A Mid Summer’s Day Chupa

Posted by Ulana Illiano on July 21st, 2008 — in Jewish Weddings | Click here to comment

My daughter is attending a one week sleepaway camp on the North Fork of Long Island. For those of our customers who are not from the tri-state area, that is the north

eastern part of Long Island — across from the famous Hamptons — and home to some of the most beautiful wineries anywhere.

On my way back from dropping Paige off at camp, I decided to take a look at one of the larger wineries on the North Fork, as a possible venue for an upcoming family wedding. I drove up the winding gravel driveway and parked my car on the open grass. Thinking I would grab some brochures and take a quick peek around, I took a few steps toward the main house.

I glanced around the gorgeous property and was simply stopped in my tracks by a small wedding going on in the distance in an open green field. The bride and groom

stood under a chupah, (sometimes spelled huppah or chuppah), made of four birch branches and topped with a span of white gossamer cloth which was billowing playfully in the summer wind. The bride and groom, young and joyful, were taking their vows before a crowd of maybe 40 people.

The birds seemed quiet, I couldn’t hear any voices and the wind seemed to whistle sweetly as I watched.

The group was still, taking part in this simple, yet age old tradition. It could have been any time period — forty, fifty, even a

hundred years ago.

In the distance I heard the glass break under the groom’s foot and I was startled back to reality. I saw the bride and groom seal their vows with a kiss while the onlookers descended on them with a rush of love and good wishes.

On my long drive home, I thought about the ceremony, the bride and groom, and the chuppah with its lovely fabric dancing and fluttering like angels

wings.

What a gorgeous tradition — so fully of meaning and symbolism and so visually stunning.

At JewishGiftPlace.com we sell so many beautiful items that would make the perfect Jewish gift and wedding gift, and some of

my favorites are the ones that include the symbolism of the chupah. Some of our new Seeka pieces convey the meaning of the chupah in a dramatic way.

This Seeka tzedakah box would be a lovely wedding gift as a artful container for a monetary gift or to remind the bride and groom of the richness of their lives and the importance of keeping this most important of mitzvahs.

That special moment under the chupa is also commemorated in so many of Gary Rosenthal’s broken wedding glass pieces. We sell the glass for breaking in beautiful jewel tones as well as many artistic uses for the glass such as this incredible Gary Rosenthal Wedding Glass Heart Kiddush Cup.

Perhaps you have a wedding coming up or a first anniversary party to attend. Any of these lovely designs inspired by the symbolism of the chupa would be so well received and a much appreciated gift. The Jewish gifts we carry are carefully and lovingly selected to be something you would be proud to give.

Jewish Designers Take Center Stage

Posted by Ulana Illiano on July 3rd, 2008 — in Jewish Style | Click here to comment

I have always been fascinated with fashion. Growing up on the lower east side of Manhattan, with the bargain mecca of Orchard Street beneath me and the clothing racks of the Garment District above me, I have always been interested in what is new and in style.

Back in the late 90s, my husband worked for several years as personal security to Calvin Klein and this gave me my first real peak into the glitz and glamour of the fashion world. Every day when he came home I would interrogate him about the designers and the fashions. Even today I never miss an episode of Project Runway and my heart skips a beat when they show that gorgeous “Needle Threading a Button” sculpture on 7th Avenue in NYC!

Well when I read this morning about a new documentary that is currently in production, I knew it would be right up my alley. The documentary by Pacific Street Films entitled Dressing America: Jews in the Garment Industry, “will tell the story of an often overlooked side of this colorful and vibrant industry – an industry which provided opportunities for countless entrepreneurs, largely Jewish, who blended business acumen with artistic flair – doing for American style what their counterparts in Hollywood did for the cinema.”

The documentary got me thinking about the contributions of Jewish designers in both clothing and jewelry design. From Judith Ripka to Marc Jacobs, the rich history and notable contributions of these amazing artists is undeniable. For many decades, especially during the postwar era, Jewish designers purposefully hid their heritage, but this is definitely changing.

More recently, designers have really been bringing Judaism to the front of the runway! Last summer, designer Alexandre Herchcovitch’s modest show was the talk of the fashion town with a strong use of Jewish themes in his couture line. The Jewish Star was big and I mean big!

Here at Jewish Gift Place, we have an incredible collection of talented Jewish artists creating stylish Judaica! Our Star of David Jewelry is incredibly popular and we are adding new items every day! Here are some pieces that are sure to get you noticed even if you are not on the catwalk!