Hi Everyone, I want to share an amazing resource: 40 Holy Days, a free online-tool-kit of music and inspiration featuring an incredible array of Jewish artists and thought leaders from around the globe. Pioneered by Craig Taubman (check out his Pico Union project https://www.picounionproject.org/ if you aren’t already familiar with it), every congregation is welcome […]
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Choose Blessing
Hi Everyone, This week’s design was inspired by the opening words of the Torah portion, Re’eh, when God tells the Israelites: “Behold, I set before you today a blessing and a curse.” These words from Deuteronomy 11:26 underscore the importance— and imperative— of making conscious, intentional choices. Our days are full of opportunities to choose— […]
Transcendent Moment
Hi Everyone, Earlier this week a radiant full moon illuminated the night sky; it was so glorious that it took my breath away. As I drank in the moon’s beauty, I was awed by the holiness of the moment. I tried to capture the sacred stillness of that majestic moment in this design. My […]
Yarzeit Candles
Hi Everyone, To honor the memory of my husband, Andy Trattner, who died nine years ago this week, I wanted to share something I’ve been doing for the past few years: creating yartzeit/memorial candles. I’ve been making personalized candle wraps for the members of my Widows World group, and taping them around a store-bought yartzeit […]
Shema
Hi Everyone, This week’s Torah portion, Va’etchanan, holds one of the best-known passages in Jewish liturgy: the Sh’ma (שְׁמַע) Many people consider the Sh’ma (Deuteronomy 6:4), which is usually translated as “Hear O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one”, to be the watchword of the Jewish people. It affirms the oneness of […]
Every word matters
Hi Everyone, Before I put pen to paper to create a new design for Shabbat each week, I read the weekly ‘parsha’ (Torah portion), looking for a phrase or passage that resonates. This week I needed to look no further than than the opening of Deuteronomy: These are the words אֵ֣לֶּה הַדְּבָרִ֗ים. As a lettering […]