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for Jewish educational products
Asked to help children put on a
started 20 years ago by Drissman
Purim show, all she could find was
and her husband, Michael.
a dreadful play. So she wrote her
Today, their company reaches
own.
more than 4,000 synagogues
All this happened while Driss-
and homes. Orders can range
man — who holds a bachelor's
from a request for a single copy of
degree in fine arts and a master's
a book to a request for 60 dozen 1 degree in education from Wayne
boxes filled with Shabbat projects. I State University — was raising five
Drissman started Beit Avot
1 children. But it comes naturally.
because she was unimpressed
"I don't know how not to do
with the quality of available Jewish
art, says Drissman, kindergarten
teacher at Congregation Beth
Shalom and art specialist at
Adat Shalom Synagogue.
What she also did not
know how to do then was
market her ideas. But after her
husband admired her first pro-
jects, the family decided
they'd start a company, Beit
Avot, and make the products
available worldwide.
"I began by making a
brochure and sending it to
synagogue-s around the coun-
try," she explains. "I said,
'Let's put it up the flagpole
ELIZABETH APPLEBAUM
and see who salutes. -
AppleTree Editor
Apparently, quite a few
Harriet Drissman, right, made a box for mishloach manot, which raised their hands — espe-
t isn't everyone who sees a Jew-
can later transform into a tzedaka box. Morgan Efros, 6, of
cially synagogue and temple
Royal Oak, shows her decorated project.
ish angle in the stories of a
educators who are always
bunch of polyester-clad space
looking for a fresh way to
to me: I'll see a Jewish connection
travelers with pointed ears (Mr.
children's educational materials.
I teach about Judaism.
— the Jewish. condition — some-
Spock), a roving eye for every
"Everything I made grew out of
Today, Beit Avot is profitable, but
female being in the universe
' where in there."
something I didn't have or couldn't I barely. "It's getting better," Driss-
(Capt. Kirk) or a really bad hair
I It may begin as an idea sparked
find," she says.
man says. "We're not losing
by something else. Then, Drissman
day every day (Mr. Chekov).
For example, Drissman was
money, but I wouldn't retire on this.
But more often than not, Harriet
says, it - "buzzes around in my
eager to secure a nice, little con-
"What I do get is a lot of satis-
Drissman of Farmington Hills finds I mind for awhile." She writes it
tainer in which she could place
faction. I love seeing children
herself going — into Jewish educa-
down and her idea eventually
mishloach manot, packages of the
enjoy doing the projects and learn-
tion — where no one has gone
I becomes reality: a Jewish toy, pro-
goodies one gives to friends and
ing about Judaism."
before.
I ject, book or activity. All of this
neighbors on Purim. When she
One of Drissman's first creations
together adds up to Beit Avot
"I'll just see it in everything," she
didn't find one she liked, Drissman
was an item that continues to be
says. "I'll be watching TV, Star Trek
(meaning, "House of Our
made her own out of a milk car-
her hottest seller today: a moving
I Fathers"), a mail-order company
comes on and it will be so clear
ton.
wheel, the Handy Hebrew Helper,

How a local
woman's sense of
fun and art, and
love of Jewish
education; became
a business.

I

2/25
2000

97