Gifts That Emphasize
The Jewish Part
JUDITH B. SELLNER SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS
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n the excitement of planning or
preparing to attend a bar or bat
mitzvah, sometimes we miss
the essence of the occasion.
Gift shops at synagogues and
Jewish museums, as well as art gal-
leries, boutiques and bookstores
cializing in Judaica, carry an eye-
opening array of meaningful gifts,
for the bar/bat mitzvah of any age.
Most cost well under $100.
Groups of friends and relatives may
get together for the more expen-
sive items —works of art and spe-
cial books.
Computers are definitely the
rage among today's high-tech
youngsters and adults. Here's a
smattering of the Jewish-related
computer software out there.
* Judaic Wizard, with history,
quotes, places, people, facts and
Jewish IQ.
* Family Bible Rhymes, with 70
musical, animated, interactive mas-
terpieces for the whole family.
* Torah Concentration for Win-
dows and Where In Israe4 a com-
puter adventure game.
* The Soncino Talmud for Mac-
intosh on CD Rom.
* The Old Testament for Mac-
intosh.
* Judaic Library, a Jewish data
base.
* Torah Gematria
* PC Hebrew Bible, with free
bonus, a complete PC English Bible
for search, retrieval and concor-
dance in English with Hebrew texts
synchronized on the screen.
A jewelry gift appeals to young
and old, male and female. A gold
or silver symbol such as a mezuzah,
menorah, Star of David, chai or
Judith Broder Sellner is a
freelance writer in New York.
chamsa (hand to ward off the evil
eye) on a chain is always popular.
Special styles include intricate
Yemenite filigree, traditional and
contemporary designs. A New
Yorker from Jerusalem, silversmith
Chava Wolpert Richard creates at-
tractive modem Judaic jewelry and
other appropriate mitzvah gifts such
as mezuzot and tzedakah boxes.
Old Jaffa sculptor Frank Meisler
makes jewelry with Judaic symbols
and zodiac signs encircled with the
Jerusalem cityscape, his hallmark.
"The people of the book" will
appreciate biographies of Jewish
celebrities in sports, music, art, the-
ater, politics, etc.; books about Is-
rael and Jewish history; versions of
the Torah and Talmud; special. edi-
tions of the Passover Haggadah —
illustrated by famous artists or re-
produced from historic versions.
The Tabernacle, Its Structure and
Utensils by Moshe Levine, based
on Torah descriptions of the andent
temple with magnificent pictures,
makes a very special gift. Bar Mitz-
vah, Its Observances and Signifi-
cance, richly illustrated and
illuminated by Yonah Weinrib, an
ordained rabbi and artist, describes
the traditions and includes pages
for filling in details of the specific
bar mitzvah. A bat mitzvah version
is imminent.
Bar/bat mitzvah is an opportu-
nity to start or continue a celebrant's
interest in fine Judaic art. Com-
mission an artist to create a special
work, such as Weinrib's original of
the bar and bat mitzvah books. A
deluxe, leather-bound copy of his
extraordinary Pirke Avoth, com-
missioned for a bar mitzvah in
1992, is now available in a limited
edition. Israeli artist Raphael Abecas-