CREATING A MIRACLE
The Real Meaning of Hanukkah
What family memories do you have about celebrating Hanukkah? Every year before Hanukkah, my grandkids come over to my studio and ask to make a new Menorah out of clay. Each year we have different ideas: a ballerina, a robot, a fire engine, to name a few we have made together over the past years. They know we will have a big Hanukkah party and make yummy latkes to eat. Continue reading
After my Father-in-law passed away, my Mother-in-law moved to an assisted living facility. She had lived in her 2 bedroom apartment for 39 years, after moving to Florida. She was not a collector, but my husband and his sister spent 2 days packing up what she wanted to take with her, and giving away the things for which there was no room in her new smaller 1 bedroom apartment. So many precious memories were just given away to thrift shops. If only we could get a do-over! Continue reading 
"Our most treasured family heirlooms are those tied in with sweet family memories."
When my first grandchild arrived, my whole world changed. It took a year and a half, but soon there was a little girl calling me "Sata," as I use the Hebrew name Savta. Continue reading 
BLUE AND WHITE
My husband grew up in a non-traditional Jewish home in Philadelphia. He does remember that his Mom lit the Sabbath candles almost every Friday night. What was more startling was that before she lit the candles, she would put a few coins into a blue and white J.N.F. (Jewish National Fund) metal collection can. There was a picture of the map of the State of Israel on the can, and when asked, his Mom would say that it will help plant trees in Israel.
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THE YAHRZEIT "CLUB"
Yizkor - In Memory Of...
I remember growing up being fascinated by the twinkling lights of the "Memorial Plaques" which were all turned on for Yom Kippur. I also remember my Mom lighting the "yahrzeit" candles for her Dad who died even younger. As a young child, I wondered if I would ever light those candles for someone I loved. Continue reading
How does an heirloom begin?
First, the story, shared 20 years later.
On the March of the Living (see http://www.motl.org ) in 1994, a young girl came up to me at the end of our 2 weeks in Poland and Israel, and asked: "Alida, I want to light the Sabbath candles when I get home, but I know my Mom won’t let me. What should I do?" I had just spent 2 incredibly meaningful and powerful weeks with this young lady, so I knew her story.
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Passover is over and now it is time to get ready for the next holiday of Shavuot.
It’s been fun and ever-interesting to create ceramic Judaica to share and become treasured heirlooms for future generations. I’ve loved sharing my passion with the pottery, the photos, my NEW Web Site, my thoughts….
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Jewish heirlooms. Remember, you don’t have to write to me personally: you can share your comments right on the Blog page at the bottom of each new Blog.
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REMEMBERING THE HOLOCAUST
A Story For The Entire Family
In 1991, my husband was in Cracow, Poland. He was one of the founders of "The March of the Living." He had some free moments so he went to visit his friend, the manager of the "Antiquarium," an "antique" gift shop in the basement of the rebuilt Jewish Community Center. They had met 3 years earlier. Continue reading
I was recently reading Meg Stone’s Blog www.myjewishhome.com and found her blog entitled "Sentimental Saps." It intrigued me, because I find myself often walking a fine line between keeping something for it’s sentimental value, or just tossing it because I only take it "out of the box" once every decade.
How do we decide what to keep and what to discard?
How do we calculate the intrinsic value of an item?
By throwing away something of sentimental value, are we eliminating some part of our memory bank? Continue reading 