Passover and The Tambourine

What’s the association with the tambourine and Passover?

It is all about Miriam. Miriam was the one!!! Tambourines are a musical instrument that go back to Biblical times and are associated with the Prophetess Miriam, Moses’ sister.  After crossing the Red Sea she lead all the Israelite women in song and dance with their “timbrels”, otherwise known as the tambourine. So now a days along with the orange on the seder plate and Miriam’s Cup alongside Elijah’s Cup, the tambourine is another symbol to be added to your Seder table to celebrate women.

So enliven your Seder table with the sound of a tambourine. The Women by the Sea tambourine by artist Betsy Teutsch is one of our favorites and is the most fitting tambourine for your Seder table.

The tambourine features Miriam and the Israelite women celebrating their liberation.

A Miriam’s Cup at Your Seder Table

The idea of having a Miriam’s Cup at your Seder Table is a fairly new concept and not one your Bubbie or Zadie brought over from the Old Country. It was introduced as way to honor Moshe’s sister Miriam the Prophetess for her role in the Exodus and to honor women’s role in Jewish culture yesterday, today and tomorrow. It was the creation of a Boston Rosh Chodesh group in the late 1980′s. The Boston Rosh Chodesh group filled their cup with water symbolizing the legend of Miriam’s well.

From the Boston group the idea of a Miriam’s Cup has taken off and is found on many Seder Tables today, right next to Elijah’s cup. With that said one of our favorite Miriam’s Cup is a pewter one created by the artist Emily Rosenfeld. Emily Rosenfeld’s Miriam’s Cup is decorated with six carvings. The six carvings reference the well Miriam discovered and her dancing after crossing the Red Sea.

It is truly a beautiful piece that will be a highlight of your seder table. The Miriam’s Cup also makes a wonderful Bat Mitzvah gift.

Shema Bracelet with Rubies Deserves another Shoutout

We have told you about this bracelet before but thought we would mention it again. The Shema Bracelet with Rubies is made of  a combination of rubies, cubic zircon, and sterling silver. The Shem Yisrael charm is the hand strung on genuine rubies. Shema Yisrael, ”Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one,” found in Deuteronomy 6:4, is the most important prayer of the Jewish people.  The bracelet is available in 3 different sizes and 3 different color pendants.

Look no further for your next Bat Mitzvah gift.

Don’t eat it!!! It’s a Gragger!

Yes, it is hard to believe but Purim is around the corner. I tell my kids it is like the Jewish Halloween. You great dressed in costumes and consume more candy than you could possibly imagine. But it is fun.

So when you go to Synagogue this year drown out Haman’s name in style with the gragger that looks exactly like a freshly baked Hamentaschen. (Be careful someone might try to eat it.) It beats the metal boring graggers that we all grew up with ( although we have those too.)

You will be the talk of your Purim festivities!!!

Paper Mache Hamentaschen Graggers $7

Plush Plagues Bag Back by Popular Demand

They’re here!!!!!

No it is not a character from a movie it is the Plush Plagues Bag that so many of you asked about last Pesach. They are finally back in stock and ready to be a part of your Pesach Seder.

What is it you ask?

It is probably the cutest thing that depicts the 10 plagues. Each plague is represented by a cute little stuffed animal.  Even the one the represents the killing of the first born is cute in its own way. If you have forgotten what are all the ten plagues are let me remind you: hail, blood, vermin, boils, locusts, wild beasts, darkness, frogs, diseased cattle and last but not least the death of the first.

This is a great way to entertain the young and even the young at heart at your Pesach Seder. It also makes a creative Pesach Seder gift. So forget the bottle of wine, or the awful Passover macaroons (really who even likes those) and bring the Plush Plagues Bag as a hostess gift. Your host will love it.

Oil Vial Chanukah Lights- Ner Light Chanukah Lights

Are you tired of using the boring blue and white candles to light your Chanukah Menorahs? Here is the perfect solution- Ner Light Olive Oil Vials. The vials fit any menorah that fits a traditional Chanukah Candle. There are 44 Oil Vials in each box, enough for all 8 days of Chanukah. The Wicks burn for at least 3 hours and are held in place by the glass vials.

The Oil Vial Chanukah Lights takes the most simple menorahs and adds a finishing touch. The vials also eliminate the wax clean up that we all hate. The clean up is as simple as throwing out the used vials. How awesome is that!!!!

Salonika, Greece 18th Century Brass Chanukah Menorah Replica

This menorah is a replica of menorahs found in Salonika, Greece in 18th Century. (Click the link to read about the Jewish Community in Salonika, Greece.)  This Chanukah lamp probably originates from the north-eastern port city of Salonika and features an openwork back plate of scrolled branches and eight flowers.

This Chanukah Menorah is in the style of an oil lamp and makes a beautiful art piece that could be hung on your wall.

The Salonika, Greece 18th Century Brass Chanukah Menorah Replica sells for $220.