Ketubahs Up Close: Danny Azoulay

If you've ever had doubt that Danny Azoulay makes some of the most stunning ketubot in the 

world, we are about to quench those doubts. Thanks to Danny Azoulay and his team, 

we can show you his papercut ketubot up close, in detail, and confirm that they 

are just as beautiful in person as they look online.

It is a powerful thing to know, as Azoulay says, that the ketubah 

becomes the new couple's first family heirloom. The ketubah "not only imbues the 

marriage ceremony with beauty, but is an artwork to be lastingly treasured by future generations." Each ketubah by Danny Azoulay is printed by the giclee method, modern day lithography, cut by laser and hand-embellished with gold leaf or platinum. Each ketubah is unique from any other, as it is personalized with a date, number, and signature by the artist.  

Watch and enjoy the video from one of our favorite artists, 

Danny Azoulay:

 

 

Shavuot

It's that time of year again: Shavuot, when we celebrate the day that we received the Torah on Mount Sinai. Taking place on the 6th of the month of Sivan, Shavuot is celebrated at the conclusion 
of the Omer, 50 days after the first day of Passover. Thus why it makes perfect sense 
that Shavuot means "weeks'! Weeks of reflection, weeks of thought, and weeks 
of anticipation for one of the most important days in the Jewish religion.

Many of us celebrate Shavuot with traditional 

customs, such as staying up all night to study the Torah or 

eating a dairy meal. While there aren't many specific commandments 

of what we must do on Shavuot, we are told to abstain from working, so we wish 

you a Chag Sameach! And seeing how the holiday falls this year, we wish you a Happy Memorial Day, too!

Gallery Judaica

Featured Artist: C.J. Art

Whether or not you've been to Jerusalem, you've definitely seen the sites: beige stone piled high, glistening in the sunlight and reflecting the magic that is felt throughout the city. Jerusalem stone is a symbol of Jerusalem just as much as it is part of the city. When you're there, you can see the stone from every angle, and touch it as you stand and pray in front of the Western Wall. It is beautiful in its simplicity, and both holds and reflects so many milestones in the Jewish religion and tradition. 

C.J. Art brings the magic of Jerusalem stone into your home. C.J. Art represents a group of artists who create handmade Judaica items from stone and glass, combining modern trends with traditional motifs. They emphasize high-quality production using the most advanced technological processes mixed with natural raw materials characteristic of Israel. A piece from C.J. Art is the perfect gift for someone who loves and appreciates the beauty of simple magic that Jerusalem provides. 

Below from left to right:

The C.J. Art Home Blessing in stone and frosted glass, the Stone and Glass Tzedakah Box, combining the old and new with laser-etched stone and glass, and the Woman of Valor Blessing in stone and frosted glass.

Gallery Judaica

Wedding Season: Papercuts

Been hearing a lot of buzz about weddings lately? So have we!

It's wedding season and we're so excited for all of our customers (and everyone else) to get married and celebrate the most important day in their lives!

What's always number one on our wedding checklist? The Ketubah. 

According to tradition and ancient Judaic law, a bride and groom must agree to a contract in order for their Jewish marriage to be binding. This wedding contract is called a ketubah.  

 

Choosing a ketubah is not always the easiest decision, but luckily, there is one for every personality! This week we'd like to share papercut ketubot, which are stunning works of art that will forever reflect the joy of your marriage ceremony. They are detailed, intricate, and delicate, and perfect for the couple who appreciates subtle beauty. Not only are papercut ketubot gorgeous, they are also very easy to personalize. You may decide to add a backing to the papercut, in a neutral or bright color, or you may decide to go with the striking image that comes with simply placing the papercut between two pieces of glass. Either way, we promise they are the most beautiful contracts we have yet to see. 

Here's a handful of our papercut ketubot: 

Left: Ardyn Halter: 

The Papercut Ketubah

Right: 

Enya Keshet: 

Two Trees Ketubah, No Backing (we like this one A LOT! It's a Gallery Judaica exclusive! 

Left: Melanie Dankowicz: 

Terrace Ketubah

Right and Below: 

Danny Azoulay:

Pardes Ketubah and Olive Ketubah

Gallery Judaica

Mother's Day: May 13th

Mother's Day is on May 13th this year. That means it's only 12 days away! 

To celebrate, we are giving you Chai for Mom: 

18% off (most) merchandise to celebrate the women who gave and continue to give you life 

(literally and figuratively). 

There are so many perfect gifts for Mom to love: 

Brighten up her Shabbat each Friday evening with a set of Orna Lalo candlesticks. They are fun and beautiful all at once, just like most of our mothers are known to be!

Jewelry is a go-to gift for many and never fails to please! These necklaces from Robin Terman and Alef Bet Jewelry can be simple enough for everyday wear, but gorgeous enough for any special event. We promise your mother will love this.

 

Has your mother always wanted a stand-out Tallit but never upgraded from the one she's always worn? Or maybe she has never had one to call her own? Cream, classy, and hand-crafted, this Tallit by Reeva is one of many that will bring feelings of warmth and goodness each time it is wrapped around your mother. 

 

The Miriam Cup for Passover is an excellent choice as a tribute to women, and will forever serve as a tribute to your mother. And, the cup can also serve as a Kiddush Cup, which means two times the tribute to her!

Honor the women in your life who "do good" with a Tzedakah box that will forever remind them of the good they've done and will continue to do. This striking piece from Dabbah, made of anondized aluminum, will make the act of giving Tzedakah all the more fulfilling.  
 

 

 

Bless your mother with a blessing turned work of art with any of our beautiful glass pieces from Schlanser and others, or our papercuts from some of our favorite artists, such as Danny Azoulay. Whether you are blessing them with love, happiness, peace, or as a Woman of Valor, these incredibly meaningful gifts will make a very lasting impression, and make her feel forever blessed for being a mother.

Gallery Judaica

A Piece for Every Holiday: Vagabond House

Spice up each holiday for the next year with our new artist, Vagabond House. 

 
Vagabond House uses wonderful materials and designs to create captivating pieces of Judaica art and housewares for the home. What makes them all the more special is that they are a family-owned, American company that knows exactly what it takes to make beautiful Judaica. The pieces are artistically designed and finely crafted from the highest quality pewter and other rare, beautiful and durable natural materials. Each one is both unique and functional and can serve as an heirloom for those who seek to express tradition and style in both family and formal entertaining.

  The Vagabond House's team of American designers focuses on creating exclusive, exquisite pieces that not only last a lifetime, but create a lifetime of memories for their discerning customers.

Choose the challah board to spice up Shabbat, the frog salt and pepper shakers to get a little smile during the Passover Seder, or the bee honey pot to celebrate an even sweeter new year on Rosh Hashanah. Whatever the holiday, everyone will be inspired by a piece of art from Vagabond House.

  

Gallery Judaica

New Arrivals: Gad Almaliah

What's the best way to start the week? New arrivals from one of our favorite artists!

Gad Almaliah has created a new set of hand-embossed, multi-metal artwork. Simple, classy, and stunning, these pieces will be enjoyed by any personality. 

Check out the explanation of each new beautiful piece below!

 

Woman of Valor: Taken from Proverbs 31, the Woman of Valor, known as "Eshet Chayil" in Hebrew, describes a woman who is energetic, righteous, and capable. This beautiful poem can be used to praise a wife, mother, grandmother, or any other adult woman deserving of honor or praise for her actions and achievements. 

Tikun Olam: Tikun Olam, also known as "repairing the world", is a basic concept of Judaism. As written on the print created by Gad Almaliah, Tikun Olam implies that while one is not obligated to complete the work to repair the world, one must not feel free to abandon it.

Kohanim Blessing: The Priestly Blessing reads, "May God bless you and keep you. May God's presence shine upon you and be gracious to you. May God's presence be with you and give you peace." These kind and meaningful words are meant for those who are going through a rite of passage, or  those who deserve praise for their good deeds and accomplishments.

Save One Soul: The Save One Soul blessing, also meant to praise those who have saved others either literally or spiritually, on a large or small scale, reads "Whoever preserves a single soul, scripture ascribes merit to them as though they saved a complete world."

Eitz Chayim: The famous "Tree of Life" is a symbol for many things in the realm of Judaica. The Tree of Life is spoken of in the Book of Genesis, discovered after Adam and Eve were cast out of the Garden of Eden. To some, the Tree of Life symbolizes the Torah, and to others it represents peace, calm, and wisdom. As written on the Gad Almaliah print, "It is a tree of life for those who grasp it, and all who uphold it are blessed. Its ways are pleasant, and all its paths are peace."

Gallery Judaica

Broken Glass

We are always so careful in our homes to not break things. We take dishes out cautiously, we place art on the walls in hopes that it doesn't fall, and we lock our pets out of certain rooms where it is too easy to knock something over.

So why do we anxiously and eagerly follow a tradition that involves stomping on something as fragile as a piece of glass?

During a Jewish wedding, a glass cup is traditionally broken as an act of remembrance, a gesture that helps to further illuminate the joy of the marriage. The breaking of the glass is most often said to symbolize the destruction of the Temple. Some romantically consider it to symbolize the end of the beloveds' single lives and the beginning of their lives together as one.  

This new life together is sweetened and remembered by the more modern Jewish custom of crafting Judaic wedding art from the pieces of the glass that were broken during the wedding ceremony. Many artists, including Shardz and Gary Rosenthal, offer a variety of stunning and unique wedding-glass art. You can choose from placing your broken glass into a mezuzah that will hang on your doorpost, to a menorah that you will light each Hanukkah, to a beautiful piece of art that you will walk by and look at each and everyday. 

Here are the owners of Gallery Judaica at their wedding. 

This photo becomes all the more meaningful when placed between the pieces of glass that were broken during the ceremony that bound them in marriage. 

Gallery Judaica

More Schlanser!

We know we just talked about Schlanser, but we can't help ourselves! We got new merchandise from this amazing artist and we want to keep sharing it with you.

These new pieces make great gifts for the home, or awards for someone who deserves some praise for their accomplishments and achievements. The pieces are simple yet striking; they appeal to a wide range of tastes and personalities, and can fit perfectly into a variety of interiors. 

A piece of glass art made by Schlanser is a piece of everlasting enjoyment.

Gallery Judaica

Happy Passover!

Wishing you a Happy Passover!

We hope you have a sweet Seder, a great meal, a delicious matzah-filled week ahead, and Shabbat Shalom!

Gallery Judaica