Sukkot in 51 Syllables

Solemn Yom Kippur

Is followed by joyousness

A week of Sukkot

The sukkah is up

Decorating has begun

Lulav? Etrog? Check!

We'll do some shaking

Some sitting and some eating

'Cause it's a mitzvah!

Ed Nickow from Torah In Haiku

The Seven Species Hamsa seen above is from the etsy site of Susie Lubell owner of Mishmish Studio.

Loveliness...

From the hands of polymer clay artist Tami Shvat is this matching pair: A Hamsa and Mezuzah with cherry blossoms.



I am so inspired by these, I may do my bedroom in these colors...

On the Seventh Day of Chanukah

My Bubbe gave to me

Seven Hamsot a'waving....

This hamsa is crafted from recycled aluminum cans... more beauty from the work of the Urbanwoodswalker on flickr and etsy.

Wouldn't you love to put TamarShalom's Hamsa T-shirt on your little one?

How could I talk about Hamsot without one of AngelaB's lovely and again, unique creations?

In fact, I am going to show a second of Angela's just because I can (and I love 'em).

Laura Bolter makes beautiful prints, doesn't she. The woman knows color!!

Hbrurya is one of Israel's talented polymer clay artists whose hamsas also vary like the colors of the rainbow!

And last but not least is Sigaliot whose hamsa just exudes FUNKY!!!

The sound of one hand...

From Ruth Tarragano, an organic appearing polymer clay hamsa with the Shema.

She almost got one by me

Naama Zamir is changing her style... subtly, but the diffence is there... can you see it too? And in honor of her quiet metamorphosis, a new haiku from me!

Five fingers, one soul

A hamsa hangs near my heart

To bring You closer

She has done it again.

Sometimes I feel like I am the president of the Angela B fan club. She makes Hamsot like no one else... she even manages to make Hamsot that are even unlike her previous ones. Here are a couple of them that I fell in love with.

Sweet gifts.

Last year, Shay Aron prepared these apple magnets and this adorable hamsa for New Year gifts. I want to be Shay's friend.

Hamsa Haiku

With our enemy
We share our bullets, not words
Before peace, must talk

This is a hamsa I made. If you want to see more of them, check out my flickr site. Just hit the link on the side.

Enjoy the pink!

Yesterday I changed the blog layout (like it?) and changed it to pink for the breast cancer post... now I can't get it to more neutural colors. So rejoice in it. And take a moment to rejoice in Sigaliot's PINK HAMSA. Sigaliot is an Israeli Polymer Clay artist. This is her story in her own words:


"Since I was a little girl, I love art & color.
My notebooks at school, were always decorated with my scribbles and sketching's.
At school the art, paint and drawing lessons was my fave and I always did great in them.
After my army service (yes, in Israel every one give two or three years), I started to learn building architecture.
Those years where full of joy and satisfaction, for the first time I understood my real abilities and I did wonderful!
Finely, art is not just a hobby, its a career.
Soon after that short career I had my first son, at the same time I rediscovered “fimo” polymer clay at one of the Israeli art forum I participate back then.
I had an immediate click with the material, I saw the possibilities way before I knew how to make the most simple cane
I hooked by this wonderful material.
So many colors, so many techniques, I didn't know where to start.
Well, I start by exploring the material, lots' and lots of hours of trail and error,
that's how my little business born and start to breathe.
Since then, 5 years went trough and we (the polymer clay and I) have a love story♥
Now I want to share my art with the rest of the world, bring for every one of you a piece of Israeli love with shape and color.
I love my art, I love making it and I hope that you will love an appreciate it too."

I was tagged.

I was tagged by Ira of OldCrazyStitcher for the You make my day Award. Now I have to tag 10 of my favorite blogs (a difficult task given there are so many wonderful ones out there). Now I have to post a comment on their blog to let them know that they MAKE MY DAY.

Think how hard it was for G'd to choose his top 10 commandments when there were at least 613 to be written! So if I didn't include you it was not intentional.

Gera Scott Chandler- Amused Creations

Tikkun Knits

Polymer Clay bytes

Tales from a veggie kitchen








Polymer Clay Notes


polymerionline

Exploring the art of polymer clay

Ben Can Dance

Silastones

Lilith Blog

These beautiful hamsot come from AngelaB

A meaningful accident

I am frequently asked by artists "How did you find my website?" More often than not I have to confess "I do not know." Essentially I can start with a couple of search terms and a couple of "enter" clicks later I have struck gold! Those are the artists I share with you.
On occasion, one of my blogging friends or another artist will also send me a tip, asking have I seen this artist or that one. More often than not, I have seen the artist they are recommending but it is wonderful that they think of me and this blog.
My closest friend in the Blogosphere is Susan of Polymer Clay Notes. Were it not for Susan's gentle nudges, I likely would have never initiated JudaicaJournal. Susan hosts a secular blog dedicated to polymer clay and I love sending her my discoveries which are more appropriate for her blog than mine. Today, Susan and I are sharing the exposure of an Israeli polymer clay artist who was one of my accidental discoveries. Rivkah Strahi Levitz is first an interior designer. As part of her decorating she creates pieces to fufill her vision for a client's home- whether that be the mezuzah that adorn the door frame or the jar to hold honey on the breakfast table. Among her many works are some three dimensional pictures; it is these that I found most awe inspiring. So please take a gander at these at the chamsa and mezuzah and then take a cyber-walk over to Susan's site to see which of Rivkah's goodies she has chosen to share.

How do I enjoy Shabbat with all its prohibitions?

The truth is that Shabbat can be enjoyed because of its prohibitions. We live in the 21st century, where stress is a way of life. We run around at a thousand miles an hour all week (except when we’re stuck, cursing, in traffic). Answering phones, checking emails, reading text messages, paying bills, giving/taking instructions- life is hectic. We eat on the run; barely have time for our families and battle to nurture our souls.

Shabbat is time-out. You are not allowed to answer the phone. You may not deal with your business affairs. Driving is verboten. Your business associates, clients, and friends learn to accept it. You may be tempted to “check in on the office” when you’re on vacation. On Shabbat you have no choice. That’s the advantage of the “prohibitions”- they’re non-negotiable.


We run around at a thousand miles an hour all week (except when we’re stuck, cursing, in traffic). Answering phones, checking emails, reading text messages, paying bills, giving/taking instructions- life is hectic. On Shabbat you do sit and eat a meal as a family. You might even catch up on some sleep. You dedicate time to prayer, meditation and a bit of study. It’s actually refreshing.

Besides, much of our stress centers on our thinking we’re in control. Since we believe we’re in charge, we feel we have to carry the full weight of life on our shoulders.

Shabbat refocuses our perspective. The Shabbat prohibitions are designed to make us realize that we cannot always do things as and when we please.

Shabbat coaches us to defer to Higher Authority - at least for 24 hours a week. Then, we step into the week’s work-whirlwind relaxed, ready to focus and secure in the belief that Someone-Up-There is looking after our interests.

You don’t enjoy only Shabbat with its prohibitions; you enjoy the whole week. (Rabbi Ari Shishler at AskMoses.com)


Glass artist extraordinaire Tamara Baskin created this Hamsa with the symbol for the twelve tribes. Tamara was born and raised in Israel but began her art career in the United States. She is educated in multiple media but has recently focused her work on fused glass.

What is my name?

One of my regular readers Marcia D asked how she can find her Hebrew name. Now there is not direct correlation from our English to Hebrew names. My younger son Sam's Hebrew name is Moshe Ilan (for his great grandfather and for the astronaut Ilan Ramon). My given name is Toby but my Hebrew name is Chana Michal (for my two great grandmothers). But there are those who would have given my son the name Shmuel and I would be Tova...

What ever your name is in English, I found an interesting website which picks out your name... I put in Marcia's (and Marsha to just check if it was consistent) and her Hebrew name would be גַבְרִיאֵל or Gavriela, one of the seven archangels .

These two hamsas are from Irish Mishly an Israeli polymer clay artist. They feature the artist's and a friend's names.

Stop coveting!

The final of the Ten Commandments is "Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house; thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maid-servant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor anything that is thy neighbor's."

I think in our very commercialized, very material society this may be the most difficult of the commandments for many to keep. Keeping up with the Joneses or with the Goldbergs can be all consuming for some.

I am not going to make it easier for some of you- especially if you love polymer clay cane. The cane work on these is just phenomenal. Take a look at these truly beautiful polymer clay hamsot.


First, a pair from Roni Gur




















And another pair from Naama Zamir from Zichron Yaacov, Israel who invites you to visit her website.That is her hamsa at the top as well.



















If you look at this link on Naama's website you will find out more about making canes and other wonderful pc. In short order, I will be bringing you more from Naama-one of the many women whose talent I so covet.

MMMMM.

I just love this Mem. I guess I like thing simple.



Artist April Greenberg has been creating for many years... I love her work in paper. She is now dabbling (if one can dabble) in steel. Given her prolific nature, you have to give this woman a hand..