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Jewish Mothers in the House!There's a big controversy on when life begins. In Jewish tradition the baby is not considered viable until after it graduates from medical school or has a successful start up!Wonder Woman and Family SuperheroCall it Jewish guilt, or chutzpah, but we all know who the real hero is here - the beloved Jewish Mother. We're far too familiar with this stereotype, most likely from our own homes! It's the harsh, adamant, controlling mother who even when she's not physica …

Here are some tips. Plan ahead, think of  possible scenarios, plan the Seder think who can and can't come. Where will the older folks be?Really adorn the table, even if fewer people are coming, do be festive. Perhaps out of towners will not be coming, so be local, and decorate the table in style. As the suggestion is to keep a distance  the table can still be longer and so there may be more room to beautify itWe are all feeling a bit more stressed than usual, so let’s share th …

10 Original Pesach Gift IdeasPerhaps Passover will be all the more meaningful this year, being with family and friends, and continuing traditions, is a great way of weathering all storms. On practically all religious occasions we gather and eat, pray and drink. While food is a natural staple for gift giving, let’s be more inventive.Jerusalem designer Barbara Shaw is an innovative artist, who fuses ancient themes with the most modern and stylish. Here are her 10 Pesach Gift ideas. 1.Pesach in a …

With Pesach just over two months away, I have surveyed the main Jewish Museum’s offerings. Increasingly the trend is minimalistic. In this context that means no hebrew words. A plate with perhaps just dents to indicate it is a seder plate. Or a plate with some accompanying small bowls, for the Pesach fare. But again not a hebrew word in site. Perhaps the idea is that this week it is used as a Seder plate and next week it can used to serve the cookies and nuts. Can we say multi tasking ?This wat …

I recently attended Top Drawer a gift trade show in London. I find British design quirky, understated, occasionally outrageous and mostly fabulously crafted. It reflects the long traditions of fabric design and printing and pottery craft, I find particularly inspiring. While there are seismic shifts to online shopping, the independent store can hold its own if it offers a memorable experience and unique range. As a producer of Israeli gifts and Judaica I find it critical to look at the ge …