HOL IDAY SALE GUIDE -, Spiritually Inspired from page B18 our son's bar mitzvah," said co-founder Sam Gliksman. "His friends were Off all furs, shearlincis and accessories Now thru Dec. 24 Open 7 days ( tt (248) 642-1690 CeresnieAndOffenFurs.com 181 S. Old Woodward Birmingham, MI 48009 • M-F: 10-6, THURS: 10-8, SAT: 10-5, SUN: 1-5 4 , Holiday Gift Season is here... let us PIOIN you! Y WYK? Marty's Cookies is now Certified Kosher KM Marty's Cookies does Corporate & Holiday Gifts Perfect Hostess Gifts & beautiful Shiva Trays too. Our gifts are memorable, delicious, all natural and Michigan Made! MARTY says: "Life is not a destination. Enjoy the Cookie!" Now taking orders for Cookies Holiday Trays & Gifts! Local & Nationwide Delivery $ 5.00 off orders o $ 50.00 or more $ 70.00 off orders of $ 100.00 or more Find us in the Bagel Factory Southwest corner of Telegraph and 12 Mile Rd. 24551 W.12 Mile Rd. Smithfield, MI 48034 www.martyscookies.net 248.352.5695 Ordinary Use, Extraordinary Look, Fun, Form & Function. That's What We're All About! •Global Bridal Registry •Complimentary Gift Wrap •Mention this ad to receive also having their bar mitzvahs and we were constantly searching for gifts that didn't seem trivial — something unique that would also be consis- tent with the spiritual meaning of the occasion. "Children read a section from a Torah scroll on their bar mitzvah. We thought, 'Wouldn't it be a nice idea to present them with the identical Torah portion from an antique Torah scroll?"' The Torah scroll is the most sacred of Jewish ritual objects. A scroll encom- passes the Five Books of Moses and is inscribed by specially trained scribes. Scrolls are not written on paper. They are handwritten in ornate Hebrew calligraphy on the carefully prepared skin of a kosher animal such as a deer or calf. It takes a scribe, a sofer, anywhere from six months to a year to complete a Torah scroll. A scroll must be in perfect condition to be considered kosher. As scrolls age, factors such as heat and humidity may cause minor smudges, cracks in the letters or wearing of the prchment. These scrolls can no longer be used in services. As it is forbidden to throw away holy writings, religious tradi- tion calls for them to either be buried or hidden away. Spiritual Artifacts has acquired these Torah fragments from various sources around the world, many in storage places such as attics. The fragments are hundreds of years old and very fragile. They are ex- tremely sensitive to fluctuations in temperature and humidity and would not endure within a regular store-bought frame. Spiritual Artifacts offers customers a choice between wooden mahogany shadow-boxes and plexiglass museum cases. Both have ample room within for air circulation in order to create a stable microclimate and avoid condensa- tion. The parchment is mounted to a fabric backing using archival Japanese hinges with a protective layer of museum ragboard between the two layers. "We place a high priority on conservation in our framing techniques and only use acid-free and museum-quality archival materials," says Gliksman. "These are antique fragments that have survived for centuries. They need to be treated with special reverence — not only because of their intrinsic holi- ness but because they represent a valuable part of the history of these older Jewish communities. The Torah scrolls were their most treasured possessions and it's our responsibility to ensure that we preserve them for future genera- tions." An antique Torah fragment is a unique gift. Fragments can be viewed at the company's Web site — www.spiritualArtifacts.net . Visitors can browse fragments by their Torah portion, biblical theme or community of origin. "The pieces are meticulously categorized in a database so that people find a fragment that has special meaning to them — that could mean searching for a specific piece that matches a Torah portion being read at a bar mitzvah or one that came from their ancestors' community. "Who knows? It might even be a fragment that tells the biblical story that their parents read to them as a child," says Gliksman. Fragments can also be personalized with a special dedication plaque to commemorate any occasion. Jonathan Adler Skyline Menorah 203 East Maple • Birmingham • 248.647.4007 • iz-zz.-tv.artIoftonline.com Mon - Fri. 10-8 • Sot, 10-7 • Sun: 12-5 B20 Decenber 1t • 2008 iN Spiritual Artifacts is based in Los Angeles. Its Web site is www.spritualArtificts.net.