Author Archives: Alison

Spotlight On Gallery Judaica

Posted on January 16, 2012 by Alison in Featured

Gallery Judaica is an extensive and simple online resource for a Jewish wedding, holiday, Bar Mitzvah, Bat Mitzvah, birthday — or any joyous occasion. Whether you are interested in something specific or are simply curious about contemporary judaica, Gallery Judaica is happy to help and takes great pride in their ketubah personalization service. One of the ketubah artists from the extensive roster skillfully fills in your ketubah, transforming the exquisitely displayed wedding vows into an art-piece that is truly your own.

The Wedding Yentas: Let’s start at the beginning. How did Gallery Judaica start?
Gallery Judaica: Gallery Judaica began with a class at a local synagogue around 30 years ago. The Holiday Workshop Series at Kehillat Israel made people realize that the West Los Angeles area needed a place to find beautiful Judaica to celebrate the holidays. First operating out of a private home, the gallery grew into the local community’s go-to resource for Jewish gifts and one-stop shop for Jewish weddings. Then around 10 years ago, we built a modest little website that’s grown into a major retail destination for clients around the world. Our mission has always been “Hiddur Mitzvah,” the beautification of the commandments. We love bringing contemporary style and sensibilities to ages-old Jewish traditions.

TWY: What kinds of items does Gallery Judaica sell?
GJ: Gallery Judaica sells all things Judaica. We sell everything you need for Jewish occasions: a Bar or Bat Mitzvah, Shabbat, Rosh Hashanah, Hanukkah, Passover, and we specialize in Jewish weddings. We have a large collection of stunning ketubot (plural of ketubah) with designs for every taste. Our ketubah personalization service transforms the exquisitely displayed wedding vows into an art-piece that is truly your own. We also have a wide selection of beautiful Tallits, from contemporary, hand-sewn designs to the time-honored wool with stripes. We have a range of sizes, too, all the way up to 60″ x 80″ that you can use for your Chuppah canopy! And if you’re looking to honor someone for an achievement or a contribution to your community, we have a whole section on our website dedicated to Awards and Presentation Pieces, from glass shofar sculptures to Tzedakah Boxes to Woman of Valor Platters. In addition, we sell a broad range of gift items, including Kiddush cups, Shabbat candlesticks, Havdalah sets, menorahs, mezuzahs, Jewish art, and jewelry.

Mezuzahs from Gallery Judaica

TWY: Buying a ketubah seems daunting and scary. Break it down for the Yentas and tell us: How does ordering a ketubah work and what’s the personalization process?
GJ: Ordering a ketubah is actually pretty simple, and involves three main steps: determining which ketubah text you need, choosing the ketubah design, and providing personalization information.

Step 1, Choosing the right ketubah text
Orthodox, Conservative, Reform, and Reconstructionist movements have different thoughts about ketubah requirements, so we recommend that you ask your rabbi, cantor, or wedding officiant if they have a preference about the ketubah text. Depending on the ketubah and the artist, you typically have the choice of the following texts: Traditional Aramaic (Orthodox) with or without English, Conservative with the Lieberman Clause and English, Egalitarian/Reform in modern Hebrew and English, and variations of the Egalitarian texts which include interfaith, commitment vows, English only, gender neutral, and non-denominational. (Click here to see a more in-depth explanation of Ketubah texts.) Remember that any English or modern Hebrew text will vary from artist to artist, while the Orthodox and Conservative Aramaic texts are “set in stone” with little variation among artists.

Step 2, Choosing the design
After determining the text you need, you’ll choose the design of your ketubah. From Danny Azoulay and Enya Keshet’s finely detailed papercuts, to Nava Shoham’s colorful works of art, to Betsy Teutsch’s Judaic nature themes, to Amy Fagin’s swirling hues, our online Judaica store makes it easy to navigate through a wondrous array of ketubah artists and themes.

Step 3, Personalizing the contract-turned-work-of-art
Each ketubah text has blanks for your personal information. These blanks need to be filled in with your names and the date and location of your wedding. This can generally be done by your rabbi, if he or she is willing, or by us! Some ketubot are filled in with hand-calligraphy and some with computer print – it depends on which artist you choose. If you choose to have us do the personalization, we have a worksheet for you to fill in and send back to us.

Collage Ketubah by Robin Hall

TWY: What are some popular brands or artists?
GJ: We have such a long list of great artists, it’s hard to choose! Our most popular ketubah artists are Danny Azoulay and Enya Keshet, who specialize in finely detailed papercut ketubot, and Nava Shoham and Amy Fagin for more colorful works of art. Other popular artists for Jewish home necessities and wonderful Jewish gifts are Shardz, Quest Collection, Michael Aram, Gary Rosenthal, Keleman K4 Glassart, Dabbah and Nambe. If you are looking for a tallit, our most popular come from Reeva Shaffer and Argaman Embroidery.

TWY: When should an engaged couple start shopping for their ketubah?
GJ: We recommend that you start looking as soon as possible, and make your final purchase at least six weeks before your deadline. If you need a personalized ketubah in less than four weeks (or a non-personalized ketubah in less than two weeks) we can almost always make it happen, though we do head into rush-fees. These beautiful pieces of art take time to look perfect for you and it’s best to give the artist as much time as you can.

TWY: Can you confirm what kind of pen to use on the ketubah? (The Wedding Yentas did a whole article on this, but it’ll be good to hear it again from you, too!)
GJ: Because we work with so many artists who print on various paper types, it’s hard for us to make a general recommendation. A ball-point pen is your safest bet to avoid ink bleeding. With any other type, we recommend testing the pen first by making a tiny mark with it on the very edge of the back of the ketubah to make sure the ink doesn’t bleed. Make sure you mark it in a spot that will frame or trim out later. We know for certain that ketubot by Danny Azoulay are very happy with the Micron by Pigma Color Technologies – the ones that say “archival, suitable for acid free environments.” One of our trusted calligraphers recommends size 01. Once you know which artist you’re working with, we can find out which pen that artist recommends.

TWY: What other items do I need for my wedding in addition to the ketubah?
GJ: We have a wedding checklist to assist you in purchasing everything you need for your wedding!
1. Ketubah
2. Tallit
3. Breaking Glass
4. Kiddush Cup
5. Chuppah
6. Kippot (We sell kippot/yarmulkes individually at our store in Los Angeles. For bulk orders, see our wedding checklist)

Breaking Glasses from Gallery Judaica

TWY: Do you offer a wedding registry and how does a couple get started? What kinds of items should couples include in their registry?
GJ: We have paired up with MyRegistry to offer a gift registry for Jewish weddings and other occasions. This is a great way to let people know exactly what you would like to receive for your wedding, and avoid receiving duplicate gifts!

TWY: What if you are attending a wedding or an anniversary? What are some special gifts to purchase for a couple?
GJ: For weddings and anniversaries, we recommend gifts for the home. A mezuzah is a great gift for a couple who has just moved into a new home, as is a home blessing. A set of Shabbat candlesticks, a Kiddush cup, or a challah board is a piece of art that a couple will use every Friday night. A Hanukkah menorah or a Passover Seder Plate is something they will display in their home and use each year. You can also give the couple an apple and honey set for Rosh Hashanah or a Tzedakah box for giving to those in need.

TWY: Besides weddings, what other special events or holidays does Gallery Judaica accommodate?
GJ: Gallery Judaica accommodates almost every Jewish event! We have everything you need to celebrate the big holidays: Shabbat, Sukkot, Rosh Hashanah, Hanukkah, and Passover. We have Awards and Presentation Pieces to honor individuals for achievements and contributions. We’ve got all your Bar and Bat Mitzvah necessities and gifts to give the young adult. We have baby blessings, blessings for the new home, and gifts for any occasion you can think of!

Honey Pot and Oval Apple Tray, Stainless Steel by Mary Jurek

TWY: Do you have a brick-and-mortar store and can fellow Yentas order online?
GJ: We have both!
Our brick-and-mortar store has been a Jewish resource in Los Angeles for almost 30 years. Come on by!

Gallery Judaica
1312 Westwood Blvd.
Los Angeles, California 90024

You can also order online. Feel free to e-mail (info@galleryjudaica.com) or call us (310-475-1242 or 888-311-3636) if you have any questions about merchandise or our services!

TWY: What’s one must-have Jewish household item that every couple should have?
GJ: There are two, actually: Mezuzahs and Shabbat candlesticks. If a Jewish family has no other piece of Judaica, there is almost always a Mezuzah on the front door, and we think it should be a beautiful one. We’ve also found that many people aren’t aware that mezuzahs can go on every doorway in the home (except closets and bathrooms), so there’s often room for one more when you’re looking to give a special gift. Also beautiful to display in your home are Shabbat candlesticks, which sanctify Shabbat every Friday night, and on the holidays, too!

Dating a Wedding Date

Posted on January 12, 2012 by Alison in Inside Scoop, Jewish Traditions, Planning

Every Yenta (not just us) will ask you, “So? When’s the date?” You take another bite of brisket and swallow hard. You’re not sure how to answer. You haven’t picked a date yet.

Every member of your mother’s temple sisterhood is hounding you for the date and you haven’t figured it out, but you’re feeling pressured, and you still need to do more research because once the date is locked in, it’s a done deal, so you reach and reach for an answer to give her but she’s still staring at you, expecting an answer so even though you’re picturing yourself in a strapless, flirty tea-length wedding dress standing under a chuppah adorned with pink and cream peonies, you’re not sure when those flowers are in season, so it really depends on the date you get married, and oh gosh, she’s still waiting and she has a chunk of mascara dangling from her left eyelash and now that’s all you can think about so you just blurt out: “We don’t know yet.”

There it is. That look of disapproval. HOW CAN YOU NOT KNOW YET?

There are tons of reasons!

Early on in the site’s young life, we provided you a list of holiday weekends for Sunday night weddings over the next 3 years. But what if you have questions that span outside the no-weddings-on-Shabbat rule? What if there are other holidays or mourning periods that come up while you’re trying to plan your wedding and set a date? Jewish marriages are not to be performed during points throughout a year, and we are here to help explain these calendar crossovers.

RELIGIOUS RESTRICTIONS
There are no weddings on:
The Sabbath (Friday to Saturday 30 minutes after sundown).

The major holidays; you know, the usuals: Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Passover, Shavuot, and Sukkot (sundown to sundown). Basically, every holiday you probably celebrated or heavily discussed at Hebrew school (though you may not remember because you were distracted with the happy possibility of being invited to Seth Silverstein’s Bar Mitzvah where you may be able to play Pepsi-7up and sit on his knee).

Orthodox and conservative congregations also don’t permit weddings during The “Three Weeks” (which are the 17th of Tammuz to the 9th of Av, which usually fall in July and August) and the Sefirah period (these are the 7 weeks between Passover and Shavuot, except for the holiday of Lag b’Omer, which is usually in April and May).
These times are actually considered national mourning periods due to historical tragedies such as the destruction of the Temple and a plague that forced its way through the greatest and noblest scholars of the time.

And, this brings us to the reason why June is the most popular time of year for a not-too-hot, not-too-cold wedding.

PERSONAL MOURNING PERIODS
If you and your husband-to-be are in mourning, then you can’t secure a wedding date during the 30 days of mourning that are typically reserved for a brother or sister. Additionally, you can’t plan a wedding date during the 11 months observed for a mother or father. Reform practitioners usually go with the 30 day rule for any kind of mourning period. If you’re unsure, the usual Wedding Yentas disclaimer applies: Ask your rabbi.

However, if the date has already been set, you may not postpone a wedding even if there is a death (pooh pooh) in the family. Rabbis say that a marriage is the highest of mitzvot and even mourning is not allowed to interfere with such a wonderful occasion. The wedding should go on as scheduled, but personal decisions may be made about scaling down the festive atmosphere. Again, can I get a giant bubbie-style “pooh pooh” and 3 spits please? Thank you.

PERSONAL PONDERINGS
Here’s the part where you check your own calendar to make sure you don’t make a big uh-oh on top of the Jewish practices. What kinds of flowers do you want? If you want harvest symbols or chrysanthemums, you might like to be a Fall bride. Tulips and dahlias make you a perfect picture of a Spring bride. Do you have a special date like your dating anniversary or honoring a relative’s wedding date? Do you need to make sure other occasions aren’t close to your wedding date because of your sister’s graduation or your brother-in-law’s leave from the military? Is there another family wedding that might conflict with your ideal date?

Remember this bit of important wedding advice: You won’t be able to please everybody. Follow the Jewish laws as you see fit and steer clear of personal conflicts. As long as your most favorite people are there to witness you and your groom get married, your special day will still be the happiest.

From The Expert: Zumba® Your Way Down The Aisle

Posted on January 11, 2012 by Alison in Featured, From the Expert

Stacy Gross is a certified Zumba® Instructor with over 18 years of dance and performance experience. In addition to the catchy Latin-inspired rhythms of Zumba®, Stacy uses her fun-loving and enthusiastic teaching style to create a positive, exciting and engaging atmosphere. Whether it’s a class of 20 or a corporate event with 600 people, Stacy will customize her routine and leave you feeling energized, happy, and confident. Graduating in 2010 with a B.A. in Communications from California Lutheran University, Stacy now resides and works in Southern California. When Stacy isn’t Zumba-ing away, she enjoys going on nature hikes, reading inspirational books, and watching movies with her friends. For more information on Zumba® With Stacy call 507.351.9230, email sgross@clunet.edu, or visit her Facebook page!

When you ask Zumba® fanatics, “What is Zumba®?” chances are that they will start their explanation off with a smile. A big smile. They’ll get this sparkle in their eye and launch into how Zumba® is the highlight of their week, how the hour-long class flies by, or how they didn’t even feel like they were working out because they were actually having fun. Are we still talking about a work out here? Absolutely!

For those of you who like a more official definition, the Zumba® web site describes this party-like experience as “an exhilarating, effective, easy-to-follow, Latin-inspired, calorie-burning dance fitness-party™ that’s moving millions of people toward joy and health.” Sounds pretty great, right? It gets better. Not only does this international phenomenon feel more like a party than a workout, it also helps you burn hundreds of calories in just one session. So while you, and the 12 million other Zumba® enthusiasts around the world are shimmying and shaking away, the pounds and inches are melting off (Source: Zumba.com)!

Besides the obvious health and weight loss benefits of the Zumba® Fitness Program, this work out is energizing, liberating, and just plain fun! I have never laughed and smiled this much while working out. Ever! The thing I hear most often from my Zumba® Crew is how much they look forward to this time each week. Even when they are having a horrible day and exercising is the last thing they want to do, all of those thoughts and feelings disappear once they hear those catchy Latin rhythms. My greatest joy in teaching Zumba® is when I see people let go of whatever fear, worry, or insecurity they are holding on to, truly feel the music, and celebrate life and themselves.

Now there may be some of you reading this thinking “I can’t do Zumba®: I’m not a dancer, I’m not coordinated enough, I have two left feet, my hips don’t move like that, I would embarrass myself, I’m too this, I’m too that, yadda, yadda, yadda.” And to anyone who is feeling that way, I say: it doesn’t matter! Seriously! The only thing that matters is that you are having an absolute blast (and that you are doing the moves safely of course)!

When any of my students feel apprehensive about doing Zumba®, I tell them about a 60-something woman from Russia who would drop into my classes, which were mostly made up of college students. Most of the time, she was doing a completely different move than I was, but she always had a smile on her face. I didn’t care that she was doing her own thing, because she was enjoying herself and letting the music move her. I loved watching how liberated and free she was. She didn’t let her age or skill levels interfere with her experience; instead, she got out of her head, and danced from her heart. In my opinion, that’s what Zumba® is all about.

Regardless of where you are at on your fitness journey, Zumba® can be an excellent tool for brides-to-be. Whether you want to lose that extra cushion to fit perfectly into your dress, or just feel more sexy and confident about yourself, Zumba® puts you in touch with your body and reminds you that the more you love it, the better it will treat you. Besides using Zumba® as a means to boost your own confidence for the big day, Zumba® makes for a unique, amusing and memorable bachelorette party and provides a great way to bond with bridesmaids, mothers-in-law, and other honored guests of the wedding.

No matter how you would like to incorporate Zumba® into your life, just make sure you give it a try. I guarantee you will smile.

ZUMBA® and the Zumba Fitness logo are trademarks of Zumba Fitness, LLC, used under license

Real Jewish Weddings | Chicago, IL

Posted on January 10, 2012 by Alison in Real Jewish Weddings

Love was just a shutter click away and didn’t take long to develop. It was the first day of the couple’s second semester at The Illinois Institute of Art-Chicago. Joe and Alli both decided to go back to school after obtaining their undergraduate degrees to pursue a career in graphic design. By chance, Alli and Joe were in the same photography class. The first assignment was to partner up and explore Chicago through the lens of their digital cameras. Joe quickly asked Alli to be his partner and the relationship quickly developed from there.

During a family vacation in Arizona, Joe asked Alli to climb Camelback Mountain. They woke up at the crack of dawn and started climbing the mountain together. They spent several hours climbing (Alli is not much of a hiker, so they took a lot of breaks), but they finally reached the top of Camelback. After admiring the view and catching their breath, Joe got down on one knee and asked Alli to spend the rest of their lives together. Alli immediately said “yes” and the couple rushed back down the mountain to meet up with their families to announce the great news.

Although Alli and Joe had a rather large wedding, they knew that they wanted the party to feel as intimate as possible. They made it “so Alli and Joe” by designing their own invitations and deciding on having their ceremony in the round. Also, the they have a deep love for art and architecture, so deciding to have the ceremony and reception at Cafe Brauer (A historical landmark located in the Lincoln Park Zoo in Downtown Chicago) was the perfect fit for them. They wanted to make sure they mirrored the beautiful Prairie Style design of the building into their wedding as much as possible. The day was exactly what the couple envisioned it to be. It was the perfect start of the rest of their beautiful life together.

Mazel tov, Alli and Joe!

Venue- Cafe Brauer
Photography– Jeremy Lawson Photography
Catering– Entertaining Company
Flowers– Kehoe Design
Wedding Gown– Enzoani
Bridal Salon– The Dresser
Reception Entertainment– Front of House
Ceremony and Cocktail Entertainment– Front of House
Bridesmaids Gowns– Bill Levkoff
Groom’s Tuxedo– Nordstrom
Kiddish Cup- Michael Aram
Ketubah- Ketubah Kraft
Invitations, Table Cards, and Dinner Menus- Designed by the Bride and Groom

real-jewish-weddings-|-chicago,-il

Free Wedding Dress aka No, This Is Not A Joke

Posted on January 9, 2012 by Alison in Featured, Gotta Have It

What if you’re been there, done that, your wedding is over, and you have a wedding dress you’d like to sell? Sell it on PreOwnedWeddingDresses.com! What if you’re getting married and you’re itching for a designer dress or a specific gown that you can’t afford on the retail circuit and you’re wondering if you can possibly find it with a lower dollar amount attached? Shop on PreOwnedWeddingDresses.com! Okay, here’s another one for you: What if you’re broke and you find yourself looking at the clock when it says 11:11 and no black cats have crossed your path and the cop totally let you go with a wink and a warning when you were driving 60 in a 45? Well, you are a lucky gal and you should definitely be entering for a chance to win a beautiful wedding gown on, you guessed it, PreOwnedWeddingDresses.com.

Okay, so a little background first:

PreOwnedWeddingDresses.com can help any bride find the wedding dress of her dreams – and stay within her budget.

With thousands of new, sample and used wedding dresses by more than 300 different designers, your dream dress is just waiting to be found! Find every silhouette, neckline and style with prices from $100 – $10,000. There is truly a dress for every bride!

Know exactly what you want? Search by Designer, Search by Size and the Advanced Search are great options. For brides looking for inspiration, take a look at our Dresses We Love, Best Dresses for Your Shape and Best Deals pages.

So here’s the lucky part:

PreOwnedWeddingDresses.com is celebrating the New Year by giving away a $2,000 wedding dress! With over 7,000 gowns to choose from, the hardest part about winning might be choosing which wedding gown you’ll want to wear. Just imagine having 2,000 extra dollars in your wedding budget, and wearing your dream dress. If you win this giveaway, you will!

That’s huge money. That could be your flower budget! Or upgraded bells and whistles to your videography purchase! Or, quite a few mai-tais on your Hawaiian honeymoon! I mean, two thousand smackers. That would be s’cool. So you’ve got to enter because, really, how proud would I be if one of our very own Yentas won this phenom prize? I’d kvell like your bubbie did when you chanted the Torah in your half-girly-half-grown-up pubecescent voice at your bat mitzvah.

The contest runs from January 1 through January 31. You still have time. Gooooo! Enter here!