Best Hamentashen Recipe in New York!

Growing up in New York, I have high standards for Jewish hamentashen! For those of you who are unfamiliar with these delicious cookies, a hamentashen (also spelled hamentaschen and hamantaschan) is a traditional triangular cookie with fillings such as apricot, raspberry, prune, chocolate, etc. Popular during Purim, the perfect hamentashen has just the right dough consistency and just the perfect amount of filling.

Growing up on the Lower East Side as a teenager, I worked at Moishe’s Bakery on Second Avenue in New York City.  Those of you who know the area, know that Moishe’s makes some killer hamentashen! Unfortunately, I haven’t had one in a while. That’s why, when I saw our Facebook friend, Shana Gluck, had posted a picture of her beautiful homemade hamentashen, I had to ask her to write about them! Shana made her hamentashen with her adorable children (pictured below) as a way of passing on the importance of Jewish traditions and making special memories with them that will last a lifetime! Thank you, Shana, for taking the time to share this with us at Jewish Gift Place!

Shana’s Mom’s Purim Hamentashen

As a young girl Purim for me would mean one of a the few times that my mom would let us kids in the kitchen. She loves to cook but didn’t love us kids meddling around in her kitchen. It was a huge treat for us that she “let” us rule the kitchen to bake hamantashen for Purim. Baking with my children brings back those wonderful memories that I have as a child with my amazing #1 Mom. May she live and be well.

Here is a fabulous recipe from my Mom

2/3 C. Margarine
1/2 C. Sugar
1 egg
3 T. Water
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 C. Flour
Choice of filling:
Prune
Apricot jam
Raspberry or strawberry jam, chocolate spread or chips–my favorite!

Blend margarine and sugar. Add the rest of ingredients and mix to make a nice dough. Chill in refrigerator for 2 hours. Preheat oven to 350′. Roll out dough to 1/8′ thick take a glass to cut circles in the dough. Put whatever filling you would like in the center. Pinch the corners to form a triangle. Put on parchment lined paper. Bake for 20 minutes. Enjoy them fresh out of the oven ! Keep fresh in air tight container!!

Passover Recipes: Vegetarians, Vegan, Celiac, Dairy-Free and More!

It seems like not a day goes by that I don’t hear about someone who is dealing with a newly diagnosed food allergy, food intolerance, or auto-immune reaction to food. With this in mind, and with Passover only a little over a month away, I thought it would be a great time to do a little research on vegan Passover recipes, gluten-free Passover recipes, vegetarian Passover recipes, and dairy-free Passover recipes. So often, we have dinner guests who are dealing with food intolerances, or, we are invited to the home of someone who has a food allergy or whose guests may suffer from an auto-immune food reaction. I thought, with a little planning, anyone can make a thoughtful contribution to the Passover Seder.

Gluten-Free Passover Recipes For Celiacs: A Cause For Celebration!

My niece, Rachel, has celiac disease, which is an intolerance to anything containing glutens, a protein found in barley, oats, wheat or rye. (You can read about her Bat Mitzvah on the blog ~ remember her gorgeous gluten-free cake?) Because the basic rule for Passover is no leavened foods, the holiday is actually fantastic for those with celiac disease. Many, though not all, Passover foods are gluten free, with potato flour and nut flours used in place of the usual wheat flours. At Passover, supermarkets and bakeries have a much wider selection of celiac friendly foods than usual. This can be a good time to stock up on gluten- free cakes and mixes, cookies, macaroons, “bread” crumbs, and supplies like potato starch. Look for food labels indicating “Kosher For Passover”, “non-gebrok” (or “non-gebroktz” or “non-grebrochts”) — this means that the foods do not contain grains and, therefore, have no gluten containing ingredients.

My sister, Sandy, (Rachel’s mom), was kind of enough to refer me to this recipe on the Living Without magazine website. She has made these gluten free (and dairy free!) mock matzos and she tells me they are definitely worth a try! (With this and all recipes mentioned in this blog post, make sure your ingredients are Kosher!)

Gluten Free Mock Matzos

⅔ cup potato starch
⅔ cup almond meal or brown rice flour
2 tablespoons flaxseed meal
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup butter, margarine or vegetable
shortening*
6 tablespoons warm water

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
2. Combine the dry ingredients. Cut in shortening until mixture resembles coarse meal.
3. Add water, a little bit at a time, combining until dough forms a ball. (Add additional 1 to 2 tablespoons water if using brown rice flour.) Knead well. If dough is sticky, sprinkle with a little more potato starch while kneading.
4. Break off small pieces and place on a sheet of lightly oiled plastic wrap or parchment paper. Press with your fingers or roll until flat and thin. Prick rows of holes in each matzo with a fork.
5. Place matzo on prepared cookie sheet and bake in preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes or until edges begin to brown. Thinner matzo can over-bake quickly so keep an eye on it.

Vegetarian Passover Recipes ~ Is Your Passover A Festival of Meats?

With all the restrictions around Passover regarding eating any bread, cake, muffins, etc., many people turn Passover into a festival of meats and this can be a little tricky for those who are entertaining a vegetarian – someone who does not consume animal flesh. There are so many wonderful vegetarian entrees that would be great for Passover – ones that focus on eggplant or squash come to mind. The recipe I would like to share is one that is inspired by my personal favorite chef, Nigella Lawson, and happens to be gluten-free as well!  The recipe is called Eggplant Involtini with Feta. Translated from Italian, the word ‘involtini’ means “wrapped around something else” and this dish wraps eggplant around a delicious cheese filling. It is great as a Passover leftover the next day too!

Eggplant Involtini with Feta

2-3 large eggplants, cut lengthwise in thin slices
3 cups (about 1 jar) tomato sauce
2 cups crumbled feta cheese plus extra for topping
1 cup grated parmesan plus extra for topping
1/2 cup walnuts, finely chopped
1/2 cup raisins, soaked in hot water for 10 minutes (optional)
1/2 cup black or kalamata olives, sliced
4 tbsp olive oil
1 garlic clove, crushed or finely chopped
zest from 1 lemon
a good pinch of dried mint
2 Tbsp parsley
1 egg

Brush the eggplant slices on both sides with olive oil and grill or roast them in a 400-degree oven until soft, about 10 minutes per side.

Mix all filling ingredients in a large bowl and stir to combine. Put about a tablespoon of filling on each eggplant slice and roll it up firmly. Use a toothpick to hold in place, or just ensure that the edge is tucked underneath the roll to prevent it from coming undone.

Layer the slices in a 9×13 dish, and cover with tomato sauce. Top with any remaining filling, or extra cheese if you have. Bake at 375 degrees for 25-30 minutes. The involtini should be served warm.

Dairy-Free Passover Recipes

My niece, Amy, just had her first baby, Avery, and Amy has adopted a dairy-free diet due to Avery’s issues with dairy being passed through the breast-milk.

Amy’s friend told her about this delicious dairy-free (and gluten-free!) recipe for a  flourless chocolate cake she traditionally serves at Passover. Amy decided to try it out and posted about it on her blog, On Three. Take a look, it’s a beautiful presentation! Thanks Amy!

Flourless Chocolate Cake

1 stick Earth Balance butter replacer (100% vegan, gluten free and certified Kosher)
6 oz unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped (Kosher)
3 oz semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped (Kosher)
1/4 cup water
1 cup egg whites (appx 5-7 eggs) and their yolks
1 1/4 cups sugar, divided

Bake cake for 1 hour at 350 degrees in a 9 inch springform, using a bain marie with water about halfway up (this basically means that you put your cake pan in a larger baking pan – like the kind you’d use to roast a turkey – filled with hot water. It’s supposed to distribute the heat better during baking).

Method:
1) Spray your pan and dust it with cocoa and preheat the oven to 350.

2) Pour water and 1 cup of sugar in heavy saucepan, bring to a boil. If you have a candy thermometer, it should get to about 220 degrees. If not, just let it boil and give it a mix until it’s pretty clear.

3) Remove pan from heat and stir in chocolate. When it is combined, start to add butter, 1 tbsp at a time, stir until combined.  Set aside.

4) Beat egg whites, then add their yolks and 1/4 cup of sugar, beat on high until tripled in volume.

5) Turn to low and continue to beat. Add chocolate mixture (which will be a little cool by now). Don’t overbeat.

6) Pour into springform pan, place into larger baking pan, surrounded halfway up with boiling water. Bake for one hour at 350. Top of cake should be firm to back of spoon, toothpick should come out clean. Cool completely on a rack.

7) Coat cake top with chocolate ganache (see recipe below) or dust top with powdered sugar, decorate with raspberries or any fruit you choose!

Chocolate Ganache Icing:

4 oz semisweet chocolate (Kosher)
3 tbsp Earth Balance butter replacer
1 tbsp milk (I used soymilk)
1 tbsp honey
1/4 tsp vanilla extract

Method:
Melt chocolate and butter in a medium saucepan over medium low heat, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat and add milk, honey, and vanilla. Set aside to cool slightly.

When cake has cooled, pour glaze into center. Using a spatula, gently smooth the glaze along the top and sides of the cake. Chill cake, uncovered, for 30 to 60 minutes before serving to set the glaze and make cake easier to slice.

Vegan Passover Recipes ~ Vegetarian Plus A Whole Lot Less!

Vegan foods are those that do not contain animal products. While vegetarians choose not to eat flesh foods, vegans also avoid dairy and eggs. So basically, vegans are vegetarians who take it to a whole other level!

On Passover, there are certain requisite dishes that might leave a vegan feeling left out. One of these is definitely matzo ball soup! After a lot of research, I found a recipe for vegan matzo ball soup that is highly praised online and, they say, comes closest to tasting like real matzo ball soup! Here is the recipe reprinted exactly from the site:

Vegan Matzo Ball Soup

Start with a box of Streits’ or Manischewitz matzo ball mix. For eggs – use egg replacer powder. The matzo ball box comes with two envelopes. For each envelope they ask for 2 eggs however this needs to be tripled….the equivalent egg replacer for 6 eggs per individual package. Whisk the mixture. Add the oil as directed. (do not increase amt. ) Whisk again. Then add the contents of one envelope of matzo ball mix. If the batter seems to be a bit loose, add 1-2 tablespoons of matzo meal. Combine well. Leave the bowl in the fridge for about 15 minutes. Remove – roll into 12-15 balls. Reduce your large pot of boiling water to a simmer. Gently place balls in water and cover tightly. (there must be no rolling boil). Remove with a slotted spoon and let cool. Refrigerate. Reheat in the soup.

The author recommends using vegan chicken soup powder that can be found at Whole Foods or similar stores.

So Much To Know About Passover For Those With Dietary Restrictions!

Of course this little blog post is not comprehensive since many people who are making a Passover Seder are also dealing with other restrictions, such as wheat, lactose, caseine, corn, soy, nuts ~ the list goes on! We can all learn so much by speaking to our doctors or a nutritionist, doing some online research, and, most importantly, by reading food labels! Learn what it means to be Kosher for Passover and how many of these foods may fall in line with a dietary restriction you are dealing with. I suggest a visit to OurKosher.org. It is an amazing resource of information on the meaning of the Kosher certification, as well as its distinction from those foods that are certified as Kosher for Passover. For example, did you know that as an added bonus for people with multiple restrictions, most Kosher for Passover products contain no corn or soy products either? Great to know!

This Passover, you can be prepared in case you are entertaining a loved one who has a restricted diet. Try one or two of these delicious Passover recipes and, just to make it extra special, set a beautiful table or bring a lovely hostess gift! Perhaps you can showcase your traditional Passover foods on a gorgeous Tamara Baskin Seder Plate. Or, fill these gorgeous goblets, the Emily Rosenfeld Miriam’s Cup and the Gary Rosenthal Elijah’s Cup with water and wine. Are you a guest at a special Passover Seder and want to bring a thoughtful meal for the host? There is no doubt that they will appreciate your research and efforts. Pairing it with a lovely bottle of wine and maybe a handmade Jewish wine bottle stopper will make it extra special.

Happy Passover and Bon Appetit!

Our Favorite Valentine’s Day Gifts!

“Judaism loves love” ~ Rabbi Locketz

Every year at Jewish Gift Place, we wonder if it’s appropriate or not to celebrate Valentine’s Day, since the tradition dates back to the Pagan Roman Empire. But, like years past, we believe that through heart shaped candy and red roses, this tradition has all but lost its pagan roots. With the help of Hallmark, Valentine’s Day has become a secular holiday that recognizes, celebrates, and brings joy to those people that we love.

I recently followed a link on Twitter and read a blog post by Rabbi Locketz of the Bet Shalom Congregation entitled, “Valentine’s Day?” This interesting blog post gives a brief history of Valentine’s Day and the Rabbi’s feelings about celebrating it.

I loved the Rabbi’s conclusion: “Judaism loves love….I have become a realist. I have come to the personal determination that like Halloween, there is very little connecting the modern observance of Valentine’s Day to either its pagan origin or to the martyrdom of St. Valentine. So I suggest we observe both the Hallmark celebration of February 14 and our very own Jewish Tu B’Av when it comes around next July 25th. And make every effort on everyday in-between to express your love to everyone in your life”.

We hope you enjoy our selection of heart/love/Judaica themed pieces that we have selected below and on the right.

JEWISH VALENTINE’S DAY GIFTS WE LOVE!

Cynthia Gale Envelope Necklace (See image above) $145

The cool thing about this piece is that you can write a special message and we’ll print it and put it in the envelope – ready to deliver to your mom, dear friend, wife, girlfriend, aunt, grandmother, teacher, or anyone special in your life.

Below are more favorite items that we love. We hope these items below will catch your eye and immediately bring to mind a loved one you’d like to express your love for.

Michal Golan Hamsa Bracelets $35

Emily Rosenfeld Hebrew/English Love Bracelet $35

Tamara Baskin Heart Dreidel $50

Cynthia Gale Sterling Silver Chai Necklace and

Cynthia Gale Sterling Silver Star of David Necklace $75

Hanukkah Gift Idea: Eduardo Milieris’ Magnificent Hebrew Watches!

Inspirational Hanukkah Gifts! Emily Rosenfeld’s Word Bracelets

We LOVE Emily Rosenfeld! She is absolutely the sweetest, soft-spoken lady! When I first started Jewish Gift Place over three years ago, I met the artists at the New York International Gift Fair. I loved her collection right away, but I couldn’t buy from all of the artists that I wanted to at once, so it took a few visits to the show before I finally added Emily Rosenfeld’s collection. Within days of adding her mezuzahs to the website, they started selling! I knew I had a good feeling about Emily! Then I quickly added more items from her collection. One of the most popular items from her collection are her Inspirational Word Jewelry Bracelets. At $35 each, these bracelets make the perfect Hanukkah gift. Two years ago, Lana wrote about these bracelets, which is re-printed below. It’s filled with lots of great Hanukkah gift ideas. To learn more about Emily, don’t miss our Interview with Emily Rosenfeld.

MICHAL GOLAN EVIL EYE BRACELETS

What a response we got from our last newsletter about Michal Golan’s Hamsa Bracelets! They were very, very popular! So, we decided to add her Evil Eye Bracelets to the collection right away because they are AWESOME,as well! Check them out (4 are shown below but there are 8 designs in the collection).

And in case you missed the newsletter last week about the hamsa bracelets, here are a few of them (there are 19 in the collection). You will LOVE them!

LANA LOVES EMILY’S INSPIRATIONAL WORD BRACELETS!

excerpted from Lana’s blog post from 2008)

These little bracelets make the best Hanukkah gifts, Christmas gifts and Kwanzaa gifts! I have compiled some of my favorites below – sort of a one stop shopping spreadsheet to make your Hanukkah a little brighter!

Gifts for Parents: “Love” Our parents do so much for us throughout the year, show them how much you love them.
Gifts for Her: “Shine” If she brightens up your world everyday with an open heart, this shine bracelet would be fitting!
Friends Gift Ideas: “Peace” Your friends are there for you through thick and thin, show them how they bring peace into your life!
Gifts for Kids: “Love” Kids are the very meaning of love and what girl doesn’t love pink!
Gifts for Sister: “Trust” We always trust our sister to be therefor us in life, show her how much with this unique gift idea!
Gifts for Teacher: “Imagine” Teachers teach our kids how to imagine all their potential.
Gifts for Babysitter: “Joy” For every time your caretaker made your little one smile, this joy bracelet can be given with love!
Gift for Girlfriend: “Dreams” Your girlfriend shares your dreams for the future, why not show her how much?
GrabBag Gifts and Secret Santa Gifts: “Believe” The ever popular grab bag gift — well priced and appropriate for the season!
Holiday Gift for Boss: “Balance” For that workaholic boss that needs a loving reminder to keep balance in their life!
Holiday Gift for Employees: “Be” Your employees work so hard for you throughout the year. Show them you don’t know where you would‘be’ without them!
Gifts for Hair Dresser: “Breathe” The holidays are the most hectic time of year for hair dressers and manicurists. This would be the perfect gift to remind them to ‘breathe’ and just take a moment to enjoy the season.

FREE GARY ROSENTHAL GLASS MATCHBOOK WITH $125 PURCHASE

Don’t forget – we’re giving away a GaryRosenthal Fused Glass Matchbook to light the Hanukkah menorah with every purchase over $125 through December 1st, 2010!

HOT HANUKKAH LINKS TO KNOW ABOUT – GIFT IDEAS AND ARTICLES

• Hanukkah gifts – All the categories
• Women
• Men
• Kids
• Tweens
• Grandparents
• Newlyweds
• Hanukkah FAQ’s
• The History of Hanukkah
• What is Hanukkah?

Hanukkah is 19 days away! Now it’s time to really start thinking about your Hanukkah shopping. I have three boys (Ben, 6, Daniel, 9, Joshua, 11) and I still give them a small gift every night (with a big one tossed in there), so I’d really better start shopping!

Hot Hanukkah Gift: Michal Golan’s Hamsa Bracelets

With Hanukkah on December 1 this year, it seems hard to believe that Hanukkah is less than 4 weeks away! (Thank goodness it will start later next year on Dec. 20, 2011, then Dec. 8, 2012, Nov. 27, 2013 – gee – that’s a little too early.) It looks like, this year, we won’t have the luxury of Black Friday or Thanksgiving weekend to kick start our holiday shopping! If you are someone who prizes handmade Jewish gifts, keep in mind that the artists require extra time to create the heartfelt gifts you love to give at Hanukkah.

With this in mind, we’d love to tell you about the gift we’ve selected as our signature gift of Hanukkah 2010 — hopefully it will become yours too! Michal Golan has unveiled these gorgeous hamsa bracelets, well priced at $35 dollars and incredibly gorgeous! Perfect for a babysitter, teacher, sister, friend, or anyone who is a treasure to you!

$5 OFF COUPON! FOLLOW US ON TWITTER OR FACEBOOK

We’re trying to be social here and now posting regularly on Twitter and Facebook. We’re posting updates on new artists who’ve joined our collection, or existing artists with awesome new Judaica. We’re posting about new articles we’ve written, and articles from other places that we find interesting. We’d love for you to follow us (on Twitter) and like us (on Facebook)! We’ll give you a $5 coupon just to follow us or like us. If you’re already following us, let us know and we’ll send you the coupon. Send an email to risa @ jewishgiftplace.com to let us know.

FREE GARY ROSENTHAL GLASS MATCHBOOK WITH $125 PURCHASE

Don’t forget – we’re giving away a Gary Rosenthal Fused Glass Matchbook to light the Hanukkah menorah with every purchase over $125 through December 1st, 2010!

HOT HANUKKAH LINKS TO KNOW ABOUT – GIFT IDEAS AND ARTICLES

• Hanukkah gifts – All the categories
• Women
• Men
• Kids
• Tweens
• Grandparents
• Newlyweds
• Hanukkah FAQ’s
• The History of Hanukkah
• What is Hanukkah?

ALL THINGS HAMSA

We love hamsas – so check out all we have to offer!

• Hamsa Bracelets
• Hamsa Earrings
• Hamsa Necklaces
• Hamsa Keychains
• Wall Hamsas
• Hamsa Hand Symbology – What is the Hamsa Hand? – an article

Our Favorite Menorahs of 2010

This year, the first night of Hanukkah is just 5 WEEKS AWAY ON DECEMBER 1!! I can hardly believe it’s almost here - especially since it’s 70 degrees here in New York today, and it still seems like summer. It also seems like last week that Lana, Lisa, and I met at Panera Bread the week our kids went back to school and talked about Hanukkah, which was still 11 weeks away. For our first Hanukkah-themed newsletter, we have compiled our favorite menorahs of 2010 (although we really love all of our menorahs!). Remember, if you love any of our pieces, you will need to place your order as soon as possible. The menorahs take time to make, since all of our Judaica is handmade. You can see all of our handmade menorahs here and our favorites of 2010 here. As an added bonus, we are giving away a beautiful fused glass Gary Rosenthal matchbook with every order over $125 (a $20 value) through December 1st, 2010! (see photo at bottom.) 12 Favorite Menorahs of 2010 Infinity Tree of Life Jewish Menorah $190 Tamara Baskin Parting Of The Sea Menorah $145 Check out this awesome menorah that EVERYONE will LOVE designing! Naturally Wood Creations Multi-Design Menorah $95 – $130 Will Schueler’s Arched Wood Menorah and Will Schueler’s Triangle Wood Menorah $540 Sara Beames Elegant Frosted Wave Glass Menorah $165 Emily Rosenfeld Tree of Life Spalted Maple and Pewter Menorah $195 Sara Beames Celestial Blue Glass Menorah $175 Gary Rosenthal Tree of Life Jewish Menorah $75 Blackthorne Forge Classic Menorah with Elegant Curves $200 Shraga Landesman Kingfisher Menorah $100 Gary Rosenthal Scales of Justice Menorah $150 We’ve also gathered our favorite Hanukkah gifts for everyone on your list. You can shop by price range or look for gifts for women, men, kids, tweens, grandparents, and newlyweds. Don’t miss our articles on Hanukkah including: Hanukkah FAQ’s - This article gives a brief history of Hanukkah and answers the questions: Why are there so many different ways to spell Hanukkah? What is the difference between a menorah and a hanukkiah? Why does Hanukkah start on a different day every year? What is a dreidel and how do you play the dreidel game? What is Hanukkah gelt? and What are traditional Hanukkah foods with a recipe for potato latkes and chocolate gelt. The History of Hanukkah – An in-depth article on Hanukkah including the rule of Alexander the Great, the reign of Antiochus III, the allure of Greek culture, Antiochus IV Epiphanes outlaws Judaism, Hannah and her seven sons, the Maccabeean revolt, Mattathias and his army of Jews, the origin of “Maccabee,” the Miracle of Light and the celebration of Hanukkah, photographs of 30 menorahs from around the world. What is Hanukkah? – Learn how to light the menorah, the Hanukkah blessings, and the words to Ma’oz Tzur. Don’t forget – we’re giving away a Gary Rosenthal Fused Glass Matchbook to light the Hanukkah menorah with every purchase over $125 through December 1st, 2010. We have lots more to tell you about,like Michal Golan’s INCREDIBLY AWESOME hamsa bracelets priced at $35, but we’ll tell you more about that in our next blog post.

Looking for the Best Jewish Father’s Day Gifts?

This year Father’s Day is Sunday, June 20, 2010. If you’ve begun your search for the best Father’s Day gifts, then a list of our top seven Jewish Father’s Day gifts will surely help!

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.

Bat Mitzvah Celebration!

A couple of years ago, I wrote a blog post about my niece, Becky’s, Bat Mitzvah celebration for which my family traveled across the country from New York to Seattle to attend. Well time flies! This month we returned to celebrate my niece Rachel’s Bat Mitzvah and it was another wonderful event.

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!

We Have a Winner of our Mother’s Day Contest!

Congratulations to Sara Bernstein who won our Mother’s Day Contest!

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.