Meet Our Team Members Shana, Greg Sager, and Adam Rhine

Sometimes I feel like a social director. Introductions, invitations, parties, and food are my game. Pick a day and I’ll work on the menu.  After all, I work enough, I need to have a little fun now and then. So here's now, a little fun. It’s been a while since we’ve introduced new members so I guess it’s time. Let me introduce y'all to some of our new Team EtsyChai members.

Shana: Shana of Sabina Fashions creates some of the most beautiful challah covers you will ever see. Absolutely stunning. She calls her shop Sabina Fashions after the lady she was named after, Sabina, her grandmother’s sister."She was killed in the Holocaust by the Nazis. She says "Whenever I make something, especially a Jewish item, I do it in her honor, to remember Sabina." The Nazis might have killed her, but her memory lives on and the Jewish people live on and we are stronger than ever." She goes on to say "When I sell a Judaica item, my heart sings because I know it will be used at a Shabbat table that the Nazis tried to destroy." Here’s an example of her work:

Greg Sager: Greg is an elementary and Hebrew school teacher from Massachusetts. He learned to crochet at summer camp 15 years ago and he’s been carrying around a hook since. His kippot (that’s yarmulkes, y’all) are amazing. Check out this one (my personal fave).  His designs are original. He even did a Harry Potter one.  Each kippah is a work of art.

Adam Rhine: When I first saw Adam’s shop, Hebrew Art, I was dumbstruck. Could not get a word out past oohs and ahs. It is that beautiful. From his profile, Adam is “an artist who has been creating ornate, highly detailed Judaica watercolor paintings since 1999. His style is heavily influenced by medieval illuminated manuscripts which he combines with modern palettes and aesthetics.” In other words, gorgeous. Here is Tzedakah.

Incredible work from three very talented people.

Post by Eileen aka Goofing Off. You can call me Goof.

The Month of Av

The months of the Jewish year are called in the Torah by number only (the first month, second month, etc.) Over time, during the exile, the months assumed the names given to them by host cultures and thus “Jewish” months as we know them today are actually Babylonian in origin. These names were so common, that 8 out of 12 are mentioned in the later books of the prophets.

Even though the name Av is Babylonian in origin, one cannot help but take note of the subtle nuance of the name. Av means father, and in the fifth month of the Hebrew year, God’s persona of Father is truly demonstrated.

It is stated in the Book of Proverbs (13:24): “One who spares his rod hates his child, but he who loves him, disciplines him in his youth.” God warned the Jewish people that their misguided behavior would result in disaster, but they ignored His warnings. Thus the beginning of the month of Av was the time of the destruction of both Holy Temples, disasters which the Jewish community commemorate with an annual day of mourning on the ninth of Av (Tisha B’Av). When He allowed the Babylonians (and then the Romans) to conquer Jerusalem, destroy the Holy Temple(s) and drive the Jewish people into exile, God had one fatherly goal in mind--that the Jewish people should see the error of their ways and correct themselves.

A parent who punishes a child still loves the child and still wishes to share in the child’s happiness. Rejoicing is also an important facet of the month of Av. Tu B’Av (literally 15th of Av) is a day of tremendous rejoicing in Israel when, traditionally, unmarried maidens would go out to the field to find a husband. Thus in Av, after God completes the role of disciplinarian, He comes forward to watch, and enjoy, as His children rejoice. 

Source: Jewish Treats National Jewish Outreach Program

"Chodesh Av," the Month of Av, is referred to in the Bible as the "Fifth Month," counting from Nisan, the "First Month." There is a Biblical reference in BaMidbar (33:38), where we find "And Aharon the Priest went up to Hor Hahar at the command of G-d, and he died there in the fortieth year after the Jewish People had left Egypt, in the fifth month, on the first of the month." (BaMidbar 33:38). This tragedy, the death of Aharon, was perhaps a signal that this month would be a month of tragedy throughout most of Jewish History. See Biblical Significance for an elaboration of this idea.

Source: OU