All HEAR this.

There are times I stumble upon a piece of Judaica which simply floors me... this Shema necklace did it this afternoon (okay, I was sitting so no harm befell the blogger).

Don Moti (two Australians, I believe) originally are from the former Soviet Union but now after schooling together, they created together.

On the Fifth day of Chanukah

My bubbe gave to me: FIVE GOLDEN RINGS

(Why mess with a good idea? But I will expand the Golden Rings to other Jewish Jewelry because it is my website and I can do that!)

From the Etsy Shop of Universal Age a sterling silver ring that says it all: I love you.

This Star of David Ring is from Judaica Jewelery and is made of stainless steel.
From the Artist Yonatan is this lovely satin finish Ani L'dodi wedding band.

Jennifer Meyer (real life wife of Spiderman Tobey Macguire) created a simple yet elegant diamond encrusted Star of David. Yummy.

Regular readers of JJ know I love pomegranates and the Hebrew Alef-Bet... appears that goldsmith Eva Strauss Rosen has similar propensities.

Take it for a spin...

Munya Avigail Upin is a nationally renowned artist with over twenty-five years experience in the field of metalsmithing. Her award-winning work has been exhibited in museums and galleries throughout the world and has been published in numerous periodicals, newspapers and books. In addition to teaching at colleges, craft centers and museum schools, Upin has created one-of-a-kind pieces for synagogues and private collectors.

A native of Faribault, Minnesota, Munya Avigail Upin has been exhibiting her silver work nationally and internationally for twenty-one years. She first began experimenting with metal while in high school and later studied art metals at Drake University in Des Moines. Upin later entered graduate school at San Diego State University where she studied with Arline Fisch and Helen Shirk. She received a M.A. in Art Metals from San Diego State in 1979 and later earned a M.F.A. from California State University at Fullerton.

She has taught at the University of Wisconsin at Madison, Southwest Texas State University in San Marcos, Penland School of Crafts, and at workshops and art schools throughout the United States.

Though Upin's early work was primarily sculptural, her recent work focuses on the design and creation of Judaica. She was raised in a rural community about fifty miles from the nearest synagogue. Though her family was one of only three Jewish families in the town, Judaism was nonetheless a large part of her life and continues to influence her work. Most of the ritual objects that she creates incorporate woven silver, a technique that has become her signature. These unique pieces have been commissioned by Temple Beth-El, Providence; Temple Emanu El, Houston; Temple Beth-El, San Antonio; and the Jewish Museum, New York.

All My Leaven

Cleaning the house for Passover- not an easy task. For the average person, there is the feather and the candle... but for the lucky Jew (probably a boy who loves big trucks and has more than a few pennies to spare) there is silversmith Avi Biran's steamroller for collecting the chametz.

Sung to the tune of “All My Lovin”
(by Gary Teblum: is he prolific or what????)

Search my house and I’ll find it
Tomorrow I’ll miss it
The feather will help me be true
And a candle as well
Means that then I can sell
And I’ll sell all my leaven to you

I’ll find crumbs in the kitchen
The kinder will pitch in
I’ll try not to leave any clue
And then while its away
I’ll eat matzah each day
‘cause I sold all my leaven to you

All my leaven, I will sell to you
All my leaven, Rabbi, I’ll be true

I’ll find crumbs in the kitchen
The kinder will pitch in
I’ll try not to leave any clue

And then while its away
I’ll eat matzah each day
‘cause I sold all my leaven to you

All my leaven, I will sell to you
All my leaven, Rabbi, I’ll be true
All my leaven, All my leaven
Woo, all my leaven, I will sell to you

A Dr. Seuss-shan Purim Shpiel

Sh’ma yeladim and hear us well
For now is the story of Purim to tell.
It took place in Shushan so long, long ago.
Now off to Persia we all will go.

In this beautiful kingdom ruled a king
A king with no brain, who’d think such a thing?
He spent all his days and his nights having fun
Parading his wealth in the warm Persian sun.

A queen named Vashti was his loyal wife
She promised to love him all of her life.
She promised, that is, until he did ask
For her to perform an unthinkable task.

At his grandest of parties the king did command
Queen Vashti dance for royal men of the land.
"I am Not your servant, and dance I will Not!"
Vashti refused the king’s sexist plot.

For Vashti, you see, was not known as a fibber
She was, in fact, history’s first women’s libber.
Vashti was banished - away she did go.
Where did she go? That we do not know.

In this fair kingdom lived also the Jews
Who could not practice the religion they choosed
No Torah, no Challah, no Matzah Ball soup
For a villain named Haman had started a coup.

"Bow down to me now", cruel Haman did say
"For I am an important man of the day."
"I’m the King’s right-hand man - I rule all that I see
If you don’t bow down now, you will cease to be!!!"

Meanwhile back at the palace grand
An announcement went out throughout the land
A new queen to be chosen in an unusual way
In a beauty contest held the very next day.


All the maidens of the land were forced to appear
From near and from far, from far and from near
Be them skinny or zaftig, quite brilliant or dumb
From near and far they were ordered to come.

One such maiden had brains and had grace
Esther was her name…Such a pretty face!
A Jewess of humble origins and needs
With the kind of bod that would make a heart bleed!


Encouraged by her Uncle (or was it cousin?) Mordechai
"I beg you dear Esther, this you MUST try"
"With your brains and your beauty YOU he would choose
"Go, go, go, go! "Comb your hair. Wear nice shoes!"

"Besides that my dear,
With your grace and your charm
You will blow them away.
You’ll be on King Achashverosh’s arm!"

Unsure of herself but willing to go
Because she loved her Morty so
She entered the contest
But said, "Uncle dear
Promise me that you’ll always stay near."

Mordy did promise and promise he did:
“You betcha – I’ll always be here, Kid.”

The contest was held - They came one and all
And Esther of course was the Queen of the ball.
Chosen for her beauty in a contest quite shallow
Esther learned to love this not-quite-clever fellow

Though Achashverosh chose her
And she was now queen
There was one rotten rule
She had not foreseen.

Under penalty of death she had to obey
The following rule in an unbending way:
Her new husband commanded she could only see him
When HE chose to see her - and on HIS whim
by Dana Baruch and Robbi Sherwin
© 1998 all rights reserved

For more of this ballad, you have to go
To a special site, that you can know
Follow the link and open your eyes
You will be in for a lovely surprise

The story of Esther above I have shared
A story of heroes and people who cared.
Mordecai, Vashti and Haman that gorilla
All can be found inside the Megillah

The megillah is scribed by the talented sofer
Perfectly written if that we are sure
Each so precious and unique from its maker
Its not a grogger so don't shake her.

A box, container, receptacle or case
The megillah must have a special place
Yosef Davidoff the silversmith who made these
To look at such beauty makes me weak in the knees.

The most beautiful noise

During one of my virtual wanderings I found a wonderful silversmith Sharon Geller-Metal . This talented woman is an Orthodox Jew whose knowlege and faith resonate through her work. Her hamanstash grogger is just beautiful to look at... and that it actually is a ceremonial object just amplifies its beauty.