The FOG Blog

Some Photos of Gary

2011-12-19T14:03:00.001-05:00

Remember the Maryland Life article? Cory Donovan, who took the photographs for the article, has some more photos from the shoot up on his blog. Check them out to see some great pictures of Gary!

The Jackson Sun: Dreidel: This Toy Stands the Test of Time

2011-12-12T10:42:00.001-05:00

The Jackson Sun has a great article about the history of the Dreidel and mentions Gary's work specifically.

David Cohen shares his collection of dreidels in preparation for Hanukkah. / AARON HARDIN/The Jackson Sun

Dreidels, like menorahs, can be considered works of art. Collectors can find dreidels made to look like carousels, ballerinas, musical instruments and other items. Children can get dreidels to match their interests or hobbies.

"I have a Gary Rosenthal dreidel," Cohen said. "Rosenthal is a highly recognized artist who works in metals. I have one of his dreidels. It's not meant to be used, but enjoyed as a work of art."

Mezuzahs, Mitzvahs & Magic (December KOL Temple B'nai Shalom)

2011-12-07T10:23:00.001-05:00

Just came across this wonderful writeup about one of Gary's Hiddur Mitzvah Projects. I don't think we've ever had a negative response to the program, but it's great to see an especially positive reaction like this. The program really is great and we are glad to be able to offer it to people like these post-confirmation students.

Mon, December 5, 2011
Sometimes a project or a class goes just perfectly, it is everything you hoped and planned it would be, and it feels almost magical. And so it was at Post-Confirmation on November 20. Every year we receive a grant from the Jewish Federation of Greater Washington, and over the years we have used it for incredible projects and improvements to our Religious School, including our Jewish movie library, our Confirmation/Post-Confirmation trip to New York, and our curriculum writing project. As we applied for the grant for this year, I knew I wanted to do a project with Jewish artist Gary Rosenthal, and so we decided to bring him in to speak with our Post-Confirmation students and to work with them to make mezuzot for their dorm rooms as they go off to college.
The class was amazing! I am often weary of meeting authors or musicians or artists whose work I really enjoy for fear they will not be who I hoped they would be, and then I am not able to enjoy their work as much. I have always loved Gary Rosenthal’s work and I can tell you he is who I hoped he would be and more! He is a true mensch! He spoke to our students about why he chose to be an artist and how he became a Jewish artist. He told them how he uses his art to enable him to do mitzvot and live his Jewish values. And he encouraged them to find their passion and use it to leave the world better than they found it.
After speaking to our students, Gary helped them to create a glass mosaic which will be placed into a metal mezuzah casing that he made. I was so impressed by the effort and care all our students put into their pieces. They were all as unique and beautiful as the people who made them. In addition we were able to make a few extra mezuzot to auction off at our next temple fundraiser, and Gary has also agreed to donate a piece for the auction as well!
Sometimes a project or a class goes just perfectly, it is everything you hoped and planned it would be, and it feels almost magical. And so it was at Post-Confirmation on November 20. Here’s to many more magical moments!

B’Shalom,
Rabbi Nyer

Magical Menorahs - Maryland Life Magazine Article

2011-12-01T10:40:00.001-05:00

Maryland Life Magazine has a wonderful article about Gary and the studio in their most recent issue:

The menorahs in Gary Rosenthal’s Judaica-filled studio are a feast for the eyes. Intricate curls of copper and brass twist like branches around triangles of mosaic glass. The metal sprouts into flowers, leaves, and even a treble clef as it winds its way up the candelabrum. On one piece, two copper snakes wrap their way up the base, forming a caduceus.

These aren't your bubbe’s menorahs.
“When I started 35 years ago, there was just no such thing as contemporary Jewish art,” Rosenthal explains while leading me on a tour of his Kensington studio. “So I told myself, ‘I'll create Jewish art, but also a true piece of art.’”

Today, the effort, which Rosenthal summarizes as “contemporary style rooted in tradition,” has bloomed into a thriving business. Located in the Howard Avenue Antiques District, his studio is a two-floor operation where a dozen or so artisans buzz in a flurry of design, glass cutting, and welding.

Check out the full article for more!

Gary Rosenthal Collection Named CSAAC Employer of the Year

2011-11-22T10:09:00.001-05:00

We at the Gary Rosenthal Collection are privileged to have the opportunity to work with CSAAC (Community Services for Autistic Adults and Children). We currently employ two individuals with autism, Tim and John, who excel at every task they are responsible for here. Their service is invaluable and they have directly contributed in the manufacturing of our very popular collection of woven Judaica.

We were recently honored to be named Employer of the Year for CSAAC and took the opportunity to get a group photo of the full GRC crew, including Tim and John. Tim is holding the award plaque and John is on the far right of the photo.

In the photos below, Tim is working on packaging glasses he has dyed that will be part of a Jewish wedding ceremony while John weaves copper strips that will become mezuzot like the one pictured.

Stamford Jewish Arts & Film Festival

2011-11-09T11:38:00.002-05:00

Those of you in Connecticut may be aware that Gary's work is currently on display at the Stamford JCC as part of the Jewish Arts & Film Festival of Fairfield County. If you haven't gotten there yet, you still have a few more days as they festival continues through November 13th.

The Jewish Ledger has a wonderful article about Gary and his work, in conjunction with the festival.

Rosenthal may be among the most recognized Judaica artists working today. His tzedakah boxes and menorahs have been presented to Presidents Carter, Clinton, and Bush pater, and to celebrities Bette Midler, John Travolta, Tony Randall, and Itzhak Perlman.
But it is his community involvement and tikkun olam that he hopes to be remembered for. Since 2004, he has focused on turning his business into what he has called “a community-service machine based on art.”
“I’ve always been interested in tikkun olam, since I was in college,” Rosenthal says. “I think of myself as a social activist who happens to be a sculptor. I feel lucky that, as my art developed and I developed a following and started to earn a living from selling my art, it gave me a platform for the social activism.”

Check out the full article here!

The Past Couple Months

2011-11-04T13:51:00.002-04:00

I realize it has been a little while since you've heard from us here and I wanted to make sure you didn't think we'd gone away! Though the past couple months have been busy for us, we haven't necessarily been busy with things other people would find all that interesting. Mostly we have been busy gearing up production to be ready for the Hanukkah rush which is now upon us!

October was National Breast Cancer Awareness Month and we once again had a good number of participants hold Glass Ribbon Projects which is wonderful! If you haven't heard about our program you should really check it out. It is a FREE community arts project that benefits those with breast cancer and we have heard from numerous participants that it really is a very meaningful as well as enjoyable experience. It doesn't have to be October for you to plan an activity - it could make a wonderful Hanukkah program or Mother's Day idea as well!

As I said, and you are probably fully aware, the Hanukkah rush has already started. With that in mind, we've made available a great selection of one-of-a-kind items and discontinued items at great prices. Whether you're looking to stock your shelves with unique items, or find a perfect gift for that certain someone, check out our Hanukkah Super Sale - quantities are limited (many are truly one-of-a-kind items) and going fast!

Finally, a bit of sad news. One of our top notch designers, Ned, has decided to move on and take another job elsewhere. She brought a lot of great ideas to the team and helped design some of our most popular new items. If you have seen any of our pieces with embossed copper or puzzle glass (our new best selling A53 has both), you have seen her work. She will be missed but we are busy finding others who can fill her shoes and add even more great ideas to the team.

As always, don't hesitate to contact us with any questions, comments, or ideas - we're always glad to talk!

Happy to be of Service

2011-09-07T16:30:00.000-04:00

We are regularly asked to create custom commission pieces such as Tzedakah boxes for Synagogues, or Mezuzot for sanctuary doors. We're always glad to hear back from the recipients of these special items, especially when they are as positive as this:

I just wanted to let you know that I received the box and it is just AMAZING!!! Absolutely BEAUTIFUL!! We are so happy with the finished product! I am so excited for the kids to see it this Friday when we are going to have them present it to the Temple Brith Achim congregation during the Religious School Welcome Back service! Your work is absolutely beautiful and we are proud to be giving this gift to the congregation from our confirmation class. We have a terrific, visible place picked out for it in a niche next to the sanctuary doors. Thanks for everything and it was a pleasure working with you!!

Do you need any custom artwork? Check out a few of the things we have done in the past and let us know what we can do for you!

Catalog

2011-09-06T16:58:00.000-04:00

Just a quick update - the new catalog is at the printer's but you can view it online before it hits the streets later this month!

New Work NYIGF Summer 2011

2011-08-17T14:42:00.000-04:00

We're gearing up for new Fall/Winter catalog and Gary's just finishing up a great show in New York where he's been showing off a slew of new work. Everything's online now and all the new work is here for your viewing pleasure. Here are a just a few photos to give you a taste:

Travel Sabbath Candlesticks - A Web Exclusive!

2011-08-01T12:00:00.001-04:00

Soon to be featured in the upcoming issues of B'nai B'rith and Hadassah Magazines, we're giving our online friends the first look at this web exclusive item. Let us know what you think, and click here if you want to purchase!

Hope - Survival - Renewal: Calling all Photographers!

2011-07-27T13:32:00.001-04:00

If you follow some of Gary's other projects, you know that he has started the Howard Avenue Arts Incubator - a gallery and resource for artists located above the studio. We have been working on getting ready for some photography competitions, and now I can tell you that we are finally ready to start accepting applications! We've been hard at work to plan out this series to ensure it is going to be a fantastic event.

Three of the strongest and most positive forces to be presented in a series of exhibitions at the Howard Avenue Arts Incubator Gallery. We invite professional and amateur photographers to submit images to one, two, or all three of this powerful series.
Awards include cash, and publication in a commemorative anthology of the three shows.

Visit http://artincubator.org/competitions.html for full details!

Giveaway!

2011-06-13T14:11:00.001-04:00

Update:
Congrats to Richard H.of Winston Salem, NC, the winner of this menorah giveaway!

If you're reading this blog you obviously enjoy the Gary Rosenthal Collection's work, and if you're like most people, you enjoy getting something for free. Therefore, to thank you for being fans, we've got a special menorah to give away today! Not everything we make here ends up going into production, simply because we make way too many different pieces! No need to just let those prototypes sit on the shelf though.

Here's a nice little menorah, perfect for a wedding gift. It's not going to be put into productions so this one is truly one of a kind.

To win, simply leave a comment about what you think of the Gary Rosenthal Collection. Make sure to include your email so we can contact you if you win.

For some extra chances to win you can:
1. "Like" of our facebook page
2. Add your email to any of our newsletters
3. Follow this blog through Google Friend Connect, Networked Blogs, or just add it to your RSS feed
4. Share this post on Twitter
5. Share this post of Facebook

Leave an additional comment here with each extra entry you complete.

The fine print: Giveaway open to all residents of the 48 Contiguous United States and DC, 18 or older, excluding employees and immediate family of The Gary Rosenthal Collection. One standard entry per person plus five optional entries. ARV of prize $100. Winner will be chosen using random.org on June 30, 2011.

New Commissions

2011-06-01T15:50:00.000-04:00

Every now and then we get a request from someone to create something truly unique for them which always leads to something pretty cool. I'd like to share a few we've done in recent months here at the studio. If you are interested in a special piece like this don't hesitate to contact us.

This unique award displays the first five notes of Shema Yisrael. The different colors denote sharps and flats.

This spectacular piece was designed by one of our studio designer's Ned Drummond and is currently on display in our upstairs gallery as part of the Hiddur Mitzvah Center. This steel, brass, pressed copper and fused glass menorah stands an impressive five feet tall atop a stone base.

Also designed by Ned for the upstairs gallery is this set of artistic sculptures that each stand about 2.5 feet tall. The center one which features a Hamsa has already been sold to someone who fell in love with it while visiting the gallery.

We received a request for a large yad with enough glass that all the students in a class could work on in a Hiddur Mitzvah Project. Framed and hung with a commemorative plaque it makes a very special and personal teacher's gift. They liked it so much that this will become an annual project for them!

Gary Rosenthal's Hiddur Mitzvah Center

2011-05-16T14:16:00.000-04:00

I know this blog has been quiet lately, but that doesn't mean we've been doing nothing here. In addition to the studio gearing up for wedding season - we've created a really cool new shards holder - this past month has also seen the launch of Gary's new Hiddur Mitzvah Center. The Hiddur Mitzvah Center is the Jewish component that grew out of the Arts Incubator, making use of our gallery and facility with that operation.

Saturday May 7th was a lively arts Havdalah service with Rabbi David Shneyer followed by music, art, and conversation. The art on the walls provided a great backdrop and those there really enjoyed themselves as Gary and others danced their way around the room.

Sunday May 8th began with an open house class activity. Parents and students from Am Kolel in Beallsville went through the process of creating a sculpture out of raw material from start to finish, ending with custom piece of their own. This is an activity that we hope to have regularly scheduled through the Hiddur Mitzvah Center. If you are interested, give us a call at 301-493-5577 to plan out an activity.

That afternoon was the art gallery opening for group show featuring Katherine Janus Kahn, Ronny Tabeka, and Gary. The day ended with Mother's Day Alternative Program - "Keep the light alive." Generations creating their own family heirloom Shabbat candlesticks together.

Sunday May 15th We hosted an Artisites Guild for Judaic Art group show.

For lots more photos check out our facebook page and keep an eye out for an article in the next issue of Washington Jewish Week!

Special Passover Items

2011-04-01T12:27:00.001-04:00

With Passover coming up, we've dug deep into the back shelves and storage and searched through the designers' shelves. We've come up with a selection of unique Passover items. Some are Gary Rosenthal antiques that had been long forgotten, others were never put into production. Whether they were discontinued to make room for new items or deemed to expensive or unique to put into production, these items are all special. If you're looking for something really cool for this Passover, you're sure to find something here. Some of the old items have a few minor imperfections and are sold as is, but you won't find any junk here! Older Seder Plates that originally had glass cups will be sent with copper cups unless otherwise pictured as we no longer have glass cups.

There are limited quantities of all these items and most of them are one of a kind, so get what you like before it's gone!

Wholesale accounts click here Retail customers click here

New Matzah Seder Plate

2011-04-01T09:54:00.000-04:00

Just in time for Passover, introducing a Seder Plate unlike anything you have ever seen before! Made entirely out of matzah, not only does it look great, it is made from renewable resources! Using vegetable based glues and ink, this plate is also completely edible, allowing it to be a fully integrated part of your Passover. If this new piece is successful - and how could it not be - we plan to develop an entire line of edible Judaica. Let us know your thoughts!

Click the image for a large view.

Temple Emanuel Event

2011-03-17T17:03:00.000-04:00

Sunday, March 13, 2011, we had about 25 people from Temple Emanuel right up the road come in as part of a sisterhood fundraiser. Each participant wrote out a check for $25 to be donated to Sharsheret in support of young Jewish women with breast cancer. In return, Gary showed them around the new Art Incubator gallery and the studio where they had the opportunity to create Hiddur Mitzvah or Glass Ribbon items and purchase anything off the shelves for a matched $25 discount. It was a wonderful time for everyone involved!

More Photos

Hiddur Mitzvah Article in The New Standard

2011-02-28T16:25:00.000-05:00

The New Standard, in central Ohio, just published a really nice front page article about Gary and the Hiddur Mitzvah Project that's worth a read:

“After the Holocaust some people were
afraid to show Judaica. My mission was
to create beautiful Jewish art. I wanted to
make beautiful bright color mezuzahs. I
wanted Judaic art objects that people could
display year round. I always tried to mix
function with the aesthetics of the form,”

Read the whole thing here.

Our Guarantee

2011-02-10T10:47:00.000-05:00

We stand by our work and will repair or replace any damaged item for life. Simply send in the broken piece with this form and we'll take care of it. We know that our items often become important heirlooms and we're glad to help keep them around for generations to come. Here's a nice note we just got from someone whose mezuzah we were able to fix for her:

We have just received the mezzuzah that I sent to you to be repaired. Thank you so much. I can't wait to give it back to my son and daughter-in-law because it meant so much to them.
With best wishes for your continued success.
Helene Chinowsky

Spring Work Preview

2011-02-03T15:59:00.000-05:00

Gary just got back from the New York gift show where he introduced a number of new pieces, including a new style of bookend replacing the copper scroll style. The studio, in the meantime, lost power for a few days due to the snow storm. Now that we've been up and running for a few days I've had time to get all the photos edited and sorted out to give you a taste of what we've been up to. Based on the feedback from the show, some of these pieces may change between now and when they are put into production, and some may not even make it that far. We've also got some more new work that will be ready in the next couple weeks in time for the Philly show. that said, enjoy this small preview, and to see all of the new work you can view this facebook photo album.

Baltimore Jewish Times Article

2011-01-17T14:46:00.002-05:00

Baltimore Jewish Times iNSIDER just posted a feature on "A Colorful Shabbat Table," and included our SC3 candlesticks among their recommendations:

Original article.

Dickinson College

2011-01-10T16:40:00.000-05:00

Check out the cover of the most recent issue of Dickinson Magazine!

Congratulations to the General Assembly Raffle Winners!

2010-12-29T12:44:00.002-05:00

UPDATE: I apologize, the phone number listed at the bottom had a typo in it. If you have tried to contact us unsuccessfully please try again at 301.493.5577.

While in New Orleans for this year's General Assembly the Gary Rosenthal Collection shared a table with Sharsheret and Avodah, two worthwhile organizations. The three of us held a raffle - Sharsheret gave away a pair of breast cancer awareness Sabbath candlesticks, Avodah had an art deco menorah to give away, and The Gary Rosenthal collection had a New Orleans street car Tzedakah box, all donated by the Gary Rosenthal Collection. We've drawn names and the winners are announced below!

Sharsheret, Hebrew for “chain”, is a national not-for-profit organization supporting young women and their families, of all Jewish backgrounds, facing breast cancer. Our mission is to offer a community of support to women diagnosed with breast cancer or at increased genetic risk, by fostering culturally-relevant individualized connections with networks of peers, health professionals, and related resources.

The winner of Sharsheret's candlesticks is Carole Neff of New Orleans, LA. Congratulations!

AVODAH: The Jewish Service Corps strengthens the Jewish community's fight against the causes and effects of poverty in the United States. We do this by engaging participants in service and community building that inspires them to become lifelong agents for social change whose work for justice is rooted in and nourished by Jewish values.

The winner of Avodah's menorah is Richard May of Miami Beach FL. Congratulations!

Gary Rosenthal has been sculpting in welded metals for over 30 years. Together with a team of talented craftspeople, he creates one of the most popular and unique lines of Judaic art in the country: The Gary Rosenthal Collection. Combining copper, brass, and steel with brilliant fused glass, the collection has a contemporary style rooted in tradition.

The winner of The Gary Rosenthal Collection's Tzedakah box is Susan Feldman of Bloomfield Hills, MI. Congratulations!

If you are one of the winners, please contact the Gary Rosenthal Collection at 301.493.5577 with your mailing address so that we may send out your prize.

Christmakah Party!

2010-12-22T15:07:00.000-05:00

Every year we have a Holiday party near the end of the year at the GRC. We set up the holiday tree, have a gift exchange, and eat lots of good food. Though Hanukkah is, of course, over already, Happy Hanukkah, Merry Christmas, and a Blessed new year!

Nick gets some food ready on the table.

Gary's famous potato latkes on the stove.

The Christmakah tree with secret santa gifts underneath.

A Hanukkah Letter from the Netherlands

2010-12-08T17:06:00.000-05:00

While most of our work is sold in the US, we do have fans and customers all over the world. Here's a great letter from someone in the Netherlands:

Dear Gary,

Wow it arrived and on the last evening of Chanukah ! We have just received the parcel and I have just returned from presenting it to my daughters teacher who is thrilled with your dreidel and just adored your work .What a lovely gift you also included for my daughter she was very touched by your generous gift, there are two very happy people in the Netherlands thank you!!!!!!!

With very good wishes and a happy Chanukah.

Raquel Drukarch

This year's Hanukkah

2010-12-03T11:07:00.000-05:00

I hope everyone is having an enjoyable Hanukkah and was able to give the gifts they were hoping to. We're still shipping out menorot and dreidels for those of you who have put off gift shopping until the the eighth night! This has been a good year for us and I do think that a rising economy is definitely in the air, which is good for all. Around this time of year I see our name popping up all over the place and I just wanted to share a couple more.

We fell for the earthy brass leaves, copper flower and glass bead in this fluid contemporary piece that’s part of Judaic sculptor Gary Rosenthal’s newest collection, Tree of Life. $185 at Dashka Roth Contemporary Jewelry; 332 Chartres St., 504.523.0805; Dashkaroth.com

From NOLA.com:

We fell for the earthy brass leaves, copper flower and glass bead in this fluid contemporary piece that’s part of Judaic sculptor Gary Rosenthal’s newest collection, Tree of Life. $185 at Dashka Roth Contemporary Jewelry; 332 Chartres St., 504.523.0805; Dashkaroth.com

From Paper Airplane Design Blog:

Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Gary Rosenthal Menorahs

Gary Rosenthal is an artist who welds metals and glass together to create beautiful Judaica art. I have a friend who spent a summer interning in his studio, which is how I first heard of him. In honor of Chanukah, which begins tonight, here are a few of his interesting menorahs. Check out more here.

Another Tzedakah Article

2010-12-01T10:27:00.000-05:00

Happy Hanukkah to all! I hope everyone's holiday is an enjoyable one. I'd like to share another article the features Gary talking about the importance of Tzedakah as well as the history of Tzedakah boxes.

Charity Boxes Coming Into Their Own for Hanukkah

Boxes for charity remain workhorses in Jewish life but have come into their own as gifts

The Associated Press

By LEANNE ITALIE Associated Press
November 30, 2010 (AP)

Invited to a Hanukkah party? Consider a charity box as a worthy gift that goes straight to the core of Jewish life.

...The Torah promises that by giving tzedakah, "a person's mind and heart become refined one thousand times." Beautifying the performance of the fundamental command through a keepsake tzedakah box can help revive the practice of charity collection in Jewish homes, said Gary Rosenthal, an artist who has been creating pieces of Judaica since the 1970s.
Menorahs, dreidels, cups for Sabbath wine and seder plates for Passover have been popular gifts for decades, he said. Tzedakah boxes for home use are a relatively new addition.
"Twenty years ago I tried to make a tzedakah box and nobody would buy it," said Rosenthal, in Kensington, Md. "Everybody did it at synagogue but it wasn't something for the home. More Orthodox and traditional Jews had them but there was this lost generation after World War II when tzedakah boxes just fell off the radar."
Rosenthal often works in copper, brass and steel adorned with glass to create ritual items and Jewish gifts. He expects to sell nearly 6,000 tzedakah boxes worldwide by year's end, including a limited-edition streetcar with a portion of proceeds going to the Jewish community in New Orleans. He also has a line decorated with pink glass mosaics designed by people touched by breast cancer to support their cause.
"I like to combine art with doing good, when the purchase is actually an act of tzedakah," Rosenthal said.
More contemporary designers like Rosenthal have delved into Jewish life in recent decades, said Stacey Zaleski, director of merchandising for The Jewish Museum in New York City...

The full article is interesting as well and can be read here.

Tzedakah and Hanukkah

2010-11-30T15:31:00.001-05:00

A nice little AP article via Yahoo features a few of our tzedakah boxes, including the New Orleans street car and custom wall piece:

Tzedakah wall box from Gary Rosenthal
This product image courtesy of The Gary Rosenthal Collection shows a tzedakah wall box from The Gary Rosenthal Collection. Gifting a tzedakah box in fun or fancy form is more closely associated with weddings, awards and Bar Mitzvahs than the eight-day festival of lighting candles, spinning dreidels and eating fried foods. That, said purveyors and creators of Jewish gifts and ritual items, doesn't mean a charity box wouldn't make a positive reminder come Hanukkah time.

Holy Latke! Is it Hanukkah Already?

2010-11-30T10:25:00.000-05:00

An interesting article in which Gary is quoted.

By Leanne Italie, Associated Press

A menorah with tall lit candles in New York. Hahukkah starts early this year. AP Photo

Rabbi Mark Sobel, the spiritual leader of a Reform-rooted synagogue in Burbank, Calif., enjoys "winter" carols come Hanukkah and Christmastime, but this year is a little different.

The Jewish faith's eight days of candle lighting, prayers, latkes and dreidel fun begins Wednesday, before carolers get in the swing and so soon after Thanksgiving there might just be some leftovers still in the fridge.

Hanukkah's on the early side — on the Gregorian calendar anyway — along with other major Jewish observances this year.

Some Jews are looking forward to a little distance between Hanukkah and the Christmas madness. It helps, they said, in staving off the perception that the Festival of Lights is a Christmas wannabe. Others started panicking before their Thanksgiving bird was defrosted.

For Sobel, it won't change the way he celebrates, save a tinge of remorse that non-Jewish neighbors and friends won't yet be in the holiday spirit.

"The feeling of total holiday season is not there," said Sobel, from the independent Temple Beth Emet.

Jewish festivals and commemorations begin on different Gregorian dates each year because they're set by a lunar-based Hebrew calendar adjusted to ensure certain ones fall during certain seasons.

Wyckoff, N.J., mom Caryn Kasmanoff, who has two teenagers and a 9-year-old, notes that Hanukkah is a very minor holiday, religiously speaking, in relation to Passover and other biblically mandated observances. It's nowhere near as important as Christmas is to Christians, but the comparisons can be harder on Jewish kids when the two holidays stand alone on the calendar, she said.

"As Christmas gets closer and children in school get more excited, their 'party' is over," Kasmanoff said. "So yes, as a parent, it's easier for the religions to share the festive feeling."

That can also be true for more secular Jews and interfaith families who will be packing away their menorahs after Hanukkah only to start prepping for Christmas. Or for people who focus on Thanksgiving as the big-deal holiday with barely any time to de-stress before Hanukkah shopping and party planning must be done.

"The world doesn't stop for Hanukkah," said Jennifer Prost, who has kids ages 16 and 12 in Montclair, N.J. "My kids still have tests to study for and papers to write. When Hanukkah is closer to Christmas, the kids are off from school, work schedules slow, evening meetings are off the table."

For the college set, on-campus Hanukkah might mean missing mom's potato latkes, but their family's not-home-for-the-holidays loss could be Ralph Taber's gain. He's the director of the Klehr Center for Jewish Life at Franklin & Marshall College in Lancaster, Pa., and a programmer for Hillel, the foundation for Jewish campus life.

"The timing of Hanukkah this year is perfect because it will occur before classes end," he said. "We know that students will be willing to attend more on-campus Hanukkah events."

As a parent, Taber is happy for Hanukkah's quick approach. He'll be done with shopping and celebrations just as Christmas is crowding stores and yuletide travel is clogging roads.

But some sellers of Jewish-related gifts said "early" Hanukkah can mean slow going.

"When it's close to Christmas, it's celebrated much more actively," said Gary Rosenthal, who creates menorahs, charity boxes and other Judaica out of metals and fused glass. "When Hanukkah is close to Thanksgiving it's passed us before we even know what happened. It's not good or bad. It's just the way it is."

Read the rest of the article here.

Another Article

2010-11-29T16:24:00.000-05:00

A nice mention here at marconews.com:

Temple Shalom has every kind of menorah imaginable, but the ones I was drawn to were from the Gary Rosenthal Collection.

Rosenthal has sculpted in welded metals for more than 30 years and this menorah ($110) is identical to the one presented to President Bill Clinton. Former President Jimmy Carter also received a menorah from the Rosenthal Collection.

Another one from Rosenthal has a dreidel attached ($120) that sets the tone of the holiday. If you like things neat and clean, this plain silver ($30) one is for you. It is also available in a gold tone.

Original article here

Thanksgiving and Tzedakah Boxes

2010-11-24T15:20:00.000-05:00

It's hard to believe that Thanksgiving is already tomorrow! Where has the year gone? As we give thanks it's important to remember to give to others as well. A blog post over at Jeri's Organizing and Decluttering News has a timely theme of various interesting designs of Tzedakah boxes, including one of ours. Check it out, click this link to read the original article.

We're Still Here!

2010-11-19T13:26:00.000-05:00

With Hanukkah being so early this year we have been very busy this past month or so. Our new A48D limited edition menorah/dreidel combination has become our fastest selling item ever - we've already sold just under half of the 500 being made and are still getting orders! It's not too late to order one to get it in time for Haunukkah.

Plans are coming along nicely for Gary's new artistic venture, the Howad Avenue Arts Incubator. The first artist meeting was held to discuss ideas a couple nights ago. Photos of the night will be posted shortly at the Arts Incubator blog.

It's hard to believe that Hanukkah is really less than two weeks away and Thanksgiving is right on top of us. Time sure does fly!

If you are looking for some unique Hanukkah gifts, check out our limited editions page where you can purchase discontinued items and one of a kind prototypes! There are some really interesting pieces there like this piano themed menorah!

Arts and Humanities Council of Montgomery County Awards

2010-10-27T14:34:00.000-04:00

On October 18, the Arts and Humanities Council of Montgomery County presented their 2010 Executive's Awards, which we have supplied them for some time now. Megan sent over some great pictures:

I think the awards we make look really great and it's a shame more people don't realize that we offer them!

Photos by Clark W. Day

The Howard Avenue Arts Incubator

2010-10-19T16:35:00.000-04:00

I'd like to take a moment to introduce you to a new undertaking of Gary's that may be of interest to any of you who are local. Gary is leading an effort to create an arts community here in Kensington, MD. By creating the Howard Avenue Arts Incubator, he hopes to foster creative works and community, using art as a catalyst for even more. There are a lot of interesting prospects with this project and I invite you to take a look at the website and add your name to the email list there. The plan is to have a kick-off festival December 12th, 2010.

In preparation, there has been a lot of renovation going on at the studio as the downstairs gets a makeover and the newly acquired area upstairs is being rebuilt into a gallery.

This wall is soon to be history.

The wall is gone, as is a good portion of the old floor.

You can't really see them in this picture, but in addition to the new purple tiled floor, we built a couple of great walk-in closets that will really help to declutter!

The newly redone kitchen area is sure to get a lot of use!

Headed up stairs. Once it's refinished, this wall above the landing will be a great place to display artwork!

Welcome to the third floor.

It's still very much under construction, but you can see that this can become a really great gallery space. A few of Gary's larger pieces were set up as examples for a meeting this past weekend and we had a local artist in to symbolically hang the first artwork on the wall.

If you're interested in getting involved in classes or gallery exhibitions, or to learn more about all the cool ideas Gary has for this project, give us a call at 301.493.5577!

2010-10-18T17:05:00.000-04:00

Discontinued items, prototypes, and limited editions!

Available to buy directly from The Gary Rosenthal Collection here for the first time! We're cleaning house so grab what you like before someone else does.

Quantities are limited - most of the items listed here are the only one available. All discontinued items are priced at 25% off and prototypes are priced to move as well.

Just one of the one of a kind items up for special sale. Only one of these will ever be made:

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

2010-10-01T15:51:00.000-04:00

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. We would like to extend our support and encouragement to those who are fighting or have beaten this disease and our sympathy to those who have lost loved ones to it. We have quite a few groups participating this year in our FREE Glass Ribbon activity to grow community, support, awareness, and funds for those who have had their lives touched by breast cancer, which is wonderful! Thank you to all those who are participating this month and beyond! Visit www.glassribbon.com to learn more about what we are doing to help with this cause and how you can get involved.

NCJW Donor Wall

2010-09-23T11:06:00.001-04:00

Every now and again we are commissioned to create donor walls for organizations who want something a bit different than the standard brass plaques. The National Council of Jewish Women just ordered this one that has a fun, funky design. The bottom plaque is removable and can be replaced each year with a new one to reflect that year's donors.

This impressive wall hanging measures 31" tall.

Congrats to This Year's Trawick Winners!

2010-09-20T16:38:00.001-04:00

Every year we create the Trawick Awards for The Bethesda Contemporary Art Festival. Check out this year's winners happily showing off the awards and artwork!

Photos credit Bethesda Urban Partnership.

Need a custom award for something? Check out our portfolio and let us know how we can help you!

After Katrina

2010-09-15T12:07:00.000-04:00

We recently created a large custom menorah for the New Orleans community. On the 5th anniversary of Katrina there was held a mass Havdalah service at the New Orleans JCC to make the passing of those five years and the healing that has taken place since. The menorah we made was featured as part of that service as you can see in this great photo:

Stuart's 100th Mezuzah

2010-09-13T12:06:00.000-04:00

Wow, it's been a while since I posted! Things have been pretty crazy around here lately. What with the New York Gift Show, getting the new catalog ready and off to the printer's, and dealing with some renovations to the building, I haven't had time to update the blog lately. Once we get some new flooring in here I will try to get some before and after shots of the building so you can see what we've been up to, but for now I have something else to talk about.

A little while back I wrote about Stuart, the mezuzah collector, who paid us a visit and purchased his hundredth mezuzah to complete his collection. Well, he got the final piece framed and added to the collection and sent us a couple pictures to share:

500 Judaica

2010-08-19T12:19:00.001-04:00

For all who are fans of Gary Rosenthal's work, as well as Judaica, check out Lark's newest book in their 500 series - 500 Judaica available now. In addition to being a really cool book filled with other talented artists, check out pages ~~57 and 58~~ 37 and 38 to see work from Gary!

New Work From NYIGF 2010

2010-08-18T15:55:00.000-04:00

The New York International Gift Fair is coming to a close and it seemed to be a very successful event - not just for us, but for all the vendors in general, which is a good sign for the economy! If you were not able to attend the show or just want another look, the website is now all up to date with all the new work, so check it out! For retailers, the hi-res photo packet has been fully updated and now includes high quality images of every single current Gary Rosenthal piece in one easy to download file, and for your convenience we also have a current list of all discontinued items on the product home page. Be sure to drop us a line about what new work you like!

NYIGF Heads Up

2010-08-10T11:06:00.000-04:00

Lots of things have been keeping us busy and me away from updating the blog recently. Namely, the New York International Gift Fair is just days away! If you are one of our stores, we hope to see you there! I've just started editing photos of all the new work being taken and should have it all up on the website before the end of the show. We've got a really cool new spice box to show you, a new series of gifts for lawyers and doctors, the brand new Miracle Dreidel and a mezuzah unlike any we've ever made before (we call it the Charm Mezuzah, look for it at the show!). All these items and more, including more mezuzot and menorot will be available at the show along with a show exclusive limited edition dreidel with Hanukkah Gelt dish. Look for photos and product details soon!

The Hiddur Mitzvah Project and a Special Bat Mitzvah

2010-08-05T16:24:00.000-04:00

When Cindy and Greg Goussak, members of Midbar Kodesh Temple of Las Vegas, Nevada, began to plan their daughter Ariel’s bat mitzvah, to make the process especially meaningful they knew they wanted to incorporate a hands-on mitzvah project for her bnai mitzvah class. The 11 students in the class also happened to include one who is autistic and has been learning how to sign the blessings for the Torah reading and several of the Shabbat morning tefillot. Were he living in Israel, it is unlikely he would be able to prepare for or celebrate his bar mitzvah the way he is doing at Midbar Kodesh unless he had the good fortune to be part of the Masorti Bar/Bat Mitzvah Program for Children with Special Needs. All of which gave Rabbi Bradley Tecktiel, the rabbi at Midbar Kodesh, a great idea. Rabbi Tecktiel suggested that the bnai mitvah class twin with Masorti’s Bar/Bat Mitzvah Program for Children with Special Needs, Israel’s only national program to provide Jewish enrichment and a group bnai mitzvah ceremony at a Masorti kehilla for youngsters who would not otherwise have the chance to celebrate this milestone. The Goussaks, who were helping to fund the project, invited Judaica artist Gary Rosenthal to spend a weekend at Midbar Kodesh as artist-in-residence and to work with the children. Each student made two yads, one for him or herself, the other to donate to the Bar/Bat Mitzvah Program for Children with Special Needs. These personalized gifts are being finished by the artist and when ready, will be sent to Israel, where they can be used by the special needs children during their bnai mitzvah celebrations. “The young people at Midbar Kodesh are getting a real lesson in the Jewish values of tikkun olam, tolerance and inclusion, while also making a personal connection to Israel and learning about one of the Masorti movement’s unique contributions to life there,” said Rabbi Tecktiel. “I am very proud of their commitment to this project and especially grateful to the Goussak family for their generous contribution, which has made it possible.”

Original

Update on Stuart's Frame

2010-07-21T10:35:00.000-04:00

Just a quick update, I wanted to share a photo of the finished picture frame that Stuart worked on while he was here. Hopefully when his final mezuzah he created here is finished and framed I can get a picture of that as well.

Glass Ribbon in October

2010-07-08T11:45:00.000-04:00

We've had some great responses to our new and improved Glass Ribbon Project and have already scheduled quite a few projects for October - National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Because of this, we strongly recommend that if you are still interested in holding a Glass Ribbon activity that you do not schedule it for October or there may be a long delay before any of your purchased pieces can be sent back to you. If you want to make the Glass Ribbon Project part of breast cancer awareness month we suggest that you hold the event in September - that way you will receive any finished pieces in October, in time to be sold as a fundraiser, given as support gifts, or simply enjoyed as finished pieces of art.

We thank you for all the support you've shown so far for this special program and hope to expand it even more as more people hear about it!

A Visit from a Mezuzah Collector

2010-07-07T16:30:00.001-04:00

A few days ago we had a special visitor at the studio. Stuart, from New Jersey, had originally contacted Gary about a replacement tube for a mezuzah. It turns out that Stuart is an avid collector of Mezuzot, framing them as works of art and he has quite a few of Gary's work in his collection. He was looking for something special to top off his collection at 100 mezuzot - one thing led to another and soon he made a trip down to help custom make his final mezuzah.

Stuart and Greta look over mezuzah designs.

Pressing the metal.

He tries his hand at the torch.

Shari helps Stuart put together the glass that will be part of a frame.

The finished glass after firing. Stay tuned for photos of the final work. Here's a photo of one of Gary's pieces as a framed item in Stuart's collection:

Gary's Work in Jerusalem

2010-07-01T13:29:00.000-04:00

A friend writes in:

"Gary’s work at Mevasseret Zion synagogue in Jerusalem where we attended Friday night services."

A Concept Lawyer Gift

2010-06-23T16:24:00.001-04:00

A concept menorah designed as a scales of justice. We think it would make a great lawyer's gift - what do you think?

Custom Challah Board

2010-06-14T17:45:00.003-04:00

Just a quick post, I wanted to share a photo of this beautiful custom challah board we created for a special order. It's amazing how delicate pieces of metal can become! (The board is in plastic wrap if you were wondering why it looks a little odd).

And here's a photo of a box of brass leaves waiting to become part of work like this. I thought you might enjoy seeing them:

A New Wall Mounted Tzedakah Box

2010-06-10T14:33:00.000-04:00

This unique tzedakah box was commissioned by congregation Beth Tfiloh in Baltimore. The glass on the front was created at a Hiddur Mitzvah event held at the temple earlier this year. The two arms on either side of the box are actually slotted ramps that can be used to roll coins down into the box below. The whole thing measures three and a half feet tall and over two and a half feet wide.

Father's Day 2010

2010-06-07T10:39:00.000-04:00

Father's day is already in a couple of weeks and just like Mother's Day, the online store, Jewish Gift Place, has put together a list of top gift ideas. We are privileged to once again be featured on their list!

An unknown author once said, "A father is a guy who has snapshots in his wallet where his money used to be." So true! That’s why we have included this next featured piece from Gary Rosenthal. Maybe not fitting for dad’s wallet, but perfect for his desk is the Gary Rosenthal 5x7 Picture Frame with Heart and Glass Bead. The frame itself is a stunning work of art, handcrafted and sculpted from mixed metals and fused glass. An added bonus is that this frame can be personalized on brass or glass with your own message to dad. Just insert a treasured, cherished photo of you and dad, and you have the absolute best Father’s Day gift ever.

The Miracle Dreidel

2010-05-25T13:44:00.001-04:00

This marks the 100th Fog Blog post! My how time does fly. I've got something special for you today. It is still technically a concept piece, but it looks like it just might be ready for prime time very soon. This menorah is a combo piece with a unique dreidel built in. At first glance it is just a nice looking dreidel made from embossed copper and glass. Give it a quick spin, though, and it transforms into an oil jar, representing the miracle of Hanukkah!

(You can even hear Gary answering the phone in the background!)

"Kensington Artist Staging Fundraiser for Arts Education"

2010-05-12T12:01:00.000-04:00

Gary is involved in much more than just his sculpture studio and business. One of his other involvements is Theatre Lab School of Dramatic Arts in DC where he serves on their board of directors. The Gazette just published a nice article about an important fundraising effort by the school with Gary at the head. They are currently raising money to fund a scholarship to allow children to attend who would not otherwise be able.

Kensington artist Gary Rosenthal is sponsoring an event May 21 to kick-off a fundraising campaign directed at creating scholarships for at-risk children.
"Theater is just so empowering, especially for young children," Rosenthal said. "I've seen it with my own children and these at-risk kids; it doesn't just teach you about make believe, it teaches you about real life."
He said he hopes to raise at least $55,000 to send more than 100 children disenfranchised by poverty to summer camps hosted by the Theatre Lab School of Dramatic Arts in Washington, D.C.
The Summer Acting Camps for Kids and the Musical Theatre Camp for Kids serves children as old as 13, and aims to introduce children to artistic expression and cultivate their self-confidence.
Rosenthal owns and operates an art studio in Kensington and is a Judaic artist who specializes in combining copper, brass and steel with glass to create pieces. He also is a member of the Theatre Lab's Board of Directors.
Tickets are $75. The event is scheduled for 7 p.m. May 21 at the school, 733 8th St. N.W., Washington, D.C.
For more information or to make a donation, visit www.theatrelab.org or call 202-824-0449.

Custom Award

2010-05-10T12:06:00.002-04:00

Did you know we do custom awards? This recent framed award incorporates a mezuzah into the design.

A Woman of Valor Sculpture

2010-05-07T17:15:00.000-04:00

To create this commissioned work we modified a Seder Plate design with branches instead, and added the the poem inscribed on the glass:

A woman of valor
who can find?
For her price is far above rubies.

Strength and dignity are her clothing;
And she laughs at the time to come.

She opens her mouth with wisdom;
And the law of kindness is on her tongue.

Mother's Day 2

2010-05-06T11:08:00.000-04:00

Only a few more days until Mother's day, but it's not too late to get a gift if you haven't yet! Another online store, The Jewish Gift Place, has a top ten gift list and two Gary Rosenthal items made the cut:

Does your mom love to read? If so, the Gary Rosenthal Woman of Valor Marble Bookends would make an exceptional and personal gift. They feature a beautiful picture of a woman of valor on one side, and an inspirational poem on the other. One verse states, “Her children rise up and call her blessed.” What could be more fitting for Mother’s Day? In addition, these bookends by world-renowned artist, Gary Rosenthal, can be personalized with your own heartfelt words.

Photographic memories are some of our most cherished possessions. Any mother would be proud to display a favorite family photo in the Gary Rosenthal 5x7 Picture Frame with Heart and Glass Bead. The frame itself is a stunning work of art, handcrafted and sculpted from mixed metals and fused glass. An added bonus is that this frame can be personalized with your own message to mom.

Obamenorah - Update

2010-05-05T15:46:00.000-04:00

You might remember way back last year we worked with a number of groups across the country to create a menorah for the President. We had hoped to be able present it personally, but those plans didn't work out. We did send it off to him in time for Hanukkah though. It had been a while and we were worried that something had happened to it. Just yesterday though we got a thank you note from the White House confirming that it was indeed received. View the completed menorah and the note below.

Glasses for Breaking - New Colors!

2010-05-03T10:11:00.000-04:00

Our BG1 wedding glasses for breaking are now available in purple and turquoise in addition to the red, blue, and green. We had a special request for a purple glass a little while back and Gary liked how it looked so much that he decided to expand our selection! What do you think?

Mother's Day

2010-04-30T16:22:00.000-04:00

Mother's Day is fast approaching and the folds at The Jewish Hostess have put together a nice list of Judaica gift ideas. Among their suggestions is the newest GRC challah board (the cboard4) that replaces the traditional wooden board with an attractive slab of marble.

Gary Rosenthal:
Gary Rosenthal has been sculpting in welded metals for over 20 years. He is self-taught and his popular style is unique and reflects a rare sensitivity to both his materials and his subject.
Rosenthal sculpture has been commissioned by the International Special Olympics Committee for the 1978 World Games, the Miss Dance America Trophy and the annual membership awards for B’nai Brith International. Mr. Rosenthal’s art has also been used as presentations for individuals as varied as Presidents Carter and Clinton, John Travolta and musician Issac Stern.
This challah tray is a chic modern classic.

A Giant Custom Mezuzah

2010-04-28T17:22:00.000-04:00

Just a quick post here, I wanted to share a photo of a recent commission we did. This is not your standard door sized mezuzah - this commissioned piece stands 14" tall!

Glass Ribbon Frame

2010-04-27T15:36:00.000-04:00

Along with the relaunch of GlassRibbon.com, we're looking at ways to make this project even better. One way we're doing that is by expanding the product offering. Now, along with all of the previous items in the collection, you can create this new frame, the BCMPF8. What do you think?

Another Braille Mezuzah

2010-04-20T17:02:00.000-04:00

I posted a while back about a really cool Braille mezuzah we had been commissioned to make. In the summer of 2009, a new building for the Association for the Blind was being completed and nearing dedication. One of the major donors for the project was a Jewish couple. As a recognition to their efforts and as a way to represent the building’s connection with the Jewish community, a representative from the local JCC Judaica shop contacted the Gary Rosenthal Collection with a proposition. She wanted to know if it would be possible for us to create a Braille mezuzah.

We did create one for them. It was a wonderful piece and much appreciated. After experimenting with the method used - and finding new uses for it as well - the design has been refined and this new piece has been created, available for anyone who may be in need of this type of special piece.

If you are interested in this, or other Braille artwork, feel free to contact us at 301.493.5577.

Copper in the Arts

2010-04-15T11:20:00.001-04:00

Gary Rosenthal and his work is featured in the latest issue of Copper in the Arts, found at Copper.org.

Copper in the Arts: HISTORY
Gary Rosenthal Collection: Contemporary Judaica Art Rooted in Tradition
By Michael Cervin

When Gary Rosenthal dropped out of college for a year to work for his father, a stove repairman, he never knew it would ignite his affinity for copper. But one day, when Rosenthal was torching a cast iron stove's heavy grates, something clicked.

“I pretty much I fell in love with fire at that point,” he says offhandedly. During this time he also tinkered with metal sculpting, then went back to college to obtain his degree in Industrial Labor Relations from Cornell University. He showed his handiwork to a metal artist professor who bluntly told Rosenthal he didn’t possess any sense of aesthetics, color, form, light or shape. As he waited for the final insult, the professor said, “People are going to love your work and it will sell like crazy.”

Today, that has proven to be an understatement.

“I’m self taught, but I have a knack for making things people like,” Rosenthal admits. He started making artistic pieces out of copper sheets, cut nails and steel rods; figurines of “people doing things,” as he puts it. Like a fully formed one inch figure “skiing” down white limestone, or a 50 pound rock with two figures on it with a thin copper wire between them so they looked like rock climbers. He was showing his work at a Jewish community center in Baltimore and someone asked him to make a menorah. So he set out to make several, and they all sold out like proverbial hotcakes. Rosenthal soon realized his niche and quickly filled the need for people in search of handmade copper Judaica, like menorahs, candlesticks, goblets, Seder plates and other objects for use in temple ceremonies or in someone’s home.

“We were ahead of the curve and we dominated the market,” he says. “After WWII America became such a nice open place to live that people began to feel comfortable and at that point Judaica was a market niche that needed to be filled. I know the houses were empty of Judacia because mine was.” At his zenith he employed 50 people working overtime to keep up with demand. “When I first got started I went to the junk yard and got copper scrap, but now we buy a couple of tons of sheet copper each year,” he says. That sheet is often 16 or 20 ounce from roofing supply companies, even up to 1/8 inch plate. But copper markets have changed and copper is now sourced from all over. “I prefer to get materials from this country as it’s been my experience that the quality is higher,” he admits, speaking of some frustrating experience with foreign brass. For his sheets he will cut it down, punch it out to create details on his pieces, even using 3/8 diameter copper wire. And his collection of Judaicia is very contemporary, exuding a playfulness with his use of form and colored copper, something his old art professor would be proud of.
All the U.S. presidents since Jimmy Carter, and other heads of state, have received his work as gifts from other heads of state. Recently a group of Jewish diplomats on the way to Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Morocco commissioned Gary to make a set of dreidels each with personalized plates the tops can spin on, which were then given to prime ministers. “Of all the metals we work with, stainless steel, bronze and brass, copper’s my favorite, the way it looks, the way we can color it both hot and cold,” he says. “You go all the way back to the original ark of the covenant and copper was used on it.” Copper therefore has a sacred background. “For me, it's God’s metal,” he says.
In addition to finding his work at stores nationwide, his work is also available in such noted museum gift shops like the Smithsonian's Renwick Gallery, Corning Museum of Glass in New York, the American Craft Museum, Skirball Museum of Culture in Los Angeles, and the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

Original article

A Gary Rosenthal Artwork Sighting

2010-04-13T13:51:00.000-04:00

We often personalize many items, as well as create custom awards, to be presented to all sorts of people. It's always nice to hear about these pieces making it successfully to their destination!

Jewish Family and Children's Service honored former Long Beach Mayor Tom Clark (introduced by James Hankla, the former Long Beach city manager); former state Sen. Betty Karnette (introduced by Assemblyman Hector De La Torre); and former Long Beach councilwoman Renee Simon, who is also a JFCS past president (introduced by past president Jean Blakey).

There were 250 guests welcomed by Chair Myrna Simon at the group's Service Award Brunch held Jan. 31 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel. The three honorees are on the JFCS Advisory Board and were honored for their dedication and sustained work on behalf of JFCS of Greater Long Beach/West Orange County.

Steve Gordon, president of the JFCS Board of Directors introduced the dignitaries in attendance, along with the JFCS Board of Directors and staff. Also included in the introductions were members of the Advisory Board: Jean Bixby Smith, Joe Prevratil and Gene Lentzner.

The honorees were presented with a beautiful piece of art, a tzedakah (a Hebrew word for "charity") box, from the Gary Rosenthal collection.

Original article

The Kristallnacht Project

2010-04-08T10:49:00.000-04:00

I've mentioned the Kristallnacht Project on occasion, and now I have some exciting news to share! The new website, kristallnachtproject.org, is up and running! There's a ton of info about the history of Kristallnacht and Gary's memorial wall plans. You can also keep up with us on facebook and our blog. We're not quite ready to begin holding events yet, but you can sign up for the Kristalllnacht Project newsletter to keep up to date.

A brief overview:

In November, 1938, thousands of synagogues, businesses, homes and lives were destroyed in a single night. Kristallnacht - the night of broken glass - was a turning point that marked the beginning of the Holocaust. It began with that night and ended with the murder of six million Jews, including one and a half million children.

On November 9, 2013, the 75th anniversary of Kristallnacht, internationally renowned Judaica artist Gary Rosenthal will unveil the Kristallnacht Wall. This 600 square-foot glass sculpture will be made of countless shards of glass, fused together by thousands of people across the world.

From the broken glass, representing thousands of shattered windows destroyed out of hatred and prejudice, will emerge a beautiful work of art. This unique artwork will serve as a powerful reminder that societies must embrace diversity and celebrate differences among all peoples of the world; it will be a symbol of hope that mankind must live together harmoniously.

(Artist Rendering)

End of Passover Note

2010-04-05T11:45:00.004-04:00

Passover 2010 is coming to a close and I hope it was the best you've had but that better are yet to come. Now that the Passover ordering rush is over, we've slowed down around here a bit. Just because we're slower, though, doesn't mean we're not busy. Whenever we go into a time of year like this we're able to focus on creating new work to be ready for the next busy time. With wedding season around the corner I have a feeling that there will be some creative new wedding items ready soon. As always, keep in touch here for photos and news of new work as it develops!

With Passover ending, you probably have some leftover matzah in your kitchen and you don't know what to do with it. This amusing video offers some creative ideas:

Happy Passover!

2010-03-29T16:06:00.001-04:00

I'd just like to take this moment to wish everyone out there a good Passover! I know many of you out there will be celebrating with one of our Seder plates at the center of your table, and that really means a lot to us. It's a special feeling to know that something we made will be a central part of such an important celebration.

I just came across this fun video that goes through the entire Seder in only sixty seconds! Give it a watch, I think you'll enjoy it.

A Beautiful Yad

2010-03-23T10:13:00.000-04:00

A while back, Larry contacted Gary to find out about obtaining some of the little metal hands used on the ends of our Yads. He was interested in using them in a custom wooden Yad he was creating for his grandson. Gary gladly obliged, always happy to help a fellow artist. We just got photos of the finished piece, and I have to say it looks quite nice.

Dayton Ohio

2010-03-15T10:29:00.000-04:00

Gary spent this past weekend at a Hiddur Mitvah event in Dayton Ohio. He had a great time and seemed that everyone else there did as well. The Dayton Daily News has a nice article about the event which I've taken the liberty of reposting here for you. The original can be seen here.

Synagogue hosts artist during dedication

Temple Beth Or will celebrate its  25th anniversary  on Sunday.

By Meredith Moss, Staff Writer 7:50 PM Friday, March 12, 2010

WASHINGTON TWP — If you’ve entered a Jewish home or house of worship, you may have noticed the mezuzah that hangs on the door post.

“A mezuzah is a piece of Jewish ritual art that adorns the front door and all of the interior doors of an observant Jewish home,” artist Gary Rosenthal explained. “It contains a prayer that reminds Jews of the covenant between man and God. Part of that prayer says ‘you shall remind yourself of the covenant when you enter a room.’ ”

Rosenthal, whose studio is in Maryland, is coming to town as an artist-in-residence for the 25th anniversary celebration and dedication of Temple Beth Or in Washington Twp. on Sunday, March 14. The building has been renovated over the past nine months, and now has a new multipurpose room, refurbished classrooms and a new exterior.

“It’s been usable, and we did some work on the sanctuary, but we had never made the building our own,” explains board member Marni Flagel, who co-chaired the fund drive for the renovation. The building was the former Fairhaven Church.

The reform congregation has 230 families. Its spiritual leader is Rabbi Judy Chessin. Under Rosenthal’s guidance, Beth Or families will spend the morning making art.

“We’ll be making mezuzot for our building and also for new Ethiopian Jewish immigrants to Israel,” event chairwoman Mary Youra said. “This project was inspired by the Temple’s recent visit to Israel, where members visited an absorption center and met many recent Ethiopian arrivals.”

After a 1:30 p.m. formal dedication, the synagogue will host a trunk show and meet-the-artist for Rosenthal and his work. Project Judaica kits will be for sale.

Rosenthal, who has been sculpting in welded metals for more than 30 years, said he has been traveling throughout the country for the past decade to help communities create Jewish objects.

“It’s a mitzvah or good deed to beautify Jewish ritual,” he said. “After Hurricane Katrina, we had 1,000 people across the country making menorahs and dreidels (Hanukkah spinning tops) and they were donated to those people who had lost everything in the hurricane. Twenty-two communities were involved.”

The process uses colorful glass cut into small pieces, then tumbled in sand to get rid of sharp edges.

“We have a template for Sabbath candlesticks or a mezuzah, and people create a mosaic on it,” Rosenthal explained. “Then I bring it back to the glass studio and I fire it, integrate it with metal, and we fuse it into a single piece of glass.”

Event chairwoman Mary Youra said some of Rosenthal’s own glass mezuzah creations will be displayed on the day of the dedication. A special prayer is said when the mezuzah is placed on the door.

The dedication event and glass workshop are open to the public. Speakers include Rosenthal and U.S. Rep. Mike Turner, R-Centerville.

Youra says the project offers a dynamic way for people of all ages to interact and create art that will complete the building and grace the homes of congregants.

“It’s a marvelous opportunity to reinforce Jewish values, beautify the commandment, give to others and repair the world, all within a creative fund raising experience.

How to go

What: 25th year anniversary celebration and dedication of Temple Beth Or

When: 1:30 p.m. Sunday, March 14. A morning glass workshop with Gary Rosenthal will be held at 11:30 a.m. It’s open to the public.

Where: 5275 Marshall Road (corner of Rahn and Marshall roads) in Washington Twp.

More info: (937) 435-3400.

GlassRibbon.com Relaunch

2010-03-05T16:53:00.000-05:00

Glass Ribbon is an offshoot of the Hiddur Mitzvah Project and has been Gary's way to contribute to the fight to end breast cancer. A little over a year ago we began pushing Glass Ribbon in new directions, creating a FREE program in which participants create glass that is used in our Woman of Valor Collection. We've been hard at work developing this fantastic program and we're finally ready to take it to prime time. I would explain more here, but the website says it best and answers any questions you might have about it. You can learn more at the newly redesigned glassribbon.com. We hope to hear from you soon!

We're Still Here!

2010-03-03T10:06:00.000-05:00

I just wanted to post a quick update to say we're still here cranking away! We've been very busy lately clearing snow, filling show orders, working on special projects and redesigning our Glass Ribbon and Hiddur Mitzvah websites! If you haven't been to our website lately, there's a ton of awesome new work to see. We also have a catalog highlighting our new work and old favorites that should be hitting the mail by the end of this week, just in time for Passover! Stay tuned for more updates shortly and for all our stores - keep an eye peeled for the catalog coming soon to a mailbox near you.

The Blizzard of 2010

2010-02-11T15:47:00.000-05:00

I know some of you have had a hard time getting in touch with us this past week. In case you haven't heard already, we've been dealing with a record breaking blizzard that has dumped somewhere around three feet of snow on us. Our phone and internet are finally back on and we've got the driveways cleared up. Tomorrow we will be able to start catching up on all of your orders, emails and phone messages and get back to normal. Thank you for your patience and enjoy the photos:

New York International Gift Fair and New Work

2010-02-04T12:03:00.000-05:00

Gary's back from the New York International Gift Fair where he showcased, among other things, nearly forty new and redesigned pieces. It's always exciting to see new work! All the new pieces can be seen over here at our Facebook page: New 2010 Photos. Let us know what you think!

New Seder Centerpiece

2010-01-21T16:20:00.000-05:00

The New York Gift Show is already almost upon us and we've got lots of new stuff to showcase there. Among those items is this fantastic new Seder plate designed as a Passover centerpiece. The vertical design allows for a great presence at the table without taking up too much room.

The SP21 will have a suggested retail price of $150 and features some beautiful sky blue glass.

The World's Largest Seder Plate?

2010-01-15T16:54:00.000-05:00

Gary and team have created what may very well be the world's largest Seder plate. I know I've never seen one this big, have you? This magnificent beast is a replica of our SP18, stands over two and a half feet tall and is almost four and a half feet wide. Made from steel, brass, and copper it holds six glass dishes on top and has a two sided glass pyramid in the center, screened with 24kt gold. Not only does it look great, it visually tells the story of Passover, representing the parting of the red sea, the pyramids, and the ten commandments.

Gary created this stunning piece with caterers, hotels, and cruise ships in mind - when holding a large Passover Seder, a large Seder plate makes the perfect centerpiece. If you are interested in purchasing this, or similar custom works, give us a call at 301.493.5577.

Tu Bishvat

2010-01-14T16:55:00.000-05:00

Tu Bishvat is a lesser known holiday, celebrated this year at sundown on January 29. A celebration of the "New Year of the trees," it is customary to have a seder when observing it. This Seder is much different than the Passover Seder, featuring dried fruits and nuts along with four glasses of wine. It can be described as the Jewish Arbor Day.

We just recently had a request for a special Tu Bishvat Seder Plate, something we've never done before. The requirements were that it the seven required dishes as well as places for the four glasses of wine and that it represented a tree in the spirit of the holiday. Gary and his designers came up with this masterpiece:

New Havdalah Set

2010-01-07T15:18:00.000-05:00

It's been a while since we've had a new Havdalah set, but I think this one was worth the wait. This set is three separate pieces which can be arranged however you like, but they also fit together next to each other to form one beautiful sculpture. The H5, available soon!

Happy Holidays!

2009-12-23T16:50:00.000-05:00

Every year at the GRC we have a great holiday party, celebrating Hanukkah for those of us who are Jewish and Christmas for those of us who are not. Gary makes latkes, gifts are exchanged via secret santa, and lots and lots of food is consumed. It's always a fun time at the end of the year.

Pearl Grant Richmans 50th Anniversary Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Charity Event

2009-12-10T14:14:00.001-05:00

It's great to be able to use our work to do good in multiple ways - here's a photo of Nancy Richman with her daughter who is a Lymphoma survivor. They recently auctioned off a number of items, including a GRC menorah we donated, raising $2500 for the cause!

A Custom Tzedakah Box for Jewish Center of Princeton

2009-12-10T11:33:00.002-05:00

Gary recently held a Hiddur Mitzvah event at the Jewish Center of Princeton. In addition to the event, Gary presented to the center a tzedakah box that was commissioned to kick off the center's 60th anniversary. A nice article about the event can be read here in the New Jersey Jewish News.

After presenting the box it was brought back to the studio along with glass sheets that the Hiddur Mitzvah participants worked together to make. These were fired in the kilns and incorporated into the box. This piece is designed in a way that it incorporates six separate boxes into one - each having a glass plaque showing what the money collected in that box will be used for. It's a unique design and turned out rather spectacularly as shown by the photos below:

Holiday Shipping Deal

2009-12-05T11:50:00.001-05:00

Here's a great deal for our stores who have some last minute Hanukkah orders - Free standard shipping on any order over $200 all this week! The free drop ship offer may be over, but we hope as many people like this special as much as they liked the last one. We've been working hard to keep the shelves full at this time of year and we still have work ready to ship out at a moment's notice! It's not too late to get your orders in so you can have your shelves stocked for all those people who are putting their gift buying off until the last minute of the eighth night.

Brandeis Women 2009

2009-12-04T16:11:00.000-05:00

A little over a year ago we had a group here as a fundraiser for Brandeis Women. They had so much fun that they came back! Paying their group a fee to participate, Gary matched that donation in the form of a discount as the women bought sculpture and created custom glass. If your organization would be interested in a similar event please don't hesitate to contact us!

More pictures can be seen at www.facebook.com/garyrosenthalcollection.

FREE Drop Shipping!

2009-11-25T10:27:00.000-05:00

Just a note to any of our accounts who have not gotten the email - right now we are waiving the extra drop ship fee for anywhere in the United States through Hanukkah. We're hoping you will be able to take advantage of this offer and it helps you create even more sales! We look forward to hearing from you.

Art With A Heart - Hiddur Mitzvah Artcle

2009-11-12T11:16:00.002-05:00

A very nice article about the Hiddur Mitzvah Project from BabagaNewz.com:

Art with a Heart

In a synagogue in Buenos Aires, Argentina, 30 tables are set for Shabbat dinner. Although the meal is simple–a few ounces of chicken, a spoonful of rice, and a leafy vegetable–the promise of free food attracts hundreds of hungry people, including some who are not Jewish. Jerry Tanenbaum, a Jewish communal leader visiting from the United States, has just sat down to eat when he notices something odd: instead of eating, the congregants who prepared and served the meal are milling around, near the back wall.

“Won’t you join us?” he asks with a smile. But the volunteers shake their heads and look away. Surprised, Tanenbaum eyes them more carefully. “They’re too embarrassed to accept a handout,” he suddenly realizes. With 50 percent of the population living below the poverty level and with widespread food shortages, Argentina suffers from a prolonged economic crisis. Unfortunately, the Jewish community has been especially hard hit.

Several weeks before Jerry Tanenbaum enjoyed his Shabbat dinner in Argentina last year, 200 families had crowded around tables in the Talmud Torah of Minneapolis, Minnesota. Their weekday meeting, however, was strikingly different from the Shabbat gathering in Buenos Aires. In Minneapolis, dozens of multicolored bits of glass sparkled in the middle of each linen tablecloth; in Buenos Aires, a slice of white meat, brown rice, and a green vegetable lay in the middle of each plate. In Minneapolis, children, parents, and grandparents happily glued their favorite colored glass into small mosaics; in Buenos Aires, children and senior citizens hungrily spooned the last bite of rice into their mouths.

With the exception of Jewish professionals like Jerry Tanenbaum, most American Jews live in ignorance of the calamity that threatens the Jewish community in Argentina. But renowned artist Gary Rosenthal is determined to change that. To aid Argentinean Jews (and other endangered Jewish communities around the world), he developed the Hiddur Mitzvah Project. (Hiddur mitzvah refers to the commandment that encourages Jews to enrich their celebrations by using beautiful ritual items.)

“Our goal is to use art as a catalyst for community service, learning, and spirituality,” says Rosenthal. “I invite Jewish kids and their families to participate in this mitzvah by joining the Hiddur Mitzvah project.”

Rosenthal provides 250 Shabbat dinners once a month for the Jewish community in Argentina, using some of the money raised through the Hiddur Mitzvah Project. Schools that participate purchase mosaic kits from Rosenthal, which contain colorful glass that students and their families glue on a template of a Kiddush cup, dreidel, mezuzah, or Shabbat candleholder. It’s common for students to make two items, Rosenthal says; one to send abroad to strengthen ties with an at-risk Jewish community and one for themselves.

Sally Abrams, a fifth-grader at the Talmud Torah, chose to make Shabbat candleholders. “It was more fun and more cool,” she says, “because you really got to design your own thing.”

When the activity ends, the principal sends the mosaics back to Rosenthal’s studio, where they are fused in kilns and attached to the appropriate ritual item. Finished products are returned to students or shipped directly to Jewish communities overseas to enjoy.

Students at the Minneapolis Talmud Torah “reached out a hand of hope from one continent to another,” says Tanenbaum, who delivered the Talmud Torah’s candlesticks to the Jews in Buenos Aires while on a mission for the World Union of Progressive Judaism.

The Hiddur Mitzvah Project testifies to the power of Gary Rosenthal’s dream. “The project in Minneapolis brought three generations together to study the mitzvah of lighting Shabbat candles,” he beams. “At the same time, it brought Shabbat peace to Jews in Buenos Aires, and allowed two communities to share the holiness of Shabbat.”

Press Release

2009-11-10T13:05:00.002-05:00

A wonderful press release describing Gary's work with autistic employees, as well as describing a number of other special projects Gary has on the table, written by Risa Borsykowsky of Jewish Gift Place has just been put up here at PR Web. It's a great piece and I suggest you check it out!

Sculpture Frames

2009-11-02T15:00:00.003-05:00

The new sculpture frame collection is here! We have 11 new frames in multiple sizes to present to you. One of my personal favorites, the WF1, is below. Click here to view the whole collection!

Lighting Candles in Moscow

2009-10-26T09:40:00.003-04:00

Anna writes to us from Hillel in Moscow, Russia:

"Hi, Gary!

It was my great pleasure to visit with students and participate in your Hiddur Mitzvah project!

Thank you one more time for having us.

Attached see our pics of having our Shabbat at the Hillel Office last Friday.

Take care,

Anna"

Some Visitors

2009-10-23T16:19:00.002-04:00

Last week Gary had the opportunity to work with a group of Russian students. The group got a tour of the studio and created some mezuzot in a Hiddur Mitzvah project which will be donated to an organization back in Russia. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed themselves as is easily evident in this photo!

Photo Frame Sculptures

2009-10-12T16:17:00.002-04:00

A few days ago I leaked the news that we've been working on a new collection of picture frames to fill the void that our old discontinued frames have left. I can confirm now that the collection is a go and we're moving forward into final stages of development. In the meantime I'll leave you with another little teaser of one of the new photo sculptures. Enjoy, and stay tuned for more info soon!

Woman of Valor Collection on the Web

2009-10-07T16:48:00.003-04:00

In honor of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month I'm pleased to let you know that our entire Woman of Valor Collection is now available for direct purchase from our Glass Ribbon website. As I said before, 25% of the sales of these items will be donated to Sharsheret to help those touched by breast cancer.

Picture Frames

2009-10-06T15:06:00.003-04:00

A quick teaser for everyone. Throughout the years we have created a number of different picture frames. While for the most part they were well received, they have also been problematic for us, breaking during shipment more often than they should, forcing their discontinuation each time. The wheels in the minds of Gary, Alex and Greta have been turning though and it looks like some pretty cool frames, that solve the breaking problems, are going to be coming soon. I've seen a bunch of different prototypes and I have to say, they are really neat. So be on the lookout, we may just see some new GRC picture frames in the not too distant future!

New Orleans Starburst

2009-10-06T10:15:00.004-04:00

Just a quick note here, I wanted to share a pretty neat piece of work we just recently did for the New Orleans Jewish Day School. This steel, brass, glass and screened 24kt gold wall sculpture is an impressive 3-4 foot wide version of their logo and will be used for their donor wall.

National Breast Cancer Awareness Month

2009-10-05T10:14:00.003-04:00

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The Gary Rosenthal Collection has a long tradition of being involved with this worthy cause, donating money towards breast cancer awareness through our Glass Ribbon Project. We have just recently formed an official partnership with Sharsheret as the recipient of the money we raise through the sale of our Woman of Valor Collection. Below is a photo of Gary handing over his recent donation to Sharsheret's Nira Berry.

Together we're working to promote the wonderful Create for the Cure program where organizations can participate in a FREE glass making activity, creating the pink glass that is used in our Woman of Valor Collection. Don't hesitate to give us a call, 301.493.5577 if you think your organization would like to do one of these programs!

Just For Fun!

2009-10-01T16:29:00.003-04:00

Having fun at work every now and then is important, and the GRC takes that very seriously. At our September birthday party we had a pinata! Check out the facebook photo album for more great pics and even a video!

The Obamenorah!

2009-09-30T15:02:00.004-04:00

We have officially partnered with Temple Micah, and the details are ironed out for this project to make a menorah for the White House. For all the details, I am passing along the explanatory letter from Deb Srabstein of Temple Micah:

Dear Colleague,

I would like to invite you to join me in a very exciting opportunity. I am working with nationally renowned Judaica sculptor, Gary Rosenthal, to commission a unique Hannukiah to be presented to President Obama this coming Hannukah. No matter your personal or political views, I know you join me in wanting to express and to share our hope with our President. In order to create a truly special sculpture, we are extending this invitation to Jewish schools and communities across the country, in hopes that Jewish communities from all 50 states will be represented in the final piece (the “Obamenorah”). To see a picture of this very special menorah, visit this page.

To accomplish this, Gary Rosenthal will be donating his time and materials to send glass mosaic kits to schools and synagogues across the country. There will be no charge to the participating schools. As a completely free activity, you will design a small triangle of glass that represents how you light up your community with g’milut chasadim, acts of loving kindness. As part of the activity, you will also make a drawing to represent the same, and send along a one page story of how you share your light with those around you.

The glass will be fired and placed alongside other triangles to create a beautiful work of art on the menorah. The drawing and story will be placed in a book that will be presented along with the final Hannukiah.

In order to participate, here is what you need to do:

Contact Gary Rosenthal at garymrosenthal@aol.com to let him know that you’d like for your community to participate no later than October 10^th. Gary will then mail you the materials needed to participate in the project.
Pose this question to your community: “How does our community help to bring light to the world?” While of course your answers might be abstract, we are looking for specific community-wide projects or initiatives that you feel may be inspiring to others. Please write a one paragraph answer.
Honor one artist in your community to draw a picture of how your community brings light to the world. You may choose an artist old or young, famous or not yet famous.
You will then create a small mosaic triangle based on the picture. The mosaic triangle will be based on the picture/tikkun olam project, but will be an abstraction of it. You may choose one color or idea that best represents the whole picture.

The glass piece, picture, and paragraph need to be received by Gary no later than November 15^th, 2009. The picture and short paragraph will go into a book that explains the process that went into creating the menorah. Gary will then take each glass triangle and integrate it into the menorah. Additionally, we will create a book that accompanies the menorah with the description of each project.

Gary will also ask your help in creating smaller versions of the "Obamenorah." Each participating community will receive five glass triangles to turn into mosaics and then each one, individually, will become the front of a menorah. This limited edition item will be available for sale on a first come/first serve basis with 100% of the proceeds going to fund future Hiddur Mitzvah projects.

Thank you for joining me in this exciting project.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me. Please pass this letter on to other colleagues!

Kol tuv (all the best),
Deborah Ayala Srabstein
educationdirector@templemicah.org

Facebook

2009-09-24T10:01:00.003-04:00

If you haven't already, check out our Facebook page! There we have news, photo albums from around the studio, and you can keep up to date with everything going on here.

We're approaching one hundred Facebook fans now and I'd like to let you know, once we hit double zeroes, each of our fans will be receiving something special from the Gary Rosenthal Collection! I can't go into details yet, but I think you'll like it.

So if you haven't become a fan of ours over on Facebook, now is the time to do so, and tell your friends. The sooner we hit one hundred, the sooner we can send out your something special!

Hiddur Mitzvah in the News

2009-09-15T16:12:00.002-04:00

This is a little old, but it somehow slipped past my attention until now.

Via The Atlanta Jewish Times Online

11/27/2008 8:32:00 AM

Email this article • Print this article

Participants order Judaica items from the Gary Rosenthal Collection, such as a menorah, tzedakah box or dreidel. They use special Hiddur Mitzvah kits to design their own fused glass patterns.

The designs are sent to the studio, where they are fired and added to the modern metal items – each one as unique as its creator.

Congregation Beth Shalom members Rene Montaigne and Leslie Lopp design fused glass for artistic Judaica as part of the Hiddur Mitzvah Project.

COVER: Building Community Through Art

Jody Steinberg
Special to the Jewish Times

Congregation Beth Shalom members Rene Montaigne and Leslie Lopp designed fused glass for artistic Judaica as part of the Hiddur Mitzvah Project, a popular community project sponsored by the Beth Shalom Sisterhood. The glass will be fused and mounted on metal Judaica items designed by the Gary Rosenthal Collection. "My brother is very hard to buy gifts for," said Montaigne, "but he liked the Tzedakah box I made him at the last Hiddur Mitzvah project so much that I'm making one for the other brother."

The Hiddur Mitzvah project has been a popular program at Beth Shalom, because members love coming together to be creative. The items make unique gifts or become special family keepsakes, according to Andrea Rosenbloom, who organized the event with Marcia Moneit.

"The Hiddur Mitzvah Fund has worked with tens of thousands of people around the world who use art with mitzvah," explains Judaica artist Gary Rosenthal, who founded Hiddur Mitzvah. "It's a beautiful mitzvah to make Judaica - one of 613 commandments is to make beautiful ritual. People connect with each other and help other communities; the art project becomes a catalyst for mitzvot."

Rosenthal founded the Hiddur Mitzvah Foundation about eight years ago as a tool to build community around creating art and turning it into a mitzvah project. Profits from the sales of the kits fund programs around the world. For example, Rosenthal sponsored the first organized Jewish community event in New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina. Residents came together and created over 500 donated menorahs and dreidels in what's been described as "the calm after the storm - a chance to relax among community and create something beautiful to replace so much that was lost." The program was such a success that Hiddur Mitzvah returned in the spring with donated mezuzot, and ultimately helped found the New Orleans Jewish Music Festival.

In other Hiddur Mitzvah projects, grandchildren of Holocaust survivors created two items each - one to keep, and one for Hiddur Mitzvah to deliver to survivors in diminishing Jewish communities in Poland and Russia. Hiddur Mitzvah has also sponsored Purim in Uganda and Shabbat dinner in Argentina. A group in Maryland created fused glass art to commemorate Kristallnacht.

New Challah Knives and Boards

2009-09-15T15:23:00.007-04:00

Just because the New York show is over and the new catalog is on its way out the doors doesn't mean that we've stopped designing new work! Introducing two new challah boards and accompanying knives:

These knives will have a suggested retail of $80 and the boards, $120.