Welcome to "Stuff we love" (and by love, we mean LURV!) Here we'll share with you great stuff we come across--some of it witty, some of it wise, some of it wacky, all of it fun. And none of it contributes in any way to the pocketbooks (or pocketbook buying power) of those of us here at MJM.com. Simply stuff we love.
14. Marc Jacobs' Daisy Ring
Okay, this one has nothing to do with Judaism (well, Marc Jacobs is Jewish...) BUT this page is all about stuff we love, and we LOVE this ring.
I got it for my birthday from my sis and it just makes me so happy I had to share. It looks like the cutest daisy ring but it slides open to reveal the perfect summery perfume "Daisy". It makes any outfit look so hip (even truly old shorts and tee shirts). And, at only $30, it's a no brainer.
These are flying out of the stores, but try Nordstrom or Sephora (the photo links to the Nordstrom website. enjoy!
13. "Schlep" bags
Ach! I wish we had thought of this one! Show your Yiddish (and Green) leanings with this clever bag from PopJudaica.com (and while your there--check out the site--the owner's a "Yenta" and MJM friend!
12. ModernTribe.com
Gorgeous gifts for Mother's Day (or any day!) from ModernTribe, an online Judaica store. Truly beautiful and unique Judaica, plus lovely (non-kitchy) t-shirts. Browse this site for everything from jewelry to candles--you'll be sure to find something perfect (and meaningful) for everyone on your list (including yourself!)
11. The Passover Box-
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Who says there are only "4 Questions"? The Box Girls have created The Passover Box of Questions--a set of cards designed to get your seder buzzing with interesting discussions. Order now! (And check out their Shabbat Box while you're there. Portion of the proceeds are donated to The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University. (www.theboxgirls.com)
10. Sweet Grace Baby Art -- Stuff like this makes me want to have another baby--just to decorate another baby room. These are too cute! Wish they were around 9 years ago. Nice Jewish girl (and future MJM) Lisa Feiner will happily make the perfect tiles to personalize your baby's room (and hey, it's never to early to teach them to read!)
Visit http://www.sweetgracebabyart.com to see more samples and to order! (Or simply click on one of the pictures below!)
9. Kabbalistic Beastie dolls -- can't you just imagine Madonna buying these for her kids for Hanukkah? Way too cool. Like spiritual Ugly Dolls. The dolls are based on a ninth century amulet hung for centuries above children's beds to provide spiritual protection. I love these! More designs ar coming. You can buy online at FAO Schwartz.com. Click on the image to link.
8. Why not use one night of Hanukkah for "Family Game Night"? And, just in time is "Apples to Apples Junior Jewish Edition". Kids and I just tested it out and it was fun. My kids are 9 and 11 (the version I tested is for ages 9 and up). I enjoyed it as much as they. We didn't play under ideal circumstances--we were eating dinner at the time because I wanted to test it out in time to add to the site for Hanukkah). So, I think we could have made it more fun if we defended our answers to the "judge". But, they had fun and I enjoyed it--it was honestly a game we could enjoy equally (not like playing "Candy Land"). And, it was nice seeing the Jewish words come up on the cards (everything from Halacha to shopping!) You can find it at Barnes & Noble or order online through Judaism.com.
Speaking of Jewish games, I also heard about this Chanukah deal: Looney Labs, a game manufacturer has a fun card game called Fluxx, and a 7-card add-on called the Jewish Booster Pack. Adding the 7 cards adds a Jewish "flavor" to the Fluxx game, and it's always good to throw Jewish and fun together whenever we can. Fluxx is a game with the gimic that the rules change as the game goes along. There are Goal cards, and when played, the goals change, so you might be closer or farther from winning at any given turn. New Rules cards determine how many cards you play, pick, or hold. Keeper cards are the ones you collect to meet the Goals. It's fun, and doesn't require a lot of rules learning; you basically jump in and start playing. My kind of game.
So the Chanukah deal is that if you order a Fluxx deck through their exclusive website, you get the Jewish Booster Pack free. You save $2. Hey, you can use the $2 to buy a little chocolate gelt to go with!
Here's the website with game play info and the link to the order page for the Chanukah deal.
7. Check out the latest issue of JW Magazine for some great Hanukkah gift ideas! ("Thou Shalt Snack latke crisps" and the Star of David bundt pan were my personal faves.)
Plus, JW Mag is part of Jewish Women International (JWI), an amazing organization that works to end domestic violence.
Click on the logo to learn more about JWI (donations and subscription would make wonderful Hanukkah presents for all those wonderful MJMs in your life!
6. Hanukkah is just around the corner, my dear friend (and editor) Joelle snet me this info about the amazing company she works for(Fair Winds Trading). The items she mentions
below are perfect "feel good gifts" for the holiday or ANY occasion really. A great way to add style AND tzedekah to your holiday (More info on the impact of the bracelets and baskets is below):
BRAND-NEW O GEMSTONE BRACELETS, which are featured in the December issue of O Magazine (on stands now). I can not believe we pulled this off, from getting all the gems (mined in Africa) to training the Rwandan women to make them--that was all Dean, brilliant man that he is--and shipping them back to the US in time for on-sale. An amazing feat. I just designed the tags, but I was in awe of everyone hookin' it all up. AND THEY ARE STUNNING. I love these things. Quantities are limited.
Check the out at: www.macys.com/obracelet
NEW fabulous RWANDAN BASKETS are now on-sale...perfect for holiday gifts or just in general. Many of you know about our work in Rwanda...the Macys site is awesome and gives great detail about the work we've beeen doing. The baskets are gorgeous and each come with a certificate of authenticity...
www.macys.com/rwanda
**The women truly benefit from making these bracelets and baskets. They are paid for each piece they make, and with their earnings have been able to afford food--better food, like meat, milk, fruits and vegetables--for themselves and their families, as well as shelter, school tuition and supplies, health insurance, clothing... as well as many other things we take for granted here. Also, many of their kids are now enrolled in school (as their parents can finally afford it), ensuring a brighter future for another generation. Additionally, many of the women who made the O gemstone bracelets are HIV positive; learning how to make the bracelets not only gives them a sense of purpose, but many are no longer hungry and thus continue to take their ARVs.**
And of course I have to mention the great New York Times article by Lesley Jane Seymour, who came to Rwanda with us this summer. Read it here
5. Great Hanukkah CDs
Here are a few we love!
The LeeVees HANUKKAH ROCKS
Barenaked Ladies BARENAKED FOR THE HOLIDAYS
Julie Silver IT'S CHANUKAH TIME
Poppa's Kitchen A ROCKIN' HANUKKAH
Various Artists HANUKKAH
Various Artists (Barnes & Noble) THIS IS CHANUKAH
4. Where to find Children's Judaica
--------------------------------
Results from our recent online survey showed that many
of you are interested in purchasing (or just learning
about) Children's Judaica in the coming months. With
that in mind, we spent this month researching "what's
out there" for your kids. And trust us when we say
that there's a LOT out there!
We looked at kiddush cups, menorahs, shabbat kits,
yarmulkes, mezzuzot, tefillin, tzedakah boxes... you
name it, we looked for it and at it!
And, we developed a short list of some of our favorite
items.(Please keep in mind that we in no way receive
monies from the companies or online stores we
mention.)
Here goes:
www.milechai.com
What a find! Our friends in the Rockies have created
a terrific inventory of Judaic items. Silver-plated
modern kiddush cups for $49.99 and tons of Jewish
crafts and toys can be found. Definitely, check this
site out.
www.YofiCollection.com
For beautiful, museum-like hand-crafted Judaic items,
head to www.yoficollection.com. (They have a
hand-crafted in Israel, "yellow school bus menorah,"
for $115.00 that we're in love with! But, alas, it is
quite pricey.) Yofi also has a Holiday Block and
Menorah Set with carrying case for $24.95 and
beautiful suede kippot for $2.20 each.
www.Judaism.com
An old stand-by, judaism.com is filled with terrific
High Holiday goodies, kiddush cups, and some of our
favorite "paint your own" holiday item kits (for
$10.95).
www.constplay.com
Who would have thought that Constructive Playthings
toy catalog would have adorable Judaica for kids?
Well, they do, and we love their products. Check out
their Rosh Hashanah and Passover and Shabbat playsets
(ranging in price from $12.99 to $27.99). Just click
on Judaic Items from the home page.
www.rosenberrybooks.com
One of our favorite High Holiday books is "Apples
Dipped in Honey" from Rosenberry Books. This lovely,
handbound beauty will delight both you AND your young
children. The illustrations are vibrant, the cover is
full of glitter, and it is truly worth the $24.95
price. This book will last a lifetime.
www.judaicaenterprises.com
We stumbled across this site while searching for a
gift, and boy, were we impressed. From calendars to
software, from music to mezuzah cases, this site has
it all. Their toy and game section is on of the most
complete we've seen. Prices are extremely reasonable
- some items are as low as $5.00. But, do not fear,
they have expensive, silver wares as well. (They do
offer free shipping on total purchases over $100.00,
and if you're ordering a Bar or Bat Mitzvah gift,
every dollar saved counts!)
And, don't forget to check out your synagogue gift
shop. Many of these shops are run by the fabulous
women of Sisterhood. (You save on shipping, too!)
Happy shopping.
3. Check out www.TrueMomConfessions.com Created by Romi Lassally, one of the coolest MJMs I've ever talked to, the site allows women to anonymously post "confessions". The fun comes in clicking "Me Too" next to the various posts. Makes you feel like you're not the only one out there feeling the way we sometimes, secretly, do. (Also, TrueBrideConfessions.com and TrueDadConfessions.com).
2. Okay, I was sitting in Urban Country (a wonderful furniture and home accessories store in Bethesda, MD) waiting to order a new coffee table and, like usual, chatting with my sis in CA on the cell, when my eyes happened upon a really cute, cute, cute "lazy Susan". All hand painted and crafted with pictures and sayings--grogeous, fun. Then, I thought, "hmmmm, that looks like a kiddush cup and Shabbes candles." And, guess what? They were! Along with sayings like "Family traditions", "Remember and Keep the Sabbath", Love", "Respect", and other wonderful sayings that seemed straight out of MJM Guide to Shabbat. At $325, it wasn't cheap, but, it's handmade (in Iowa) and you can even request your own sayings to have painted/carved into the plate. It will certainly become a family heirloom.
Call Laurie at Urban Country 301.654.0500 to order, or check out www.sticks.com.
1. Our first "stuff" is a wonderful new eZine that is a joint venture of Hadassah and Brandeis University. Edited by Michelle Cove (a true MJM herself!) it aims to spark conversation among Jewish women.
614
Yes, it's called 614. The name is derived from the idea that even with 613 commandments, there is still room to grow--room to improve--ways to explore and to be innovative.
As Michelle explains in the inaugural issue: "First we came up with the premise. We wanted to create an online magazine that would offer an opportunity to explore what Jewish experts, authors and scholars are discussing around the world. This could be anything from which books every Jewish woman should read to whether feminism is different in Israel than in the U.S to what the future holds for Jewish women in various countries. Rather than providing lengthy tomes, we wanted to provide short intriguing essays from various perspectives, and offer ways to learn more when possible. In short, we aspired to create a non-intimidating world of learning that would get Jewish women talking."
Best of all, the subscription is the low, low price of free! Just submit your email address and issues will be delivered into your inbox (or simply click on the link above and read whenever you'd like).
So, consider it a mitzvah to click and read and learn and discuss.
Hope you love it too!
Want to tell us about stuff you love? Email us and maybe we'll love it too!
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