My favorite section at NYIGF - Handmade/Designer Maker

The New York International Gift Fair at the Jacob Javits Convention Center in NYC is AWESOME!  It is an incredible, unique opportunity to meet thousands of vendors.  Although I specifically look for handmade Judaica, there are millions of products in the following categories:

• General Gift
• Tabletop & Housewares
• Accent on Design
• Baby & Child
• Handmade Global Design
• At Home Featuring Home Textiles
• Personal Accessories
• Handmade Designer Maker

It's a miracle! No traffic!

I visited the NYIGF on Sunday, January 29, 2012, but first I have to brag about how fast I got to Manhattan.  I left my house at 10:15 am and walked into Javits at 11:05, which was just amazing!  I don’t think that has ever happened before or ever will again.

Although I love this show and will probably never miss it, the number of Judaica artists that come to this show is limited and it is a challenge to find new artists who make things that I love.  I am very appreciative that I get contacted by artists at least once a week, so hopefully I will always be finding new artists to add to the site.  At this show, I discovered three new artists, and I am very excited about showing you their pieces.

There are two different types of vendors that I buy from – one is the artist that primarily makes Judaica.  The other is the artist who makes beautiful jewelry, and in their entire collection, they have only a few pieces of Jewish jewelry. It’s not really easy to spot these artists because they might have 100+ pieces of jewelry on display, and maybe only a handful of Jewish pieces with a Star of David, a Chai, or a Hamsa on them.   When I’m walking up and down the aisles with limited time, there really isn’t time to study every single vendor’s line.  However, some artists have jewelry that is so striking and so beautiful, I stop to look anyway to gawk, and hope that there is something Jewish there.

Jewelry of Zina Kao

This is how I discovered Zina Kao.  The show was over at 6 pm and I was speeding up and down the ‘Personal Accessories’ section  at 5:45 with only minutes to go to discover someone new.  I stopped to look at her beautiful and simple jewelry.  I quickly scanned over everything in her booth in search of something Jewish, but couldn’t find anything.  So I asked her if she had anything Jewish and she said that she did have a small Star of David, but it was not on display.  She had other small symbols like a peace sign, a heart, a cross, a star, so I was able to imagine what a Star of David would look like.  I then proceeded to design 6 pieces of jewelry, based on her other designs, that would have the star on it.  I can’t wait to see these pieces!  One of the necklaces I got is that peace necklace but with a Star of David.

Island Cowgirl jewelry

Another artist I discovered is Island Cowgirl.  I really discovered her a few years ago, but at that time, she only made one necklace with a Star of David on it, and with minimum opening orders, I couldn’t commit to buying 10 of one piece.  So, I was very happy to visit her booth and discover that her Judaica line expanded to other pieces.  She makes very cool jewelry with a modern look on leather.  It is always a challenge finding nice Judaica for boys and men, and her pieces are great for both men and women.

The last artist I discovered is C.J. Arts, who makes the coolest Judaica out of Jerusalem stone.  I’ve wanted to buy from them before, but large pieces like a Passover Seder Plate, and a menorah, and even mezuzzahs, are very heavy and the shipping fee from Israel is prohibitive.  Now they have jewelry in their collection, and I bought 6 pieces that are really amazing (and much less expensive to ship).  They are made out of Jerusalem stone and come with a certificate of authenticity.  All of the pieces I bought have the Shema on them and are great for men and women.  I hope you love them, too!

Jewelry made from Jerusalem stone by C.J. Art

It was great catching up with the artists who are already represented at Jewish Gift Place.  I visited Emily Rosenfeld, who has a few really nice new mezuzahs, many new necklaces for men and women, and new word bracelets.  I saw Gary Rosenthal and his mom, Ann, who has great new mezuzahs and candlesticks and a new Passover Seder Plate.  Cynthia Gale was there with her daughter and Eduardo Milieris was there with his daughter.  Ilan Baskin and his dad were there and they have an incredibly beautiful new Seder Plate that I can’t wait to add to the collection.  Sara Beames has incredible pieces – I need to add more of them to the site.  Michael Bromberg has great new mezuzah pendants.  Michal Golan has many more hamsa necklaces and wall hamsas I need to add to the site.  Ayala Bar’s Spring 2012 collection is gorgeous and Seeka  has dozens of pieces that are strikingly beautiful that I need to add.  I said ‘hello’ to Whitney and Howard of Whitney Howard Designs, Patrick Meyer, and Steven Cooper.  He makes beautiful Hebrew name jewelry, so I want to get those online, as well.  So, there’s lots to do….

I’ll keep you posted when I get these new pieces online.

De-classified report documenting atrocities at Auschwitz

Incident #48
Informant remembers that in ‘Nov 43 there occurred the celebrated incident when a notorious S.S. SCHARTFUEHLER, SCHILLINGER, one of the worst murderers and henchmen in BIRKENHAU, was shot dead with his own revolver by a French Jewish actress who had already been stripped naked and was about to be gassed.  Incidentally, informant states that men in the KWARANTENENLAGER were able to witness the almost daily spectacle of open lorry loads of naked women who were being carried from the adjacent FRAUENLAGER for liquidation in the gas chambers.

In May 31, 1945, a 33 year-old Polish man told British intelligence about a  Jewish woman’s final act of resistance in the undressing room of crematorium II in Birkenau, the antechamber to the gas chamber.  In November 1943, the woman, stripped naked and about to be sent to the gas chambers, realized the danger she was in.  She seized the pistol of the SS soldier, Josef Schillinger, and shot him dead.  She shot another SS soldier, Wilhelm Emmerich.  The SS suppressed the mutiny and killed all the women.

The woman is believed to be a French actress named Franceska Mann, although this hasn’t been positively verified.  This brave act of resistance was discovered by The Archive Muckrakers,  who obtained a copy of a rarely viewed 10 page report, which was found in a U.S. Army intelligence file and was declassified in 2010.  There is a slightly more detailed description of this account at the Auschwitz-Birkenau website.

Yesterday , January 27, was Holocaust Remembrance Day.  It was on this day in 1945 that Auschwitz concentration camp was liberated by Soviet forces. My husband’s uncle, who died last year, was a Holocaust survivor.   The number 128103 was tattooed on his left arm by the Nazis.  He participated in the Warsaw Ghetto uprising and was imprisoned at three concentration camps – Madjanek, Auschwitz.  He was liberated from Buchenwald.

This April 19, 2012, when I light a candle for Yom Hashoah, I will also be thinking about Franceska Mann, a brave tragic actress, and the millions of innocent people lost and the millions of descendents who were never to be.

The NY International Gift Fair at the Jacob Javits Convention Center

It’s my favorite time of year!  The  New York International Gift Fair and the Philadelphia Buyer’s Market of American Craft back-to-back!  This Sunday, January 28, 2012, I will be making my bi-annual trip to the NYIGF at the humongous (but not big enough at 625,000 sf- they’re looking to expand) Jacob Javits Convention Center in Manhattan.

It was at this show, 5 years ago, that Jewish Gift Place really crystallized.  Prior to attending this show, I really didn’t have much of a clue how to connect with people who made and sold Judaica.  After many Google searches, I hooked up with one vendor who made jewelry and Judaica that I liked, but I found it really difficult to find products to sell that I loved.  I didn’t even know that gift fairs even existed for buyers only.  Somehow, I found out about the NY International Gift Fair.  Coincidentally, I discovered the NYIGF the week it was in town in January 2007.  It all seemed very rushed to me.  I found out about it, it was in town for another few days, then it wouldn’t be back again until August.  I didn’t think I was at the point in developing my website and business to run out and start buying products to sell, but my husband said, “GO!”  So I went.  And I was awed.

Besides never being in such a massive space as Jacob Javits before, and never being at a convention before, I had never seen so many high quality craftspeople in one space.  Prior to this trip, I had been to many arts & crafts fairs with maybe 50 vendors.  I’m just guessing, but I think there were over 800 handmade crafts vendors, and that’s not including all the other gift categories that were going on at the same time.  Maybe in total there are 3000+ vendors  – probably even more.

The first time there was overwhelming.  This show attracts buyers from all over the  world. People stay in hotels when they come here because it can take days to get through the show.  But with 3 little boys at home, I had to cover a lot of territory in one day.

After seeing hundreds of vendors (although there were probably less than 50 that sold Judaica), I finally made my first big bold decision and the very first vendor I bought from was Gary Rosenthal.  I picked out candlesticks and a menorah and a few mezuzahs.  I bought pieces from Michal Golan and Michael Bromberg.  I bought pieces from Cynthia Gale.  These artists formed the core of what Jewish Gift Place has come to represent – beautiful, unique, handmade Judaica.

I didn’t know that day that I was going to sell handmade pieces only.  I did buy some other pieces, like pot holders that look like matzah, and some other things like that.  I never tried to sell those pot holders because I quickly decided that I didn’t want to sell cheesy Judaica – just fine, handmade, quality Judaica.

So, there you have my sentimental journey back in time.  I haven’t missed a gift show since 2007. This will be my 11th trip there.  It’s awesome and I love this show!  This is where I get to say ‘hello’ to the artists again, and get a big nice greeting from Gary Rosenthal, Steven Bronstein of Blackthorne Forge, and Michael Golan (Michal’s husband), and Emily Rosenfeld, Joy Stember, Michael Bromberg, the glamorous Cynthia Gale, the one and only Eduardo Milieris, Patrick Meyer, Ilan Baskin, Susan Fullenbaum, Jan Lanier of Silk Bijoux, Beatriz Kelemen of K4 Glassart, and Sara Beames.  I get to check out the new pieces they’ve made and I get to discover new artists, which is always exciting.

At the last Javits show I was at in August 2011, I thought it would be fun to take a very short video of each artist saying, “Hello” so you could ‘meet’ them.  Check it out!  Also, don’t miss the interviews with the artists.

Check back next week and I’ll tell you about the show and the new pieces of Judaica that you can expect to see on the website in the next few months.  And then, before I know it, I’ll be off to the Philadelphia Buyer’s Market of American Craft on February 18, 2012.  What I especially love about that show is that, unlike NYIGF, EVERYTHING there is handmade.  That show is unbelievable!

The Dovekeepers

Through detailed description, Alice Hoffman wrote about the months and years of routine daily life at Masada – weaving, baking, making coins, planting, babies being born, and holidays being celebrated – which stood in stark contrast to the fear, desperation, and suffering of the people on Masada.

The only account of Masada was recorded by the early Roman-Jewish historian, Josephus.  After the fall of Jerusalem in the first century CE, 960 Jews fled to Masada, a mountain fortress built by King Herod between 37 and 31 BCE as a refuge for himself.  This magnificent fortress had storage rooms, cisterns, bathhouses, aqueducts, and spectacular mosaics lining the floors and walls of his palace.

For two years, the Jews held out on Masada.  In 73 CE, with Masada being the last Jewish stronghold, Roman governor Flavius Silva and thousands of Roman soldiers with the Tenth Legion, along with thousands of Jewish prisoners of war who were tortured and forced to bring destruction to their own people, formed a seige of Masada.  A wall was built around Masada, and then a ramp was built to reach the fortress.  A battering ram broke down the walls surrounding the fortress, but the Romans were met with a hollow victory.

On the day prior to the breach of the wall, the leader of the Jewish stronghold of Masada, Eleazar ben Ya’ir (the soulmate of Shirah in the novel), declared that his people would not be taken as slaves – beaten and killed by the Romans.  All personal belongings, food, treasures, and remains, were burnt to leave nothing behind. Ten of the Jewish warriors were chosen to end the lives of all on Masada in a mass suicide.  The ten warriors drew lots to choose who among them would kill the rest, with the last warrior killing himself.

According to Josephus, two women and five children survived, and it is they who told the story of Masada -  the story of the Jewish people who were determined to be free in their own land.

Below is an excerpt from Alice Hoffman’s novel, which brings history to life:

The second wall had been breached.  That rough edifice we had built until our hands were ravaged and bleeding, until there was no longer a single tree standing in the field, had cracked under their battering ram, the dirt spilling out, the pliant limbs of the almond trees splitting, turning to dust.  Our people had done all they could to fight the tide of what was to come, the soldiers that would climb through, the bloodshed and the torture and the murder on the day of our greatest feast.  Eleazar came into the plaza.  We were brought there by the sound of the ram’s horn, used to call us to prayer…

“We resolved not to follow the Romans and to follow God alone.  Now the time has come for us to prove our faith.  We cannot disgrace ourselves in the eyes of our Lord, or submit to slavery.  If we fall into Roman hands, it is the end of everything, not only our lives but the life of Zion.  We had the privilege to be the last stronghold, and as God has favored us so, let us return the favor and die nobly as free men…

By daybreak, our enemy will be upon us, and we can hold them back no longer, but we are free to choose to die with honor, in the arms of those we love.  We cannot defeat the Romans in battle here on this earth, but we can deny them a victory…

Let our story bear witness that we perished out of choice, a choice we made at the beginning, to choose death rather than slavery.”

You will be absolutely riveted by this book.  My trip to Israel this summer, with a day trip to Masada of course, will be even more powerful, after reading this book.  I was given The Dovekeepers by Lana right around the holidays.   I can’t remember the last time I read a novel.  It might be before Joshua was born.  That might have been the last time I thought I had time to read a book purely for pleasure.  Maybe I thought I didn’t have the time but somehow I found the time to finish this 500 page book in less than 2 weeks – when the boys were getting a haircut, waiting for a prescription to be filled, during Joshua’s Bar Mitzvah lessons on Tuesdays, waiting for a doctor, before bed, and lots of times and places that I didn’t think I had time.

Now I’m hooked on reading again.  I’m about 2/3 of the way through The Help by Kathryn Stockett, another amazing book that I’ll write about another time.

If you’ve read The Dovekeepers, let me know what you think.

Many years ago – okay, I am really dating myself here –  way, way back in the 70′s, there was a little TV show that was just starting out called Saturday Night Live.  Perhaps you’ve heard of it?  I’m talking about the original version with the original cast – specifically,  a show that aired in Season 2, in 1976.  I was a kindergartner about that time so I don’t think I watched this episode live, but I must have seen it later on a “Best of…” type show.   It’s about the holidays and it focuses on a character played by Dan Aykroyd, who is almost always hilarious.  With Hanukkah and Christmas fast approaching, I really wanted to share this with everyone, while introducing a really cool, really fun, awesome new gift we just got at Jewish Gift Place.  So hang in there with me and you’ll see where I’m going with this…

In this episode, Dan Aykroyd plays Irwin Mainway, the sleazy President of Mainway Toys, who is being interviewed by a reporter investigating the safety of Mr. Mainway’s so-called “harmless” toys.  His company is the maker of such wholesome playthings as  Pretty Peggy Ear-Piercing Set, Mr. Skin-Grafter, and Johnny Switchblade.  But the skit got laugh-out-loud funny when the reporter holds up a giant bag of bits and pieces of jagged glass.

Here is an excerpt from the actual skit:

Irwin Mainway: Yeah, right, it’s you know, it’s glass, it’s broken glass, you know? It sells very well, as a matter of fact, you know? It’s just broken glass, you know?

Consumer Reporter: [ laughs ] I don’t understand. I mean, children could seriously cut themselves on any one of these pieces!

Irwin Mainway: Yeah, well, look – you know, the average kid, he picks up, you know, broken glass anywhere, you know? The beach, the street, garbage cans, parking lots, all over the place in any big city. We’re just packaging what the kids want! I mean, it’s a creative toy, you know? If you hold this up, you know, you see colors, every color of the rainbow! I mean, it teaches him about light refraction, you know? Prisms, and that stuff! You know what I mean?

Consumer Reporter: So, you don’t feel that this product is dangerous?

Irwin Mainway: No! Look, we put a label on every bag that says, “Kid! Be careful – broken glass!” I mean, we sell a lot of products in the “Bag O’” line.. like Bag O’ Glass, Bag O’ Nails, Bag O’ Bugs, Bag O’ Vipers, Bag O’ Sulfuric Acid. They’re decent toys, you know what I mean?

The entire skit was just  two characters - it was one of the funniest I have ever seen and you can watch it here at SNL – Irwin Mainway.

My family still jokes around the holidays that if you’re not good, you’ll get a Bag O’ Glass!

So,  when is it okay to play with glass?  When its safely housed inside a kaleidoscope!  We carry some really unique kaleidoscopes that are amazing works of art and we have just added something new to this category - these awesome kaleidoscope necklaces by Healy Designs.  These genuine sterling silver necklaces are superior in their quality and attention to detail.

The pendant is a working kaleidoscope filled with little bits and pieces of beach glass, crystal gems, and dichroic glass, which has a shimmering quality to it.  When you spin the cylinder, tiny mesmorizing patterns and designs of rainbow colors are formed.  What makes the kaleidoscope even more unique is that the pendant is also a mezuzah - with a  Shema on parchment inside -  accented by a Star of David charm dangling on the outside.

I can think of so many occasions that these necklaces would be perfect for – a Bar or Bat Mitzvah, a special birthday, Hanukkah, Mother’s Day, any day you want to celebrate.  I love that the mezuzah kaleidoscope combines faith and fun and can make anyone feel like a kid again.

Deborah and Kevin Healy, the talented artists behind these enchanting pendants, say it best : “The swirling colors and patterns of kaleidoscopes have enabled us to add a new dimension to how our jewelry may be enjoyed.  As artists, we feel fortunate to participate in the revelatory and peaceful world of kaleidoscopes.”

Guaranteed to be so much more fun – and a whole lot safer – than the Bag O’ Glass!

What better way to celebrate the New Year than to introduce some new artists to Jewish Gift Place?  We have been working hard, adding so many new and  incredible pieces to the site, and we wanted to share the news with everyone.  Two of the newest design studios to join us happen to be husband and wife teams.

First, we are happy to introduce Curtis and Sheron Rowland of Ildanach Studios, who bring us their beautiful, therapeutic copper jewelry all the way from Colorado.  They have provided Jewish Gift Place with exclusive Star of David copper bangles, earrings, and necklaces.  Did I mention these pieces are exclusive to JGP?  Although all the jewelry is amazing in their organic and earthy appeal, I just cannot put down the smokey quartz necklace.  The way the grayish brown hues and copper play off each other is so beautiful, so calming, just such a presence.  I love, love, love gemstones and all kinds of rocks and minerals with their natural, intrinsic colors and hues.  This necklace delivers all that and more, including a Star of David copper pendant and a pure copper clasp.  This necklace is a terrific Hanukkah gift at an even more terrific price.  If you know someone who loves smokey quartz or is a rock hound like me, you will not disappoint them with this gift.  Learn more about the therapeutic benefits of Ildanach Studio’s copper and take a look at our exclusive line when you get a chance.  They get extra kudos because they are a green certified site and utilize recycled materials in all their pieces.

I mentioned that we had another dynamic husband and wife duo.  Meet Howard and Whitney Schwartz, proud parents of three, and owners of Whitney Howard Designs.  Out of their studio in California comes some fun and inspirational heartfelt pewter jewelry that would make great, affordable Hanukkah or anytime gifts.  Their jewelry is made from lead free, recycled pewter, so kudos to Whitney Howard, too!  Another really cool idea is to design and personalize these pieces to create your own custom jewelry for your Bat Mitzvah or Bar Mitzvah party favors.  Completely awesome, totally unique, and earth friendly, imagine giving out blessing ring or story necklaces to your friends and family that you have designed with your own personal stamp on them!  Just give us a call or an email and we will be happy to discuss how we can help make your Bar or Bat Mitzvah an occasion to remember.

The New Year has just begun and already it is sweet for us at Jewish Gift Place and we hope so for you, too!  Please keep checking back as we will be adding even more handmade gifts over the next few weeks in eager anticipation of Hanukkah.  It’s just around the corner…

Michal Golan Evil Eye Ring

Can you tell that we are excited?  Who would have ever thought someone would be so happy to get the evil eye!  Well, when the evil eye comes in the form of absolutely stunning jewelry from the super talented artist Michal Golan, I gladly welcome it.

If you own the bracelet and/or the necklace, you absolutely must check out these incredible, adjustable rings.  Available in twelve designs, these evil eye rings are substantial in size and the band itself is a work of art in its own right.  If you don’t own any of these Michal Golan pieces, now is the time to get one, two, three, or more!

Evil eye jewelry has always been popular, but right now, it is HOT!  Due to the overwhelming popularity of the gold evil eye necklace as seen on Melissa Gorga of the Real Housewives of New Jersey, we decided to bring you these rings, to either complete your set, or maybe start your collection.  We have some great info on the history of the evil eye and evil eye jewelry if you are curious about what all the buzz is about.

I know I might sound crazy but feel free to give me the evil eye – um…the ring, that is!

The skill, the workmanship, and the overall effect that Charlie creates is amazing!  When I first saw these pieces, it was hard for me to believe that the mezuzahs were actually different types of wood and were not hand painted!  But it’s true.  Mezuzahs are solid wood with so much intricate detail that the animals on Noah’s Ark seem to come to life and nighttime in Jerusalem actually features a darkened sky lit up with tiny silver stars.  These effects are accomplished through the use of carefully selected and hand cut inlay woods such as black ziricote, red tulipwood, white olive, purple kingwood, deep red cocobolo, and cordia.

The large and small hinged boxes are made from American walnut and the interiors are lined with black felt, to protect cherished valuables.  They are handsome and symbolic, featuring the Star of David accented with beautiful turquoise inlay, a semi-precious stone long associated with the Southwest.  I have always been a big fan of bringing nature indoors whenever possible.  It seems to me that it’s good for the soul.  That must be why people keep houseplants and tiny bonsai trees.  Unfortunately for me, I tend to kill any plant life that comes into contact with me.  That’s why I love the idea of objects made from or inspired by nature, like these beautiful gifts from Sky West.

My daughter has always been fascinated with making things and she was so inspired by these incredible works of art that she decided to join the woodworking club at school!  She even has a favorite wood – walnut.  All of Sky West’s pieces are made from domestic and exotic woods. They are proud to support the National Arbor Foundation, an organization that helps protect the world’s forests.  All of their gifts are shipped with information cards with descriptions and care instructions, so these remarkable pieces will be sure to give you many years of joy – no green thumb required!

Shana Tova from Esther in Jerusalem

Hi! I hope you are having a fabulous day wherever you are!

The Chagim are here! No matter that they are “late” this year- my lists are not finished, my shopping not done and I have not started cooking! Yehiye Tov. It is going to be awesome!  It feels like this whole week is Erev Chag here in Israel! Craziness. I think the entire country is basically obsessed with cleaning, menus and food shopping right now. There are ridiculous lines at every supermarket, awesome pre Chag sales on house wares and clothing, flowers galore, Chag sale ads on the sides of buses, Shana Tova text messages appearing on my cell phone and in my inbox all day, packages of chocolate, baskets of apples and honey and flowers being delivered to our office, and on and on… Everyone seems to be cleaning, shopping, cooking and buying Shana Tova gifts for one another. I love it! I just read that Israelis will consume 1,500 tons of honey this month, valued at NIS 60 million. An average Israeli will eat 300 grams of honey. Yikes!

I am once again reminded of the many brachot in my life, the joy of welcoming people into my home (I wish you could join me at my table though this year you may have to sit on the mirpeset as there may not be room inside!) the power of recognizing and blessing the good in ourselves and in others, the very sweet joy of celebrating, the feeling of fulfillment, awe and occasional “wow” during tefillah, and the painful and powerful beauty of forgiveness and compassion.

Wishing you a wonderful and fulfilling month of Chagim! I hope they are filled with joy, health, yummy food, song, loved ones and laughter!

Shana Tova U’Metuka,

Love, Esther

The poem below was also sent by Esther:

I found this Yehuda Amichai poem that touched me that I wanted to share with you. I so wish I could have a conversation with him.

The Real Hero

The real hero of the Isaac story was the ram,
who didn’t know about the conspiracy between the others.
As if he had volunteered to die instead of Isaac.
I want to sing a song in his memory–
about his curly wool and his human eyes,
and how they made those horns into shofars when he was slaughtered
to sound their battle cries
or to blare out their obscene joy.

I want to remember the last frame
like a photo in an elegant fashion magazine:
the young man tanned and manicured in his jazzy suit
and beside him the angel, dressed for a party
in a long silk gown,
both of them empty-eyed, looking
at two empty places,

And behind them, like a colored backdrop, the ram,
caught in the thicket before the slaughter.
The thicket was his last friend.

The angel went home.
Isaac went home.
Abraham and God had gone long before.

But the real hero of the Isaac story
was the ram.

–Yehuda Amichai, “The Real Hero”

The Selected Poetry of Yehuda Amichai, trans. Chana Bloch & Stephen
Mitchell

(Berkeley: Univ. California Press, 1996)

Inspired by the world around him, Cooper’s designs come to life with a minimalist style that also shines of whimsy. Cooper lives in New York’s Hudson Valley in a 200 year old renovated barn that serves as his home/studio/museum. There he labors over images of nature – trees, rocks, flowers, water – all find their way into creations of delicate jewelry, fantastical sculptures and beautiful interpretations of iconic Judaica.

As a graduate of Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) and its school for American Craftsman as well as the Fashion Institute of Technology, Cooper has studied with and trained with some of the best in the fields of metalsmith and jewelry design including designers from Harry Winston and Tiffany’s. All his creations flow from a single guiding principle. “Never add anything that doesn’t belong.” These words were imparted to him by his RIT teacher, the renowned silversmith, Hans Christiansen who instilled in him an eye for “clean design”. Thirty years later, the ideal still shapes and influences his work today.

VIEW THE STEVE COOPER COLLECTION

In this wonderful collection of nature inspired designs, there is plenty to see and admire. I was smitten with the Steve Cooper Pink Pearl Sterling Silver Flower Earrings. I love the pink pearls at the center of each flower. The look is so charming and stylish – perfect to wear for both day and night!

There is also a stunning array of Judaica to be found. Are you looking for a special broken  wedding glass mezuzah? Then you are in luck, Cooper’s designs are exquisite! Choose from lovely floral blossoms, gentle swaying reeds or Jewish Stars to adorn your wedding keepsake. They are available with glass in blue, green or pink.

Cooper’s menorah designs are equally superb. He captures all the elements of nature at their best. Serene bounties of leaves and flowers stand tall in lush displays like the Steve Cooper Copper and Wood Arch Menorah which boasts a cocobolo base, a beautiful tropical hardwood from Central America or the Steve Cooper Copper Flower Menorah styled simply on a fine black galaxy granite
base.

Whether big or small, each item in the Steven Cooper Collection is beautifully handcrafted to be a treasure, a unique work of art for you.