Real Men Give Tzedakah

What a great Bar Mitzvah gift, or graduation present.... A steel Tzedakah box that just exudes testosterone!

This is from Steven Bronstein of Vermont. He has been creating functional and sculptural ironwork for over 25 years. His designs strive to blend the primitive charm of ironwork with the energy and interest of more contemporary design. Relying on the qualities that make iron such a beautiful material, Steven's pieces are both delicate and rugged. All Blackthorne Forge ironwork is guaranteed for life.

Ki Teitzei Tallit

Once again, from the studio of Marilyn Jackler...

Ki Teitzei deals with laws of war, inheritance, marriage and divorce, and proper conduct in regard to all of God's creatures.
Band I
Oxen work the fields unmuzzled so they can eat if they are hungry. They are paired with their own kind in order to share their burden equally, as required by Jewish law


Band II
This scene expresses the peace and tranquility which can be enjoyed by the animal kingdom as well as by mankind if the laws of the Torah are practiced.







The neckband of the tallit is decorated with the traditional blessing, hand painted with gold-outlined, crowned, Hebrew lettering.
The tallit is shown on a background of cream wool blend. The tallit tzitziot (threads) are handspun.

A matching tallit bag, tefillin bag and yarmulke are also available. The tallit bag is made of cream wool blend and has a strip of painted silk running horizontally.

The tallit and all items are handmade.

Mazal Tov, Ryan

Early among my posts was one about yads as Bar and Bat Mitzvah gifts. I took my own advice and purchased this one from Seeka for my cousin who becomes a Bar Mitzvah this week. I doubt he looks at my blog so you all can see it first (and I won't have time to post tomorrow so I am doing my Shabbat Post early).

And for this week, one which has been colored by some horrible events here in the United States and across the world a poem by Tal Sorek, Age 12, Beersheva, Israel


I had a box of colors
Some warm, some very cold.
I had no red for the blood of wounds
I had no black for the orphan's grief.
I had no white for dead faces and hands.
I had no yellow for burning sands.
But I had orange for the joy of life.
And I had green for buds and nests.
I had blue for clear skies.
I had pink for dreams and rest.
I sat down and painted
Peace.

Anniversary

Nearly 30 years ago this week (based on the Hebrew calendar), a young girl stood before her congregation and flawlessly read the Torah. The portion had special meaning. It was one which everyone in the congregation- from youngster to Temple elder- was familiar and her father had read that identical portion some forty years earlier. The Torah portion was Yitro, the Exodus chapters which include the 10 commandments and that girl was me. I have had opportunity to read it again- 5 years later, 10 years, and then on my 20Th anniversary. This year I will commemorate the occasion (albeit a touch early) with this post.
Rather than look at pictures of two tablets, I thought let's look at beautiful b'nai mitzvah art... I invite you to enjoy them.
The piece above is by the artist Joan Landis whose illustrations have been featured in major publications.


Leslie Naveh, like many of the other artists we have seen, lived in the United States and moved to Israel to live and grow her art. Lelsie recognizes that her pieces are whimsical and childlike- which makes this Bat Mitzvah girl even more delightful. Jenny and Rodney Saulwick are a creative couple who live in Australia. Their work is multimedial- this mature piece includes Inks, paints, marker, pencil, gold-leaf, toothbrush(!), computer font, on Cartridge paper.
So, wish me a Mazal Tov... and go do a horah in my honor.