In recent years Judaism has seen an immense worldwide-growth in popularity. More and more people of diverse levels of religiosity are attempting to learn about Jewish life and feel more connected to their heritage. Even some of Hollywood’s most famous luminaries have been known to study Kabbalah, Jewish mysticism. In addition to turning to Jewish literature in order to better understand the religion, many decide to practice it with the aid of Synagogue Items. For this purpose, many inquirers choose to visit a Judaica store.
The world of Judaica encompasses virtually all possible objects pertinent to Judaism. It comprises mainly, but not exclusively, of articles that are inseparable parts of the religion, such as the Judaica Tallit, also spelled Tallis. This is the prayer shawl that Jewish men wear when they pray according to their custom; most Ashkenazi Jews wear the tallit every day once they get married, while Sephardic Jews wear it daily long before they tie the knot- usually once they turn thirteen years old at their Bar Mitzvahs.
Another example of an object that is not only an intrinsic part of Judaism but is also immensely popular in Judaica stores is the Mezuzah. Contrary to popular belief, mezuzah is not the outside holder, also known as mezuzah case; rather, it is the scroll within the case. On the scroll are passages carefully written by a professional scribe. Although the mezuzah’s true significance is in the scroll, people pay great attention to the mezuzah case and its appearance, and some pay exorbitant prices for striking cases to adorn their doorposts.
Decorative mezuzahs are not the only example of fundamental religious items that Judaica offers in an array of colors and styles. Take the famous Kippah, also known by its Yiddish term yarmulke or yamaka. This is the small skullcap Jewish men wear on their heads at all times. Since the days of old, Jews wore head coverings symbolic of their subjugation to God. Thus, the yamaka became a regular part of the Jew’s attire. However, Jews, like all people, have different styles and tastes when it comes to aesthetics. Thus, every Jewish store offer kippahs in numerous colors, sizes, shapes and materials. Certain types of kippahs have even become identifiable with specific sects of Judaism. For example, a black velvet Kippah is normally associated with Haredi Jews. It is no wonder, then, that several Judaica stores specialize solely in kippahs!
Shofars are another fundemental item, used in Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, also known as the High Holidays. Shofars come in various sizes and styles, mostly made from natural kudu or ram's horn and embellished in silver plating or hand-painted. At times choosing the perfect shofar can be a challenging task, especially if you are shopping for wedding gifts. Learn about the various Shofars and how to choose the best shofar for your purposes in our OyVey Jewish blog.
Judaica offers anything from vital ritual-items to antique Jewish Jewelry, Jewish art, and, of course, Jucaica gifts. The latter category is inexhaustible, with new items inundating the Judaica market constantly. Tip-of-the-iceberg examples are ornamented candlesticks, Star of David key chains, and even T-shirts.
Judaica has become a wonderful way of getting acquainted with Judaism. With its myriad goods, it has no age, sex or level of religiosity limits. Whether you are a learned practitioner of Judaism or a tyro- Judaica has something for you.
Judaica Guide
Judaica is what we’re all about here at World of Judaica. Judaica has a long history and tradition that marches hand in hand with the broad, wandering history of its creators. Today, Judaica is created all across the world and is a mouse-click away from your own home and celebration. The goal at World of Judaica is to bring the world’s Judaica to one place where you can comfortably find exactly what fits your needs.
What is Judaica?
Judaica is the term which defines all marketable products related to Judaism. The most popular of these is of course the Hanukkah menorah recognized across the world as a Jewish symbol. Other notables include tallitot, kippot, Shabbat candlesticks, Kiddush cups, mezuzahs, dreidels, shofars, and seder plates just to name a few.
There has always been a market for Judaica among Jewish populations. The belief that a mitzvah is exalted when using higher quality objects, has led to huge demand for a wide variety of Judaica. Here at World of Judaica we’ve put the many different sources of Judaica together for your shopping convenience.
Materials
Judaica, like almost any other product is highly preferred in the richest materials possible but Jewish history also has a say in the most attractive pieces of Judaica. Silver is generally considered the best of Judaica for its cultural significance. When picturing the wandering, displaced Jew, most imagine him/her going as light as possible with only his/her most prized possessions. The most famous of these items were silver Shabbat candlesticks: worth both spiritual value and large amounts of money.
Now there are several designers of rich items of silver Judaica. Hadad Brothers and Hatzorfim are two of the most commonly recognized and featured at World of Judaica. However, Judaica can be made of nearly any material. These include products of beautiful glass, challah covers of silk, or mezuzahs of wood.
Decorations
Also unique to Judaica is the array of designs used to enhance the beauty of these pieces of cultural significance. Most motifs are also closely connected to Judaism and include the well-recognized Star of David, the Hanukkah menorah, pomegranates, or elaborate drawings of Jerusalem.
These decorations are where the artistry of Judaica comes in. Well recognized artists such as Yair Emanuel splash images of their own unique views of Judaism and its important symbols on all sorts of Judaica products. The Yair Emanuel Tallit or Yair Emanuel challah cover are excellent examples of an artist’s unique spin on an art form of ancient tradition that is Judaica.
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