This list has something for everyone. Whether it’s your husband, father, grandfather, father-in-law, favorite uncle, friend, teacher, or coach, we have the perfect gift to express your love and gratitude this Father’s Day. Plus we are adding Free Shipping with coupon code FD10 which expires June 11, 2010.

We’ve got plenty of ideas to help guide you to the perfect gift for dad…because he’s worth it.

This time around the group included my family of 3, my two sisters with their families, and my brother with his family for a total of 16! We stayed at the very cool Marriott hotel at the Redmond Town Center which surrounded us with shopping opportunities galore! There were many functions planned for us to enjoy over the long weekend including a lovely brunch at the Westin hotel in Bellevue. Needless to say, we ate a lot!

The Bat Mitzvah service was held once again at the stunning Goldfarb Schwartz Sanctuary at the Temple De Hirsch Sinai in Bellevue, Washington. Surrounded by soaring pine trees, the Sanctuary was the perfect backdrop for a very joyous occasion. Rachel did a spectacular job reciting from the Torah and her speech was lovely.  Building on the value of compassion and her responsibility to the community as a Bat Mitzvah, Rachel organized donations of stuffed animals to the Seattle Children’s Hospital. We could not have been prouder.

From there we left for a wonderful celebration held at the Bellevue Arts Museum. The Bellevue Arts Museum is the Pacific Northwest’s center for the exploration of art, craft and design, emphasizing the work of regional artists. (I couldn’t help but think how much Risa would love it!)

The main floor of the museum was set up for the party and the rest of the museum was open for guests to wander through and enjoy the exhibits. The food was first rate, the DJ got everyone on the dance floor and the Horah dance was a highlight. A standout of the party were the artists that were hired to create t-shirts for the guests. So fitting for the venue! The artists airbrushed a plain white t-shirt with whatever the guest requested. They were a hit! The night flew by too quickly!

When my niece Becky had her Bat Mitzvah, I gave her a little piece of jewelry to help her remember her special day for years to come. I gave her the Seeka Bat Mitzvah necklace.

But, now it was Rachel’s turn and I didn’t want to give her the same thing so I decided upon the Angie Olami Garnet Pomegranate Necklace. I like the symbolism of the pomegranate. It’s one of the seven species of which the land of Israel was blessed, and is a symbol of abundance and new beginnings. A legend arose within Judaism that each and every pomegranate contained 613 seeds, representing the 613 commandments of Torah.  I thought this was very fitting as a Bat Mitzvah gift.

Before we knew it, the weekend was over and it was time for us to return home. We made many great memories on this trip and we are still sorting through all the photos! Mazel Tov Rachel!

This new collection includes Jewish mugs, as well as mugs that can be personalized with a name or phrase! The Jewish mugs are engraved with really fun phrases like “Chai Maintenance,” “Oy Vey,” and “Bubbie” – perfect as gift for a Jewish mother or Jewish grandmother who loves her morning coffee!  The 20 oz. handmade pottery mugs are made in Northeastern Pennsylvania by artist JoAnne Stratakos. These substantial and gorgeous pottery mugs are great for gift giving.  Decorative, and extremely functional, these pottery coffee mugs are dishwasher safe and microwaveable.

If you have an occasion coming up for a guy or gal and just have no clue what to get them, these mugs make the perfect gift.

I am giving/have given these mugs for the following occasions:

• Mother’s Day
• Father’s Day
• Birthdays
• Teacher’s end-of-year gift

The mugs come with a choice of flowers for $25,  or you can get a personalized mug for $30.  I know, from giving out a bunch of these this past weekend for Mother’s Day, people LOVE this gift!  You can also give the pottery mugs as gifts for Administrative Professional Day (which just passed), Hanukkah, or a housewarming gift.

Although I love all crafty things, I have a special place in my heart for pottery.  For years I did pottery.  I took classes and then just did studio time creating pieces that I use every day in my house.  I made a set of dinner plates, salad plates, small bowls, and soup bowls.  I made several big bowls for pasta and an even bigger bowl for fruit.

I think one of the most challenging pieces I’ve made are mugs, which is why I do NOT have a set of mugs in the house.  Unlike all the other pieces, there are 2 parts to the mug – the mug and the handle, which has to be joined very well into the main mug.  I don’t remember exactly why I gave up on mugs, but I just didn’t get good at it.  Maybe I’ll take a picture and show you a really ugly (but clever!) mug that I created.  I cut off about 1/2″ from the top rim of the mug, but left a piece attached, then swirled it over the edge and created a handle out of it. (Update – I found the mugs  I made and took photos – see below.)

Making any kind of pottery by hand is a big job, and although I’m sure JoAnn can throw (that’s the term used in pottery for making things) mugs pretty quickly, these are the steps that I used to make a piece:

• kneed the clay to get all the air bubbles out
• center the clay on the wheel and throw the mug
• hand-build the handle and join it to the mug
• let the piece air dry
• finish the piece on the bottom and smooth it all out
• fire the piece once
• glaze the piece
• fire the piece again

I love these pottery mugs and I’m sure you will too!

Here are photos of the mugs that I made 13 years ago and detailed photos of that mug I was talking about above – the wacky (but clever!) one never seen before!

Risa's Handmade Pottery Mugs

THE UGLY MUG

About 1/2" of the rim was cut almost off and flipped around to create the handle

I hope you’ve enjoyed seeing some of my own creations.  Maybe another time  I’ll show off my pottery bowls, plates, cookie jars, and pencil holders.

We asked the question, “What does Emily Rosenfeld like to do for fun?”

And she answered, “For fun, Emily likes to take walks and bike rides with her son and read to him. She also loves to cook, spend time in her garden and see friends.”

Well, everyone who entered the contest got the answer correct.  We put all the names in a hat and picked Sara.

She won this beautiful Emily Rosenfeld Hebrew/English Love  Bracelet.

Don’t miss the Interview with Emily Rosenfeld and the interviews with our other artists at Interview with the Artist.

Happy Mother’s Day!  I hope it is nice and sunny by you on Sunday.

To enter, you will need to answer this question:

“What does Emily Rosenfeld like to do for fun?”

Send your response to risa (at) jewishgiftplace.com to enter the contest. (Hint – have you seen our AWESOME “Interview with the Artist” series?)  Get in your entries by 5/1/10.

Here’s an excerpt from of our Top 10 Jewish Mother’s Day Gift article, but don’t miss the entire article for great ideas to give your Jewish Mother.

She loved you before you were born and continues to love you no matter how old you get, no matter how far apart you may live. At Jewish Gift Place, we love this day not only because we are moms, but it falls right in the heart of spring, when the flowers are in full bloom and it’s not too hot yet, but not too cold. However, our mothers would still make us put on a sweater, for sure. But that’s what we all love about our moms. They are always looking out for us and putting us first. So now, more than ever, is the perfect time to show your mom your love and appreciation for all that she does.

Have a wonderful Mother’s Day!

The Moms at Jewish Gift Place

Risa Borsykowsky, Ulana Illiano, Lisa Storms

Here are photos of my baby, Benjamin, 5, who will be 6 in June. He loves to help me cook and he has become quite the matzah ball maker. He loves matzah ball soup, so we had already made it a few times before Passover. He did the whole thing, from opening up the bags, to cracking the eggs, adding the oil, and making the matzah balls. The only problem is that I used 3 boxes instead of the usual 1 box, but still put them all in the same pot (see the last photo – you only see the top layer of matzah balls – the lucky ones that floated to the surface), so instead of having lots of big matzah balls, we had lots of small ones. They were still tasty anyhow.

Also, check out the photos of my big boy, Joshua, 10, who will be 11 in a few weeks. I bought mini-marshmallows for the plague of hail. For everyone at the table, they had little cups filled with the marshmallows. But that wasn’t good enough for Joshua. No – he had to design and build the FIRST EVER PASSOVER MINI-MARSHMALLOW/HAIL LAUNCHER!!! (His dad and 2 grandpas are/were engineers so that explains it.) Joshua spent over an hour building this out of blocks and rubber bands, pencils, and a doubled up plastic spoon. We were doing some painting in the house (nothing like company to get a house in shape – sort of), so that’s why he’s covered in white paint.

Here you can see the PASSOVER MINI-MARSHMALLOW/HAIL LAUNCHER in action. The video is really lousy. My always reliable digital camera, which used to take great videos, now takes lousy videos, so I’ll have to get another one (and NOT give that one to the kids). Enjoy the video!

And, to wrap things up, my first Passover went very well (or at least that’s what my family told me). It was really unlike any Passover I’ve attended because there were lots of songs, and I spent time talking about Miriam’s role in the Passover Seder, and showing off the Emily Rosenfeld Miriam’s Cup. I played Debbie Friedman’s Miriam’s Cup song, which was great.

I hope you had a very Happy Passover, as well.

JOSHUA’S FIRST EVER PASSOVER MINI-MARSHMALLOW/HAIL LAUNCHER!!!

Since it’s a little bit more difficult than it seems to put together, here are some guidelines:

1. Use very straight matzah with no curves in it.
2. Glue together 2 pieces at a time with Elmer’s glue.  Do not attempt to glue all 4 pieces together at the same time.  It will collapse over and over again until you give up.
3. After the 2 sections dry, then combine them to form the box.

HAVE A VERY HAPPY PASSOVER!!!!

Thank you to all who left comments on the blog with your Passover traditions.  It was great hearing from you and having you participate in this fun contest.  We’ll have to do another contest soon.

Preparations are underway here for Passover.  I’m coordinating with my mom and sister to make an awesome meal.  I’m making meatloaf.  My sister is making a roast beef and a couple of farfal puddings,  and my mom is making chicken soup and bringing some chickens.  My 5 year-old, Ben, will be making the matzah balls, and my cousin Peter loves my broccoli salad (I got the recipe from my sister-in-law Elaine, who got it from someone else).  As a matter of fact, I should share it with you because it is so good.  Even people who don’t like broccoli like it.

Is it cheating if I got creamed spinach from BJ’s?  I’m making string beans and homemade split pea soup.  I’m buying the gefilte fish and not the Mrs. Adler’s kind but the kind that’s really good (and expensive – $15 a loaf?!!).

So, if anyone wants to share their Passover menu, please do.

A COMMENT ON THE BLOG ENTERS YOUR NAME TO WIN

I’m very excited about introducing a new tradition at my Passover Seder this year (which I’m hosting for the first time) that’s not really a tradition at all – the Miriam’s Cup. I wanted to make this new tradition fun for the kids and special for adults, so I did research on Miriam and learned how to incorporate the Miriam’s Cup into my Seder. What started as a curiosity turned into an article, complete with gorgeous pictures and rituals for honoring Miriam, called “Miriam’s Cup – A New Tradition That Brings Women Into The Heart Of Judaism.” I know you’ll enjoy it. Here is an excerpt:

“Miriam’s Cup brings honor to a heroic woman of the Bible.  It was her faith, confidence, and wisdom that gave comfort to the Hebrews and helped them overcome the hardships of the desert during their Exodus from Egypt. She stood side by side with Moses and Aaron as they passed through the Red Sea, and she is heralded for her strength. The “Miriam’s Cup” is symbolic because it is the first time a women is so honored at one of the most important Jewish celebrations of the year. It serves as a reminder that there were many unheralded woman of the Bible whose contributions helped define and nourish Jewish culture.”

WIN A FREE MIRIAM’S CUP!  ADD A COMMENT ABOUT YOUR PASSOVER TRADITIONS BELOW TO ENTER

While the Miriam’s Cup is a new tradition, there are many traditions that have been passed down for generations. We would love to hear about your favorite traditions – new or old, playful or solemn. I’ve been to Seders where gummi worms were locusts, and mini-marshmallows were given to each guest to throw at each other for hail. I’ve eaten red jello when water turned into blood and had lots of fun while celebrating Passover. Share with us your favorite traditions in the comment section below and we will enter you in a drawing for a FREE Emily Rosenfeld Miriam’s Cup worth $90!  We are excited to hear from you!  And let your friends know, too.

And don’t miss, “Miriam’s Cup – A New Tradition That Brings Women Into The Heart Of Judaism.”

This year, Passover begins at sundown on Monday, March 29th. After a long, cold, and snowy winter in the Northeast, Passover is joyfully anticipated. Always a feast for the senses — Passover heralds the sights and smells of spring flowers and an assortment of delicious traditional dishes on a beautifully decorated Seder table. Stemware glistening by candlelight, Grandma’s china that she brought over from Europe, and Shabbat candlesticks that will be passed down to a loving child. The scene is set for the retelling of the Passover story through traditional Jewish food and drink set amidst a gorgeous landscape of handmade serving pieces. What a beautiful Passover memory!

At Jewish Gift Place, you will find that special piece that will create these Passover Seder memories for you and your family. Our pieces are not mass produced but each is handmade with love and will stand the test of time for many generations. Just in time for Passover, we have added several new pieces to our Passover collection. Gary Rosenthal has created some incredible Passover Seder plates and centerpieces that are sure to be an awe-inspiring presence on any Seder table. Filled with meaning and Jewish symbolism, these pieces add to the story of Jewish Passover unfolding at the feast. Tamara Baskin, a new artist to Jewish Gift Place, has also created some gorgeous Passover items that we have just added to the site. (We’ll tell you more about Tamara in an upcoming newsletter).

Take a moment to scan through our exquisite Passover collection and please use coupon code PASSOVER10 now through 3/19/10 to save with free shipping on any purchase. Take this opportunity to add to your collection or start a new one for a friend. What better way to carry on the beautiful traditions of Passover than by using and handing down meaningful, handmade holiday serving pieces that can grace the tables of your family for generations to come? Our Passover collection is the work of Jewish artisans who lovingly preserve the traditions of our faith in each of their beautiful pieces.