Tu B'shevat Treasury

This lovely Treasury is by Gal Sews. Thanks, Gail.

Tu B"Shevat plants trees and nature

Cactus Crochet - Yarnius Fuzzicus BlazingNeedles $10.00	Peach Rose bottlecap necklace lindab142 $6.00	HANUKKAH GIRL GIFT - Jewish Daughters Blessing - Print - Hebrew English names - Jewish Judaica Art - Print - Girls room Wall Art - Chanukah AmitJudaicaArt $35.00
Red Ceramic Pomegranate Dish for Rosh Hashannah JewishHeirlooms $14.00	Geometric vase White ceramic with red heart decal Origami inspired Gift idea Contemporary style Home decor StudioArmadillo $79.00	Olive Branch Mezuzah - Contemporary Pewter Judaica emilyrosenfeld $40.00
Small Hamsa Magnet Daisies and waves CarmelTreasuries $4.90	Aqua and Pink Square Glass Tile Dome Tree of Life Pendant with Cluster of Swarovski Crystals anjalicreations $15.95	Israeli Flowers Earrings. Handmade Goldfield. Special pearls, Swarovski Crystal gems and lovely flowers. FREE GIFT with every purchase! JudaicaBySarah $44.00
Tulip fused glass platter FREE SHIPPING YafitGlass $119.00	Art Print / Tree of Life Mandala-Print Reproduction LauraBolterDesign $15.00	Mezuzah Cover - stoneware with warm jade green glaze ClayMystique $25.00
One Of A Kind Eshet Chail Woman of Valor Judaica Print OOAK AJteam PearlBrush $28.99	Cobalt blue ring, Cocktail ring, Blue rose ring adjustable, Something blue ring gift for bride rebekajewelry $67.00	Mini Cactus Pin Cushion GoofingOffSewing $8.00
Blessings: Pomegranate Collaged Rimon Bracha norunningwithscissor $40.00

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Hanukkah/Chanukah - What's the Mitzvah?

Happy Chanukah/Hanukkah from the EtsyChai Team

Posted by Linda Blatchford, Team Captain

Here's a quiz: 
What is the primary mitzvah of Chanukah?   

a) Eating potato latkes (potato pancakes)
b) Giving Chanukah gifts or gelt (money)
c) Publicizing the miracle of the oil that lasted 8 days
d) Playing Dreidel  

The correct answer is C. While the customs of Chanukah include eating latkes, giving monetary and other gifts and playing dreidel, the primary mitzvah of Chanukah is to light the menorah and display the lights, thus publicizing the miracle when the oil in the menorah in the Holy Temple burned for eight days instead of one.  

Menorah Earrings by Linda B


In order to fulfill this mitzvah of publicizing the miracle, the menorah/chanukiah should be lit where it can be seen by the public. Chanukah lights were originally lit only in the doorway of the home, opposite the mezuzah, facing the street. However, it is now common practice outside of Israel to place the menorah in a window facing the street.  

Dreidel Menorah by Yafitglass


In order to make certain that the lights are visible, the menorah is lit after dusk. (There are two opinions regarding the correct time to light, so please consult your local rabbi.) On Friday evening, however, the menorah is lit before the Shabbat candles and extra oil (or longer candles) are used so that the Chanukah lights remain lit after nightfall.  

If one is unable to light at the appropriate time, one may light later in the night, as long as there is someone else in the house who is awake (thus fulfilling the requirements of publicizing the miracle).  

Kiddush Cup by April

If it is very late and no one is awake, one should light the menorah without the blessings.  

If there are still people in the street or in the apartments of a facing building who would see the lit menorah, it is permitted to light and say the blessings.  

If the menorah was not lit at all during the night, there is no "make-up" lighting during the day.  

NOTE: Please be sure to review fire safety procedures with your family.  


Zayde Mug Rug by Barb


This Jewish Treat was last posted on December 6, 2012.  

Hanukkah or Chanukkah Gift Ideas from EtsyChai

Here are some terrific gift ideas. Please visit all the shops on the EtsyChai Jewish team.

Hanukkah by Linda B.

You can find all the member shops at https://www.etsy.com/teams/5818/etsychai-jewish-team/members

Jewish New Year Gifts from EtsyChai

There's still a few weeks to shop for Jewish gifts from the members of the EtsyChai team. Browse around the shops and contact the shop owners about delivery dates.

Sweet New Year

Color the High Holidays

Hamsas for the holidays

Shana Tovah from the EtsyChai team,

By Linda B.

By Linda Blatchford, Team Captain

The members of the EtsyChai Team are pleased to share handmade Judaica with you before the Jewish New Year or Rosh HaShanah. As you know, the Jewish holidays are extremely early this year; Erev Rosh HaShanah is on Wed., Sept 4.

EtsyChai handmade artisans have a good supply of Judaica items ready for your personal and gift giving needs. 

Shop with us now to make sure you get your Judaica gifts before yontiff. 

Members with specials:

Lindab142.etsy.com –  15% off everything in shop. No coupon needed. 

Kippah - Silver Wire with Silver Beads 


Use coupon code ETSYCHAI.


Christine Lumbroso - 10% off 
Sterling Silver Star of David Necklace


Meredith - 10% off
Pewter Hamsa Chryphase Unisex Necklace



There are 5 names for Rosh HasShanah:

1. Rosh Hashana literally means "Head of the Year" because Rosh Hashana marks the point when we begin the new calendar year (e.g. from 5772 to 5773).
2. Yom Harat Olam means "The Birthday of the World."
3. Yom Hazikaron means "The Day of Remembering."
4. Yom Hadin means "The Day of Judgment."
5. Yom Teruah means "The Day of Sounding (the Shofar)." This is the actual name that the holiday is called in the Torah.

Shanah Tovah u’meitukah, 

Happy and Sweet New Year! 

Linda Blatchford 

Upcoming Jewish Holidays

Get ready for: 

Tisha B'Av 7/15/13
Tisha B'Av primarily commemorates the destruction of the first and second Temples, both of which were destroyed on the ninth of Av (the first by the Babylonians in 586 B.C.E.; the second by the Romans in 70 C.E.).


Although this holiday is primarily meant to commemorate the destruction of the Temple, it is appropriate to consider on this day the many other tragedies of the Jewish people, many of which occurred on this day, most notably the expulsion of the Jews from Spain in 1492 and from England in 1290. 

Star of David

Rosh Hashanah 9/4/13 = Jewish New Year - a time to start over 

Gold and Clear Swarovski Crystal Kippah

Yom Kippur 9/13/13 = Day of Atonement - repentance and forgiveness

Hebrew/English Baby Blanket

Sukkot 9/18/13  On the fifteenth day of this seventh month is the Festival of Sukkot, seven days for the L-RD... on the eighth day, there shall be a holy convocation for you. -Leviticus 23:34

Sukkot Art

Shemini Atzeret 9/25/13 evening - Shemini Atzeret literally means "the assembly of the eighth (day)." Rabbinic literature explains the holiday this way: our Creator is like a host, who invites us as visitors for a limited time, but when the time comes for us to leave, He has enjoyed himself so much that He asks us to stay another day. 

Hebrew Baby Onesie

Simchat Torah 9/26/13 evening - Simchat Torah means "Rejoicing in the Torah." This holiday marks the completion of the annual cycle of weekly Torah readings. Each week in synagogue we publicly read a few chapters from the Torah, starting with Genesis Ch. 1 and working our way around to Deuteronomy 34. On Simchat Torah, we read the last Torah portion, then proceed immediately to the first chapter of Genesis, reminding us that the Torah is a circle, and never ends.

Glass Tile Pendant

Hanukkah 11/27/13 evening - the miracle of the oil for the menorah lasting for 8 days & the battle that Judah fought to preserve Judaism. 

Hanukkah Dreidel earrings 

Visit the EtsyChai team members' shops to see more Jewish handmade creations. 

Keep watching our blog for more information about Jewish holidays and handmade gifts. 

Purim – end of Shabbat on Saturday, the 23th of February until Sunday, February 24th

Klezmer Greetings Purim Personalized Greeting Cards, Pkg of 3

An old joke goes something like this?

Child: What holiday are we celebrating today, Ima (Mother)?

Mother: The one where they tried to kill us and failed. Now, let’s eat!

Of course, the very thing that makes most jokes funny is the kernel of truth at their foundation. Purim is one of the holidays containing that very kernel of truth.

Judaic Star of David Gift Tag Great for Purim Gifts

In short, the story itself has four main characters:

• Ahashverosh – The Persian King, living in his capital city Shushan. He isn’t a bad man, just easily swayed by others
• Mordechai – The leader of the Jewish people at that time. Helps save Ahashverosh’s life by uncovering an assassination plot. Later slated for death, but rescued by:
• Esther (Persian name)/Hadassah (Hebrew name) – Mordechai’s niece who is chosen to marry Ahashverosh after he has his original wife, Vashti, is killed for refusing to dance (supposedly naked) in front of revelers at his lengthy (180 days) party.
• Haman – The true villain of the story is Ahashverosh’s Prime Minister, who tries and fails to have Mordechai and the Jewish people killed
  
  

  

  Purim Kippah or Yarmulke

You can glean most of the story from above. In the end, Esther/Hadassah begs Ahashverosh to save her life and the lives of her people. Of course there are twists and turns to the story. But, in the end, the Jewish people triumph, Haman and his sons are killed, and Mordechai becomes the new Prime Minister to Ahashverosh. You can read the story with more details here: http://www.purimstory.com/

Purim Card from Original Watercolor Pen and Ink drawing

Purim is preceded by the Fast of Esther, remembering the three-day fast of the Jews before their battle fought as part of that episode in Jewish history/lore. The Fast is usually observed on the 13th day of the Hebrew month of Adar. This year the Fast of Esther falls on Shabbat (Saturday), so it should be observed from the evening of Thursday, Feb. 21st, through Friday, the 22nd.

Purim itself is a joyful holiday filled with costumes, noisemakers, gifts of food, charitable giving and, of course, feasting. The representative food for Purim is a triangular shaped pastry with fruit, poppyseed, or nut fillings called Hamantaschen, named for Haman and representing the three-cornered hat he wore as Prime Minister.

Purim Earrings - Purple Hamentaschen Charm Earrings

On the evening before Purim, and on Purim itself, people go to the synagogue wearing costumes (especially children) and having noisemakers, usually in the form of greggars. The Megillah, or Book of Esther, is read and every time Haman’s name is mentioned, everyone “blots out his name and his memory” by shouting or using their noisemakers.

During Purim people make plates of goodies and deliver them to neighbors and friends. This is known as mishloach manot (sending of portions). Additionally, it is customary to make a charitable donation to the poor.

Finally, the holiday involves a festive meal with eating and drinking – celebrating one more victory in the history of the Jewish people.

Purim Judaica mixed media collage Simchat Purim - Happy Purim

Tu B'Shevat - Jewish New Year for Trees

Tu B’Shevat is known as the “New Year for Trees”, is a Jewish festival similar to Arbor Day. 

It begins on Fri nite Jan 25, 2013 - Saturday, January 26, 2013. 

Here are some more items that EtsyChai team members have created. 

Tree of Life Mandala Print

Tu B’Shevat (Tu Bishvat) is the 15th day of the Jewish months of Shevat. This festival is also known as the “New Year for Trees” and is observed in Jewish communities in countries such as the United States. For Jews outside of Israel, Tu B'Shevat is a celebration of the renewal of vision and awareness, a celebration of connections and connectedness-to our own inner-selves, to the social world of human beings, and to the natural world and its Source

Tree of Life Necklace

Many Jewish communities in the United States observe the festival by eating fruit on this day. The Torah praises seven “fruits”, in particular grapes, figs, pomegranates, olives and dates. Many Jewish people also try to eat a new fruit, which can be any seasonal fruit. Some Jewish communities plant trees on Tu B’Shevat.

Tree of Life Wall Hanging

In Israel, Tu B'Shevat marks the beginning of spring in Israel. Sustaining rains are at the peak of their power and the world responds, brimming with buds of fragrant life. To mark this moment, school children plant trees. Often these trees have been provided by the contributions of Jewish students abroad through the good offices of the Jewish National Fund.

Tree of Life Print

What are you doing for Tu B'Shevat this year? 

By: Linda Blatchford

www.lindab142.etsy.com

EtsyChai Goes Green!!

The Etsy Chai team is going green!....well sort of. Team member fiber artist Ruth Kenner made up a beautiful collection featuring green and trees. I just love it, however, for the life of me I can't show the collection as one so I am doing the next best thing and listing all the items in the collection because they are just too darned beautiful not to.

Woodland silk wrap bracelet by Anjali Creations

Set of 5 Blank Greeting Cards Hebrew Tree of Life by Beads of Paradise

Miriam's Cup by Ceramics by Marcelle

Family Tree of Life Fused Glass Plaque by  Yafitglass

Tree of Life by Kinor David

Oak Leaves fabric by GoofingOff

Green Woman's Kippah by Down to Earth

Olive Green Ruffled Scarf by Blazing Needles

Tree of Life print by Laura Bolter

Green Spiral Earrings by Visart

Ooak Tree of Life Greeting Cards by Another Creation

Shabbat Light Switch Cover by Tracy Lipman

Sprig Earrings by Mark Kaplan

Wedding Tags by Kapara

Porcelain Mini Bowls by Clay Mystique

Brachot on Fiber by Ruth Fiber Judaica

Boy, that was a lot of clicking. My clicker is worn out. OK, enough kvetching. Did you pick out your favorites? Everything is so beautiful. 

Enjoy.....and keep goofing off.....I will. 

Peace, love, and happy stitching! 

post by Eileen Patterson....aka GoofingOff