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These designer Seder and Matzah Plates will not only make magnificent centerpieces for your Passover holiday table, they will be a treasured pieces of legacy Judaica for generations to come.

Israeli artist and designer Ronit Akavia infuses traditional Jewish ritual objects with contemporary style and a modern edge. Her remarkable creations feature colorful Israeli flowers and foliage suspended in clear lucite / acrylic resin.

By incorporating elements of nature into her Seder Plates and Matzah Holders , Ronit's Passover designs truly express the spirit of the holiday. After all, Pesach / Passover is also known as Hag HaAviv --the Spring Festival.

Some of the Matzah Plates in this collection have an entire piece of actual Matzah embedded inside. What could be more evocative of Passover than Matzah?

Featuring clean lines and sculpted forms, Ronit's work has all the translucent beauty of glass without the risk of breakage / damage. The overall effect is a sense of timeless beauty. These Seder pieces are brilliantly colorful and boldly expressive--a dramatic departure from the traditional silver / silver plated Jewish ritual objects. Best of all, they never require polishing!).

What is the Jewish New Year?

Why do Jews blow a Shofar / ram's horn on Rosh HaShanah?

Why is Yom Kippur the holiest day in the Jewish year?

Why do Jews fast on Yom Kippur?

To find out, check out my Squidoo lens:

Celebrating the Jewish High Holidays

We are offering a remarkable selection of Museum Replica Judaica and Jewish jewelry that includes Mezuzahs, pendants / necklaces, and charm bracelets. These items are not only extraordinarily beautiful, they are truly legacy pieces and will be passed on from parent to child for generations to come.

Give a piece of history ...
Made by Heritage Museum Replicas, the quality of these historical reproductions / adaptations is second to none. Many of these designs were made in cooperation with The Jewish Museum of New York or the Israel Museum of Jerusalem. Most come with a card from Heritage Museum Replicas describing the historical inspiration of the piece. Works of art in their own right, these reproductions are made with the exacting standards and impeccable craftsmanship that one would expect from jewelry and collectibles found in the gift shops and online stores of museums throughout the world.

More than just a present, a source of spiritual inspiration ...
You don't have to be Jewish to appreciate the intense spirituality of the pieces. Ancient symbols such as the six-pointed Star of David, the Menorah, and the Hand of Miriam / Hamsah have profound significance and are awesome sources of power according to Kabbalah (Jewish mysticism). The designs in this collection are inspired by biblical artifacts, synagogue art and architecture, motifs from Jewish folk art, and mystical / Kabbalistic themes.

These items make All Occasion gifts--birthdays, anniversaries, Bar Mitzvah / Bat Mitzvahs, Confirmation, Graduation. Best of all, one size fits all!

My husband and I met our college-aged son in Israel for a once-in-a-lifetime, two week vacation over the winter break. Since Judaica, Jewish ritual objects, and Jewish art are a personal passion--as well as core categories of my business--I couldn't resist the opportunity to hit the road in search of unique artisan Judaica and ethnic handicrafts.

HERE IS A PREVIEW OF SOME OF THE PRODUCTS THAT YOU'LL BE SEEING SOON IN OUR EBAY STORE ...

On Mount Carmel southeast of Haifa in the heart of Carmel National Park, there is a Druze Village named Daliyat El Carmel which is well known throughout Israel for its ethnic handicrafts. Culturally Druzim are Arabs, but they are a distinctive religious minority and practice a secret religion which has been closed to converts since 1050 A.D. At a shop called Halabi Anter, I found a fabulous line of embroidered / tapestry handbags, purses, and backpacks. These bags are not only distinctive, stylish, and richly colorful, they are well designed and great for travel. Brimming with ethnic flair, the fabrics used in making these bags are based on traditional Middle Eastern textiles and designs. So if you're looking for something to beat the Winter blahs, you've come to the right place.



If you can combine giving back with building your business, it is an total win-win proposition. Nitzan is a small town between the Israeli cities of Ashdod and Ashkelon. Many of the town's residents are displaced persons from Gush Katif (one of the Jewish settlements from Gaza that were completely dismantled during the 2005 disengagement and its residents forcibly evicted). While in Nitzan, I visited a makeshift art gallery--The Orange Gallery--where refugee artists display and market their remarkable handiwork. Among the treasures that I will be sharing with my customers are beautiful colored glass trays embellished with a pomegranate motif, glass Shabbat candlesticks with a millefiori-type floral design, handpainted glass Mezuzah / Mezuzahs, as well as some samples of Bnai Menashe embroidery (the Bnai Menashe are Jews from India many of whom have immigrated to Israel).



In the Israeli town of Lod (near Ben Gurion Airport), you will find Almaz, a workshop for Ethiopian Jewish immigrants to Israel that specializes in traditional Ethiopian embroidery. Ethiopian immigrants--mostly women--hand embroider the designs based on Ethiopian folk art themes and traditional symbols. These extraordinary textiles combine ethnic themes, traditional handicraft techniques, and an African-inspired use of color and sense of aesthetics. Each piece is a truly unique and one-of-a-kind work of art. In fact, Brigham Young University's Jerusalem Center for Near Eastern Studies recently hosted an exhibit of Ethiopian embroidery from Almaz. A wide range of embroidered Judaica items will be featured in my eBay store including Challah covers, Matzah Covers, Kippot / Yarmulkes, Mezuzas, and Hamsa / Hamsah wall hangings (the Hamsa is a stylized symbol of a Hand which is believed to protect against the Evil Eye and appears in amulets throughout the Middle East).



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FIND OUT MORE ABOUT MY BUYING TRIP TO ISRAEL ...

How to leverage a family vacation into a buying trip for your online business