the hostess was telling all of her friends about. It was a low-cost way to lift a simple gift to something really special. This works well with wall hangings, lithographs, prints and original paintings.

We offer a wide range of creative gifts for people of all ages. We love keeping the children happy – and quiet – with timeline gifts that help them learn the history of their people while being entertained. It harnesses both visual and creative learning techniques so that you can provide a gift appreciated by the children as well as their parents. The mystic power of Kabbalah is beautifully presented through the letters of the Hebrew Alphabet. The world was created using the letters from the Bible so each carries a special power beyond our full understanding. Placing such a work of art of on your walls will bring joy and stability to your family.

Who knows the value of a blessing?

You are welcome to explore our fine selection of blessings for you, your home or your business. The power of a blessing as it winds its way up to heaven is sublime. Having them presented on your wall or sitting on your coffee table in a beautiful frame adds beauty to your home. However, in addition to its aesthetic value, the blessing serves as a constant reminder to you and those who see it that you are connected to the spiritual essence of prayer and the Source of All Blessings. Our range of blessings extends to those that you may use on a regular basis. Not only do they include a request for blessings on your home or business but they are practical. Two examples are our wonderfully decorated blessings for lighting the candles which is a meaningful way of welcoming in the Shabbat and the blessing said in praise of the proper functioning of the body after using the bathroom. They serve as educational tools for the family and inspire young children to recite them with their parents. We also have blessings for the wonderful Woman of Valor prayer that a family traditionally sings to the mother and wife of the house before beginning the Sabbath meal. This is particularly sensitive to the effort that she has gone into to bring the family to this point – preparing the meal, preparing the children and coordinating it all with her husband.

Inspiration for our creations

The artworks come from stories that parents told their children in the villages of Easter Europe are often represented in our products. Stories often included wolves and snow – always lots of snow – and long journeys from one town to another through snow only arriving after encountering wolves. Upon arrival, the characters would be warmly welcomed by representative of the new town and given something warm to eat. Many paintings and wall hangings are dark with flashes of snow of the white teeth of a snarling wolf.

The craftsmen from whom we draw our creations are masters in their professions. They have conducted deep studies into the symbolism, mysticism and history of the people to ply their trade. Beautiful brass etchings of significant places such as Rachel’s Tomb, the Old City of Jerusalem and scenes from history display the skill of these craftsmen and craftswomen. Working in brass takes a particular skill. Metal is an ancient medium for creation but it is very unforgiving. Even small blemishes can be detected so our craftsmen need to ensure that each creation is near perfect. The recreation of Solomon’s Temple which stood on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem is an exquisite example of such perfection. The three areas of the Temple are clearly shown, one for Israelites, one for Leviim and one for Kohanim. The craftsmen undertook extensive research into the creation of the piece to ensure its accuracy so that it can be appreciated as an item of beauty as well as an instrument of learning. It can be purchased with a blessing of the house in English or Hebrew. It comes framed but can also be re-framed to meet your particular tastes.

Rabbi and Hebrew Artifacts

We carry and extensive range of pieces which feature famous Rabbis. This is collection is difficult to find and should be examined by anyone who draws inspiration from having pictures of Rabbis in the house. Our collection includes the Lubavitcher Rebbe who lived in New York and is loved by his followers around the world as well as Israel-based Rabbis such as Ovadia Yosef. There are also many works with Rabbis in famous scenes of mourning, prayer and joy. Few items lift the spirit like a picture of a bearded, old Rabbi enraptured by religious inspiration, dancing and singing to his heart’s content. The Rabbis have long been the leaders of communities but as they have become less of a focus in modern times in developed countries, their position in nostalgic art has become more prominent. It can be a great reminder of the long heritage of this unique People and the link in the chain that each of us form to keep the tradition alive.

Hebrew is the backbone of the Judaic tradition. We have an extensive range of Hebrew products that we’re sure you’ll love. The wedding ceremony takes place under a wedding canopy and that is prominent in many of our creations. The Wedding Contract has been painstakingly weaved into the image of a wedding canopy so the words themselves form the picture. There are prints and lithographs and etchings of these key scenes with the accompanying Hasidic Musicians; famed across Eastern Europe for their deep, sorrowful tunes which erupt suddenly into foot-stomping, hand-clapping explosions of joy that lift the audience. You can almost hear the music in these evocative handiwork.

Life in Europe is often displayed in a mixture of joy and hardship. Actually, it’s joy in the midst of hardship that carries a valuable lesson for us today. If they can be happy while carrying water, trudging through snow or mending their tarttered clothing, we should be grateful for all that we have in this modern world and be inspired to appreciate what we have to be happy in our own situations. When art is able to lift us up to such a level of holiness, it is indeed a valuable acquisition for ourselves or as a gift. As always, our works are available in paintings, prints, lithographs and etchings. Many are framed but we can both replace these frames or frame any that are lacking a frame.

Honey dishes, spoons and dippers hand picked for Rosh Hashanna and all year round use. The Jewish New Year is a special time when we look to create positive signs for the year ahead. Key to this is having a sweet year and nothing is sweeter than this golden liquid, presented at our ceremonial dinner table in a beautiful dish, with a silver spoon. We include unique packaging this year which will brighten any dinner table. It also serves as an impressive hostess gift if you happen to be going to family or friends at this time of year. We will gift wrap and card it for you free. Before you checkout, visit our Rosh Hashana Gifts department which has a new range of specialty gifts. We wish you and your family a happy and healthy New Year!!!

The tradition of gift giving for Rosh Hashana

Although Jews don’t observe the practice of gift-giving around Christmas and some have adopted it for Hanukah, the traditional time for giving gifts in Israel is Rosh Hashanno. It’s an amazing time to be with the Jewish people as they prepare for the 10 days of Awe which begin on Rosh Hashannoh and continue for ten days until Yom Kippur which known in English as the Day of Atonement. It’s a fascinating combination of a time of joy and hope that is brought in during the New Year and one of somber reflection which is the Day of Atonement. There is a strong mystical and traditional sense that the pattern of the whole year is set on Rosh Hashano which is why it is a time of joy, sweetness and the giving of gifts.

Another common custom is the inclusion of pomegranates to the festive meal. In the land of Israel, one can see many dark green trees at the time of Rosh Hashanna with bright red pomegranates becoming ripe. They are used to symbolize that we should be fruitful because there are so many seeds in a pomegranate. I once tried to count the seeds but after a short while, I couldn’t resist their tangy taste and I started eating them. My year was, indeed, very sweet!

There are two interesting examples that I’d like to share. First, the reason for giving gifts, having the special foods discussed here (see Rosh Hashanah Gifts) and eating sweet foods beautifully displayed is that Jews are hoping this will become a trend for the year ahead. The want the rest of the year to be one of receiving gifts, leading a good and righteous life and one sweetness. The second example involves sleeping. Jews are commanded to increase their rest on the Sabbath. Many people have an additional afternoon sleep on Saturday. However, on Rosh Hashannah, we are encouraged not to sleep because it is believed that if you sleep on Rosh Hashanah, you will be sleepy all year.

There are gits that suit all budgets. We have Honey Dishes made from silver which can shine brightly on your table so the children can see their faces in them. We have other materials, as well, unique varieties of Honey Dishes in pewter and ceramic all the value to value-based options in plastic and wood. The ceramic options are glazed and painted colorfully to make your year sweet as well as very happy.

We have a range of Rosh Hashanna Honey Dishes that make great personalized gifts that are really creative. There is a range of jeweled cases with three-dimensional images of the Old City of Jerusalem. These cases come with a spoon in an assortment of colors. They are carefully packaged so they can be shipped to you with no fear. Each one is a piece of art as well as a way to avoid getting sticky hands when you’re dipping your apples into your Rosh Hashanna Honey Dishes. Each has a high level of craftsmanship combining a range of quality materials.

Customs of Jews for the New Year

Custom see Jews using many foods as symbols. In addition to the most well-known tradition of apple dipped in beautiful Honey Dishes, there are some that may seem strange to modern dietary tastes. For example, the head of a fish is often placed on the table to represent the prayer that we should be the HEAD and not the TAIL. You may speculate as to what this means. One view is that the head is the superior part, the part that makes decisions and leads the rest of the body, which includes the tail.

Another common custom is the inclusion of pomegranates to the festive meal. In the land of Israel, one can see many dark green trees at the time of Rosh Hashanna with bright red pomegranates becoming ripe. They are used to symbolize that we should be fruitful because there are so many seeds in a pomegranate. I once tried to count the seeds but after a short while, I couldn’t resist their tangy taste and I started eating them. My year was, indeed, very sweet!