Modern Jewish Life & Style

Plushood - Israeli Version of the Ugly Doll

2008-07-18T11:27:00.006-05:00

Plushood update! --

Check out this adorable cake made by a Plushood fan for her daughter's birthday party:

After their animation short, Plushood: Meet Your New Neighbors, took second place in the Bitfilm Festival in Germany, Shlomi and Tamar are exhibiting at Urbanix on Shenkin Street, Tel Aviv. The exhibit is called Me, You and All The Others.

From Urbanix.co.il

The difficulty of coping with a demanding and competitive urban life, the subjugation to consumerism, money and social status, beside social manifestations like violence and indifference, can be found either openly or concealed in the works presented.

Sounds a little heady but my guess it's going to be some interesting, fun illustration in a space that exhibits vinyl dolls (like Tam's Qee) and other artists inspired by graffiti, comics, manga, hip hop, pop culture, and street fashion.

A Jewish Valentine's Day?! - the 15th of Av

2008-07-14T16:51:00.002-05:00

Tu' B'Av, or the 15th of Av, is "A Day of Love" celebrated similarly to Valentine's Day. Who knew? Not I. In ancient times Tu' B'Av was celebrated by young single women dressing in white and shaking their groove things in vineyards. Young men from all 12 tribes would seek-a-peek, hoping to find their future wives. Read more about this holiday at My Jewish Learning.

The reason I became aware of this holiday is because JConnect LA and Jewlicious are putting on LOVE FEST 2008, Thursday August 14th at Fu's Palace LA. Beyond love, the event celebrates Lisa Klug's book, Cool Jew: The Ultimate Guide for Every Member of the Tribe.

Details:

When: Thursday, August 14 @ 8:30pm

Where: Fu's Palace, 8751 W. Pico Blvd.

Los Angeles 90035

What: Love Fest of Heebster Fun

* World Music performance by Moshav
* Spoken word performance by Smooth-E
* Book signing with author Lisa Alcalay Klug
* Drum circle
* Heebster marketplace
* DJ spinning the Jewke Box
* Mouth watering eats

Cost: $20 in advance or $25 at the door (price includes 1 free drink)
Pre-pay at www.JconnectLA.com
Info: Call Michal @ 310-405-2336 or Michal@JconnectLA.com

Plus, ModernTribe.com is giving away gift bags with fun stuff and gift certificates from ModernTribe.com.

Open E: Starting An E-Commerce Website

2008-06-29T19:19:00.007-05:00

This is the second post in a series called "Open E at MT." In the spirit of the Open Source software movement, I'll be openly sharing my learning experiences at an e-commerce entrepreneur.

Choosing Your ~~Business Name~~ URL.
Judaica Modern was second runner for the name of the website now called ModernTribe -- and strongly lobbied for by my dear friend Reid. After learning so much about Search Engine Optimization (SEO), it may have been a better choice. That's because it has "Judaica" in the URL which weighs heavy for Google -- try searching for Judaica. You'll see that most top ranking sites have Judaica in the url but not much else going for them. For example, the third ranked site has a note on the home page about being closed for Passover! which was in April! But ModernTribe, I thought, would make a much better t-shirt. Oh if I only knew then...

Fun Fact: ModernTribe.com was owned by one of those internet bottom-dweller conglomerates who squat on thousands of domain names. The asking price was $1800 and I negotiated them down to $500.

You'll Need Two Kinds of Help to Build Your Site
You almost always need someone who will make your site look pretty: a graphic designer. These days it's not enough to know some html to create a good looking site. Sometimes you will also need a systems programmer. Some people say they are good at both design and programming. Be skeptical. Which type of help you need depends on the solution you choose for your website platform.

Choosing Your Website Platform is One of the Biggest Decisions You'll Make
Platforms are time-consuming and expensive to change so you've got to weigh the options carefully. Below are the four main choices you've got. Once you decide among one of these four approaches, you'll still need to narrow down to the particular what. But making the decision among one of these below is a good start.

Lease a site. Yahoo Shopping sites are an example. You pay a monthly fee to use their system which is hosted for you. The disadvantages are (1) the monthly fee and usually a percentage of gross sales and (2) although you can customize the look -- meaning -- you can pay a graphic designer to customize the look for you, the functionality of the system is whatever they offer. The advantages are (1) it's cheap and easy to get started and (2) the system is maintained and upgraded (I assume). Nexternal is another brand of site leasing.

Buy a solution to configure and host yourself. X-Cart is an example. You pay upfront for the software (X-Cart Gold is $229), upload the software and configure your site yourself. X-Cart says you don't need any knowledge of php (the programming language) to get it up and running. Yah. But you'd have to pay a programmer and/or graphic designer to customize it if you want unique look or function. Advantages are that there are no monthly fees or transaction fees, you can get the customization you want if you are willing to pay for it, and there is company support and a community of users around the solution.

Get an Open Source solution such as OSCommerce. Similar to buying a solution but you don't pay for any software. However, you wouldn't attempt to install and configure this puppy yourself unless you are a programmer -- ever -- just try following the forum posts, and there is no company support because there is no company. Instead there is large community support for your programmer. You would hire a programmer to create your site using the open source solution and you'd hire a graphic designer to work with the programmer.

Build it yourself. For completely customized function and look you can hire a programmer and graphic designer and go for it! This requires a lot of planning and specification writing and a general masochistic outlook. This is how we built ModernTribe. Advantages are big: you get what you want (or at least you try) and you own the site. Disadvantages are big too: you pay up front and age quickly -- both you and your website. You have to always be maintaining and upgrading. You become as dependent on your programmer as an infant to his mother. And on that note, I'll say goodnight, as I need to go email my programmer.

Teruah - Comprehensive Coverage of Jewish Music Scene

2008-06-27T11:37:00.004-05:00

I just found a blog called Teruah (named after the nine notes in the series of sounds made by the shofar for Rosh Hashanah). Author Jack Zaientz is creating a truly impressive introduction and commentary on the Jewish music scene. His passion for Jewish music ranges from Chasidic to punk rock and he explores all that is happening now in Jewish music. I especially enjoy reading his posts on new Jewish artists infusing diverse music styles with Jewish ruach (spirit), for example, his post on Moshav Band leading Havdalah.

His site is heavily sprinkled with audio and video clips which is oh so wonderful for experiencing the music he is writing about. He has a Radio Widget too, so you can listen to a myriad of internet streamed Jewish music. If you want to keep up with what is happening in Jewish music, in a wide range of styles, check out Teruah.

Gaya Games: The Art of Thinking

2008-06-17T20:47:00.006-05:00

Back to our trip to Israel...

While in Jerusalem, you'll likely find yourself on Ben Yehuda street, the major night-life and shopping district. Off Ben Yehuda on Moshe Solomon Street we found Gaya, a store full of games and puzzles, many of them invented and handcrafted in a Moshav (a cooperative similar to a kibbutz) called Hagor. We stepped inside to find the store full of young adults browsing the hundreds of different interlocking, string, and stacking puzzles and the friendly staff demonstrating some of the original strategy games. My husband played a game called, "The End of the Track," played on a chess board, with blocks that move like Knights but they have ball "heads" that move like Queens.

I bought the interlocking gun puzzle which can be reformed into a dog. Haven't attempted it yet.

Then, of course, I had to purchase the dreidel roulette set...

New Texas Dreidel Shirts are Here!

2008-06-16T19:12:00.010-05:00

This weekend I had the pleasure of a visit from Steve Adler from Threaded Heritage. Steve is the talented graphic artist behind the Los Angeles based Threaded Heritage shirts. We had asked Steve to take our logo to the next level and create our new No Limit Texas Dreidel t-shirts. The shirts turned out great! They are available on MT now and will hopefully be available in stores near you soon.

While Steve was visiting we got goofy with our cameras and snapped some pictures with our new shirts. He brought along his beautiful friend Maria who modeled some shirts for us too. Below Maria is wearing the Threaded Heritage Ahava t-shirt. Where are they? They are standing in our very own ModernTribe warehouse!

Thanks for visiting!

Recipe: Lemon-Mint Juice ala Israel

2008-06-15T14:32:00.004-05:00

Hi - You won't be getting many recipes from me. I don't like to cook and would order in or eat out all the time if we could afford it. However, today was Father's Day, we had friends over and I actually cooked (a little bit). I'm really taken with this recipe so thought I'd share.

A popular drink in Israel is a lemon-mint flavored soft drink. It has a slight fizz and isn't too sweet. Here is our attempt to re-create this drink at home -- our own original recipe:

Lemon Mint Juice ala Israel

2 cups ice cubes
2 lbs lemons
3 pints Sprite
one bunch fresh mint leaves
1 Tablespoon sugar

juice the lemons, strain seeds and add to pitcher, over ice cubes
add approx. 3 pints (3 16.9 oz bottles) Sprite
chop mint leaves add to pitcher
stir in 1 T sugar

Carrie Bradshaw Carries Kisim!

2008-06-12T16:22:00.006-05:00

Our customers love the Israeli designed and made Kisim Cube handbags:

"I'm completely crazy about these Kisim Cube bags (though I'm normally not such a 'bag person') – they are basically the perfect bag: they are stylish, elegant, light and extraordinarily practical." Gina K., Cambridge, MA

In the new Sex in the City movie Carrie Bradshaw sports one!

You can buy it from ModernTribe in size large ($492) or medium ($439) in gray (Carrie is carrying a large gray cube), red, or black. Allow 3-4 weeks for delivery or contact us for a more exact date (877-324-1818 or contact@moderntribe.com).

Shopping The Jerusalem Shuk - Machaneh Yehuda

2008-06-11T10:43:00.010-05:00

Judging by the number of times our tour guide gave us shopping time, people visiting Israel love to shop. The trick, for me, was discovering the jewels hidden among the schlock-shops geared for tourists. I made this my mission for every touristy shopping stop -- find the design-forward, innovative shops and items and the authentic Israeli experience. I'm sure I only scratched the surface.

The Jerusalem Shuk (shuk means market) is the largest and busiest outdoor market in Israel. There is wonderful people watching and gorgeous fresh produce, nuts, and spices. Two cuisine experiences I recommend are sampling the rugelach and other wonderful pastries sold at many booths and trying one of the unique freshly squeezed and concocted juices. Harry, of Jerusalemite, a hip guide to Jerusalem, told me there is even a juice bar where one can get khat, catha edulis, which is a amphetamine-like stimulant, added to ones juice. Chewing khat leaves is an ancient Yemenite tradition. (I'm not sure if it is legal...)

Design-wise I found two golden nuggets in the Jerusalem Shuk, tucked away off side allies off the main drags of the shuk:

30 Walnut (is the name and the address) - a clothing and accessories store selling Riva, Neta Sade, and a designer Adamverivi, which makes wallets, key rings, and handbags out of laminated and stitched papers.

Bordeaux (6 HaTut, 6 Tut Street) - a clothing store with gorgeous serious clothing and cute t-shirts with cheeky sayings in Hebrew. The t-shirt above says something like, "What can I get you daddy?," a colloquial shouted out in the shuk to solicit business. I thought it perfect for me, being a shopkeeper and all!

Writing About My Trip To Israel: A Note

2008-06-11T10:15:00.007-05:00

I've been thinking a lot about how I should write about my trip to Israel. Israel is an emotional, political, historical, and spiritual topic for me, as it is for many Jewish bloggers. However, what I try to do with ModernTribe and this blog is present a different side of Israel. Aesthetics, beauty and cleverness in design, what is fresh and new in the design world in Israel (and the space of Judaica across the world), is the focus. I want to expose the world to a different angle other than what we usually see on the evening news or at Temple and thus give people another way to see and perhaps connect to Israel. Therefore, my blog posts about my trip will largely focus on design and culture. But know, dear readers, Israel moves me in all the other ways too. And a trip to Israel is, most importantly, about deepening ones understanding of politics, history, and spirituality. But, while doing those things, I urge you to notice and enjoy the very new and exciting things happening in design, fashion, art and architecture in this thriving nation.

In the land of Plushood

2008-06-09T15:37:00.006-05:00

While strolling Dizengoff in Tel Aviv we spotted our Plushood friends, in their special, limited edition, black outfits. The pic above is of Delores in the window of a women's clothing and lifestyle store called Gusta.

Then we had the pleasure of finally meeting some of our Israeli friends in person. Shlomi Schillinger and Tamar Moshkovitz are the designers and creators of Plushood -- the animation series and the dolls we all know and love. We met at the newly developed Old Tel Aviv Port which is full of shops, restaurants, and nightclubs and coolly features an undulating boardwalk!

It was a very hot and sunny day -- thus the shiny squinty faces. But isn't Tamar adorable (on right)?

Twirling in Tovale's from Shenkin Street, Tel Aviv

2008-06-08T17:01:00.007-05:00

You'll be hearing a bunch about my trip to Israel in the upcoming week. Quickly, I want to tell you about Tovale's clothing in Tel Aviv. I visited the location on Shenkin Street where Israeli designer Naama Chasin has both her women's clothing and her "Little" line for children. The children's clothing I couldn't resist buying for my daughter. My three year old is obsessed with twirling skirts and dresses and this skirt has enough twirl to satisfy even her. It's all handmade with serious skill and attention to detail. We couldn't step five feet without someone commenting on her outfit yesterday at the Virginia Highland Summer Fest -- and she wasn't even sporting the headband! The outfit was expensive: the whole ensemble cost around $150, more than I'd usually spend on an outfit for my child. About 5x more, actually. Ouch. You can see more of the Tovale's line on their flash heavy website, but unfortunately the 2008 line isn't yet online.

OnOn Surface at the ICFF

2008-05-20T09:55:00.005-05:00

The Israeli design firm FAF Design (Forte Air Factory) is exhibiting their textile line called OnOn Surface at the International Contemporary Furniture Fair this week. FAF creates textiles like you've never seen! They create panels of fabric, cut with patterns, to create three dimensional "interactive living" surfaces. Seriously cool and unique. Take a look:

The fabric is Polyester Vellum and some include Swarowski crystals! What would you do with these textured, three dimensional panels of fabric? Here is the list of applications from the On On Surface website:

Wall Art
Extended Wallpaper
Energetic Partition
Illuminated Surface
Interactive Window Screens
Displays
Artistic Installation
Visual Merchandizing Applications

See the full OnOn Surfaces catalog here. Panels are custom made to order. I'd bet we will be seeing OnOn in design-forward store displays soon.

Israeli Fragile Salt & Pepper at the ICFF

2008-05-15T08:48:00.006-05:00

The International Contemporary Furniture Fair, taking place at the Javits Center in NYC starting Saturday, is one of the premier modern furniture tradeshows in the world.

Isreali design team Mey and Boaz Kahn Design will be there: creators of the 'fragile' salt & pepper shakers.

From Designboom,

When was the last time you emphatically broke something? well, this ceramic salt and pepper shaker set offers you the opportunity to! The design starts life in one piece and by snapping it in half, you make it useful. breaking is an experience of impulsive outburst, but this time is an act that builds rather than destroys.

What's more banal than salt & pepper shakers? Yet the Kahns have managed to create something profound and new in the form and function of spicing our food -- or, more precisely -- they are helping us create something new. How clever.

Introducing "Open E at MT"

2008-05-09T11:07:00.002-05:00

Dear Readers,

Early last year I came across an Israeli designer, Ronen Kadushin, who started Open Design inspired by the Open Source software movement; Ronen develops "blueprints" for products and then posts them on the internet for anyone to put into production. I loved the idea and thought something similar could be done with e-commerce.

So I am going to attempt a bit of "Open E" and share with you some of ModernTribe's challenges. Delving into e-commerce has been a fascinating learning experience for me and I thought many of you may enjoy hearing about this wild-west frontier of retail.

So here goes the first installment of a series of "Open E at MT."

A dose of e-retail-ality: third party warehouses make money by making mistakes.

When I started this business it was only me -- and necessarily, I hired a third-party warehouse to store and ship our products to you. Order fulfillment is a lucrative and growing industry but finding a good one is like finding a good builder (good luck!)

Our warehouse considered themselves industrial systems geniuses because they stuck SKU (stock keeping unit) stickers everywhere (and to my dismay, right across our logo). Even so, several times, they sent "My Own Chanukah Set" instead of "My Own Shabbat Set" and the washing cup instead of the kiddush cup. It came astonishingly clear that the warehouse was rewarded every time it made a mistake. Each re-shipment resulted in more revenue for them: another set of "pick" fees (per item charges for picking products off the warehouse shelves), pack, and ship fees, and also customer service time.

Our warehouse charged for customer service in increments of 15 minutes, like a lawyer. So if I picked up the phone to tell them to re-send the correct product ("the Shabbat set has 'S-H-A-B-B-A-T' written on the box...") we had incurred 15 minutes customer service time. Of course I tried to dispute the charges but we are talking about thousands of transactions all billed at the end of the month. Business school grads will appreciate this factoid: our warehouse and fulfillment charges were 1/3 of our gross sales for December, 2007. Hard P&L pill to swallow, yes?

When Erica joined ModernTribe our own warehouse seemed within reach. Several working weekends later we created our ModernTribe warehouse and have been very pleased. We even found a warehouse manager, Tiffany, who has experience in e-commerce working for another niche business, an Australian catalog. Now you can get more flexibility regarding your requests for changes to orders or shipping service -- just call or email us. And now you can tell when your MT order arrives because the box has ModernTribe on it instead of the name of the third-party warehouse. Yes, we still make mistakes -- but at least our incentive is to try very hard not to! Then we can make corrections more quickly and include a consolation free-be without incurring an additional "pick" charge!

More Open E at MT coming soon! Tell me what you think about Open E-- like it/hate it/meh?

Dawn Is Coming - Tickets Available April 25th

2008-04-12T15:53:00.005-05:00

I was checking in on the Reboot website to see if their new issue of Guilt & Pleasure is out. And it is. It's called the Death Issue (hopefully coming to MT soon.)

I found something even better than the new issue of the journal of contemporary Jewish conversations. There is a Do-Not-Miss event for you if you live in the San Francisco area: Dawn '08. Seven weeks after the second night of Passover is Shavuot, a time to rededicate oneself to the Jewish law, as received through the Torah. On the first night of Shavuot it is traditional to stay up all night and study Torah. The Reboot team is offering an unorthodox night of "study" by creating an "all night cultural arts festival" in the Contemporary Jewish Museum.

From the website: Dawn2008.org

Saturday, June 7, 2008, beginning at 8:00 PM

San Francisco's Contemporary Jewish Museum (CJM) and Reboot, are pleased to announce DAWN '08, an all-night, arts and culture festival and celebration of Shavuot at the grand opening of the Contemporary Jewish Museum, offering guests the opportunity to groove, learn, explore and mingle at the Museum's new building and exhibition space before the doors open to the public the following morning.

Dawn '08 presents a modern twist on Shavuot's traditional all-night rabbinical study sessions: taking place simultaneously throughout the Museum, the evening will offer both ritual and offbeat revelry with ongoing headlining performances and events including live bands, theatrical and spoken word performances, premiere film screenings, visual arts, dancing, DJs, lectures, comedy and open-space discussion forums.

Tickets to go on sale and full program schedule available April 25

For more information, please email dawn@rebooters.net
or tel: 415-655-7854

Welcome Erica to ModernTribe!

2008-04-03T09:19:00.004-05:00

Our regular readers have been introduced to Jennie (me) and Jeremy (our Director of Affiliate Programs who posted recently about his engagement). Now we have a new addition to our leadership team: Erica. She brings a lot of great things to MT: a propensity for numbers, fluency in Hebrew, and Israel and New York connections. Erica is originally from Brooklyn and has a Masters in Business from Boston University. She lived in Tel Aviv for many years, even joining the Israeli Defense Force after college.

Erica came to ModernTribe because her mother -- thank you Lila! -- sent her a gift from MT. She liked MT so much she called me to say so. Turns out we live just a few miles from each other. So after a brief meeting over coffee we decided this was beshert!

She is an amazing asset to ModernTribe. I'm not sure how much you'll be hearing from her on the blog -- as numbers are more her speed than words -- but I may convince her to do a post or two.

Welcome Erica!

Israel’s Design Answer to the Fruit Bowl: The Fruiton by Tom Pol

2008-03-26T14:13:00.004-05:00

By Ziva Haller Rubenstein of Designist Dream

Yes, that's right. A fruiton. What a name!? I was so excited to see this in a Tel Aviv design store last week. Loved the design, the name made me smile and then there's the concept. This isn't your beat-up old post-college futon. The Fruiton is made by Israeli Design studio Tom Pol because "every fruit deserves its individual space." So not only do your apples get to recline in regal style atop an Israeli design home accessory, they also get some r&r. Which, when you think about it, kind of makes sense, after all, why should all your fruit have to duke it out for prime positioning in your typical conical-shaped fruit bowl? Why not grant each fruit - or vegetable just to be PC - get its own chance to showcase its natural beauty or seduce you with its tasty intimations...

So, I may be reading way too much into this but the Fruiton is for fun fruit and voyeuristic veggie loving design fans who like their centerpieces as conversation starters. For Tom Pol, their design is about, "the pleasure of a shape, the confidence that emerges from quality and the comfort of something functional." And it doesn't get more functional than a futon.

{Crossposted from Designist Dream}

Epicurious - Shows off ModernTribe.com

2008-03-26T10:37:00.003-05:00

Epicurious, the recipe/food lover site, has put up a Passover Guide with seven special seder plates. Three of the plates are from ModernTribe.com: Our Moon Crater Seder Plate, the Scroll Seder Plate, and the Song of the Red Sea Seder Plate. See the slideshow here.

Also in the Passover Guide is a menu for a Sephardic Seder. I may try this one myself:

Dried Fruit and Almond Haroseth
Smoked Fish with Fennel and Arugula Salad
Spinach and Mint Soup
For appetizers: Sauvignon Blanc
Pot Roast with Orange and Dates
Spiced Carrot and Zucchini Quinoa
For entrées: Syrah or Cabernet Sauvignon
Walnut and Almond Cake with Orange-Pomegranate Compote

Pink Stinks Even in Israel: Skinboard Stickers

2008-03-19T21:31:00.009-05:00

Designistdream.com has been covering office space Israeli style. Ziva pointed us to the Israeli design firm Dean's Presents and their Skinboards: designer stickers for keyboards. The site says Skinboards fit 95% of PC keyboards. I'm hoping Mac keyboards fit into their definition 'cause I like the idea.

I'm wondering about how all our Hebrew schools and bi-linguals here in the USA would enjoy having both the English and Hebrew letters share the keys. And in such stylishly funky ways! I'd add this item to the bar and bat mitzvah gift lists. I'm checking to see if Skinboards have made their way to the USA yet. The skin pictured here is one of my favorites. They call this Urban Graffity (that's how they spell it, with a "y"). The design reminds me of one of my little girl's t-shirts that has a cute-ed up skull and the declaration "Pink Stinks."

Dotan Bahat and the Alpha Men

2008-03-06T17:45:00.010-05:00

Part-human part-animal creatures have a long mythical tradition. Egyptian Anubis has a head of a Jackal and body of a man. Homer's Harpies have the head and breasts of a woman but the body of a bird. And winged cherubs precede those found in our own Tenach (Hebrew Bible or Old Testament).

Dotan Bahat creates modern-day hybrids in a series he calls Alpha Men. The alpha male is the dominant one in a group of males. Dotan explains,

Alpha Men is a tongue-in-cheek comment on masculinity; each character
represents a symbolic male role - men in various roles of power - and its
animal head either compliments or contradicts its bearer’s designated role.

Dotan's artistic study of masculinity is inspired by his personal experience in the Israeli infantry. There he witnessed and experienced the jarring halt of adolescence and rapid maturation Israel's compulsory army service requires.

The doom ushering Crow General, the sensitive brute Gorilla Wrestler, and the ever-changing Chameleon Politician are just some of the alpha personas Dotan sees men donning today.

We have prints of Dotan's artwork for sale on ModernTribe.com.

You can see more of Dotan's work on his website.

Yael Naim and Ayelet Rose Gottlieb Rock

2008-03-02T11:06:00.001-05:00

Sophie Milman's beautiful punim graces the cover of American Jewish Life's March issue. The jazz singer is one of the women featured in Women Who Rock, a profile of several contemporary music artists all of whom are women, beautiful, talented and Jewish.

Inspired by the article and panicked over the realization I hadn't bought any new music in over a year (I've long held that new music will stave off middle age), I went on a quest to find women Jewish artists doing Jewish-themed work to add to my own collection. I've listened to more than a dozen artists over the weekend. Here are two that I love. For your reference, my taste is more jazz than folk, more electronic than acoustic, more soulful than upbeat, more alternative than pop.

Yael Naim: Eclectic is the only way to describe Yael Naim's eponymous album. The first track Paris, is sung in Hebrew but styled as French torch song, ending with a sultry "Shalom Paris." Track two Too Long is trip-hop down-beat evoking a 90's favorite of mine: Portishead. Much of the album is Fiona Apple-ish folk sung in Hebrew and English. She does a cover of Brittany Spear's Toxic. And then her hit New Soul comes along and is solidly pop. (Side note: New Soul is the music for the MacBook Air commercials.) No matter the style, her music is fresh and lovely. Listen to samples of her music here. You can buy the album right now on iTunes and the album will be released in the US in March.

Ayelet Rose Gottlieb. Her album Mayim Rabim is based on ten segments of Song of Songs, those passionate love poems comprising one of the five scrolls of the Hebrew Bible. Just because the subject matter is traditional and religious, don't let that scare you away. This music is new, powerful, and exciting. Global Rhythm Magazine sums her album up perfectly, "avant-garde yet surprisingly accessible". Gottlieb's music is intellectually challenging, yet still a delight to listen to and easy to enjoy. American Jewish Life also profiles Gottlieb. Her album can be downloaded from iTunes or bought from Tzadik Records.

First ModernTribe Jewish Wedding

2008-02-26T23:16:00.001-05:00

ModernTribe has spawned its first marriage! Jill (Editor) and I (Jeremy, Director of Affiliate Programs) are engaged.

After we'd dated for about two years, and several months after Jill knew we should get married, I too realized that. We'd planned a trip to Jill's alma mater, William and Mary, so that seemed like a nice occasion for the proposal.

My alma mater, Miami University, had a tradition that if you kissed under the Upham arch at midnight, you'd get married. I wondered if William and Mary had something similar, so I asked Jill in general terms about campus traditions. She mentioned one, then said there was another but she would not tell me about it. I looked online and confirmed my suspicion: legend has it that if you kiss on the Crim Dell bridge, you'll get married.

Jill had told me she wanted to help pick out the ring after we got engaged, so I thought a little gift would be nice. I chose ModernTribe's hamsa with two golden birds (kawaii!) to represent us. It arrived in the nick of time!

At William and Mary, it was a nervous day (for me!) of walking around the campus. Finally, we made it to the bridge. We took pictures then kissed...and kissed...and kissed...I was mentally all set to propose, but hadn't realized how awkward kneeling would be. After yet more kissing, I thought it'd be less awkward if I took her hand as I knelt. I knelt and my little spiel was unremarkable, but the look on Jill's face was total shock. When I asked her if she'd marry me she said simply "yes" and we went to sit down and recover. She asked, shaking, if I'd known about the tradition and I told her yes. I gave her the hamsa and she loved it.

Now we're planning the wedding for this fall. Wish us luck!

The Best Appropriate Cool Bat Mitzvah Gifts

2008-02-24T10:37:00.017-05:00

ModernTribe.com gets phone calls from people who've been invited to a bat mitzvah, maybe aren't Jewish themselves, and want recommendations for a gift for the bat mitzvah girl. The question is, what is an appropriate bat mitzvah gift that she'll really love? This is our little intro to bat mitzvah & guide for the perplexed about what to bring the bat mitzvah girl.

Japanese Blossom Crocheted Kippah by Diaspora Girl

About Bat Mitzvah

Bat mitzvah is a "coming of age" for Jewish girls. At age 12, they are now considered old enough to take on the responsibility to observe the Jewish laws and practice. For example, girls following the Jewish tradition will now fast on Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement, the holiest day in the Jewish year) and lead the blessings in the home. In most non-Orthodox communities the girls will participate in public religious ceremony and read from the Torah. This ceremony is what most people refer to as the bat mitzvah and it usually takes place when the girl is 12 or 13.

The ceremony is where the bat mitzvah girl will be called to the bimah (the front or "stage" of the temple) and will perform the blessings and read from the Torah. She may read or even chant the entire Torah portion (from the Five Books of Moses) and Haftara (selections from the books of the Prophets) and may even give a d'var Torah, a philosophical expounding of what she has just read (quite impressive for a young girl, yes?). This is no small task! Girls study for years for a bat mitzvah ceremony.

Tips for Bat Mitzvah Gifts

These days secular gifts are given frequently. But a bat mitzvah is a monumental landmark in the Jewish lifecycle, why not let your gift add to the meaningfulness of the occasion?

(These suggestions are in no particular "rank." With any one of these, you can't go wrong.)

Judaic / Jewish Jewelry
Of course a Jewish Star is always appropriate but she may be getting many of these. Consider jewelry with a different Judaic theme. Pomegranates are a hot design motif now. They symbolize integrity, equity, and justice. It is said there are 613 seeds inside the fruit, the same number of mitzvot (good deeds) Commanded in the Torah. With trees (for the Tree of Life) and birds (for Noah's dove) you can't go wrong because they are loved Judaic and secular symbols. There is also the chai: Hebrew letters cheit and yud means life, and the hamsa: the upside down hand which is a very popular good luck symbol.

Plant a Tree in Israel
Israel was mostly desert and marshland when independence was declared in 1948. Planting trees has been critical to creating inhabitable land. The Jewish National Fund is the charity that heads the effort and planting a tree in the bat mitzvah girl's name is as easy as going to the JNF web site. You can even get a beautiful certificate to give her.

A favorite Jewish Recipe
If you are Jewish or can request your Jewish friend's recipe for her magnificent kugel (noodle pudding) or latkes (potato pancakes), consider giving the bat mitzvah girl the recipe along with the necessary serving or cooking gear.

A Biography of a Jewish Woman
Is she a reader? A hardback book about a Jewish woman would be a nice gift. Golda Meir, the first and so far only woman Prime Minister of Israel; Rose Schneiderman, advocate for the rights of working women in the U.S.; Henrietta Szold, American who set up medical units in Palestine and helped resettle thousands of Eastern European Jewish children fleeing Hitler; Zivia Lubetkin, a leader of the Warsaw Ghetto revolt; Ida Kaminska, international star of the Yiddish Theater; Yael Arad, Israeli silver medalist in women's judo in the 1992 Olympics; and Gertrude Stein, American writer who became a catalyst in the development of 20th century modern art and literature. Looking for books on other Jewish subjects? Try Next Book, it's the place on the web to find quality Jewish book reviews.

Shabbat Candlesticks
It is the woman's role to light the Shabbat candles and lead the blessing over the candles that mark the start of every Jewish holiday. A pair of candlesticks that fit her taste and style would make a wonderful gift. A family can have more than one set of candlesticks so you don't have to worry about duplicating someone else's gift. Just make sure it's a pair of the same height.

A donation to a charity, meaningful to the the Bat Mitzvah girl, in her name
For all Jewish lifecycle events, a donation is appropriate. Giving tzedakah (charity) is central to the Jewish faith and the Commandment to bring justice to the world. It's best to choose an organization that fits the girl's interest. Does she love reading? Consider First Book which gives books to children learning to read from low income homes. Does she love dogs, traveling, wants to be a doctor? For practically any interest, there is a charity that fits. Research charities at Charity Navigator.

Public Prayer Items: Tallis, Yad, and Tallit Clips, Head Covering or Kippah
A bat mitzvah girl may get her first tallis (prayer shawl) to wear during her first Aliyah (calling up to the Torah). A well made tallis is made of wool or silk and would be a special gift from a parent, grandparent or close family friend. Like the candlesticks, a person can have more than one tallis, so if you've found the perfect one for her, don't worry about her receiving more than one. If the tallis seems a bit much, consider tallit clips, jewelry that clips onto two sides of the shawl and keeps it on the wearer. If you are going to buy her a kippah or yarlmulke which is a headcovering worn to remind oneself of the presence of G-d, in our opinion, there is only one place to buy a cool kippa for girls: Diaspora Girl hand crocheted kippahs.

Art
Hamsas to hang on the wall, papercuts, and other Jewish inspired art make great gifts.

Money/Bonds in increments of 18
If you want to let the bat mitzvah girl choose something for herself (or save for college), money may be the answer. You can give cash, checks, or savings bonds and make it more meaningful by giving in increments of 18. 18 is the number associated with the word chai, Hebrew for life. Each letter in the Hebrew alphabet has a corresponding number and the letters cheit(8) and yud(10) = 18.

P. S. -- Bring your gift to the party -- not to the ceremony Saturday morning.

Links To Learn More About Bat Mitzvah

Judaism 101
Wikipedia

Shop for Bat Mitzvah Gifts:

at ModernTribe.com

Reach Out Touch Me: Jewelry Design from Israel Gets Physical

2008-02-19T16:45:00.006-05:00

By Ziva Haller Rubenstein of Designist Dream

Shopping is a sensual experience for me in that I like to touch things on view or on sale. More than just look or pull off the rack, actually playing with the fabric or material gives me a better sense of the object - how it will wear, drape, endure, draw attention or compete with other things on my shelves. So maybe now you can understand why seeing these bracelets by Israeli Jewelry Designer Dana Hakim Berkovich behind a glass at the Designed in Israel 08 exhibition was so upsetting for me.

First off, what immediately attracted me was their texture. The woven braids on the cuffs and bracelets seemed so intricate and layered that my fingers literally started walking across them atop the glass just itching to cop a feel. Then, reading the artist's statement, I realized they were made of cardboard - egg crate cardboard to be more specific! That's right, not what you first think of when you hear of textural jewelry or think of coveted bracelets. Berkovich cuts diamond shapes into the cardboard and when rounding them into the bracelet shapes generates a 3D effect - what I thought originally was a woven pattern. Berkovich's overall technique aims to recycle used materials into beautiful accessories and challenges users to rethink the beautiful and the possible in what we casually throw away.

A little ways away in the same glass case, Israeli jewelry designer, Yael Friedman, also got my fingers itching. A delicate pewter-metal blend gold Hanukiyah or Chanukah Menorah presented the neatest little DIY project that just couldn't go wrong. A one-dimensional page of metal provided cut outs of semi-circles - each with laser cut decorations - that can be slotted together to form a fully functioning eight-plus-one candle holder. The details gave some light and delicacy to the metal material and the adornment was reminiscent of jewelry techniques. And the idea of being able to mail someone a flat DIY Menorah in time for the holidays? Opens a whole new world of holiday card options. Now if I could only get my hands on these items...

~Crossposted from Designist Dream ~