Today, the 15th of Av is a minor Jewish holiday about which Rabbon Shimon Ben Gamiliel in Mishnah in Taanit says that Israel had no days as festive as Tu BeAv, for on it the girls of Jerusalem would go out dressed in borrowed white dresses so as not to embarrass one who hadn’t (a dress of her own). They would go out and dance in the vineyards…. This gathering of young men and women was a way for them to find a match, speed dating of sorts. Since then, Tu BeAv has become associated with love and with marriage. And although the tradition of maidens in white has not persisted, even today many weddings, traditional and non-traditional, are held on this day. To all those that are tying the knot on this day (or any other day), we wish you a heartfelt Mazel Tov!
Judaic decorative art has many forms and styles. Steeped in the often turbulent but for that rich and multifaceted history of the Jewish people and sometimes combined with a Jewish desire to be more modern than modern, today’s Judaic artworks express themselves with diversity of colors and shapes, of ideas and symbols. To a sensitive eye, Judaic art is a confluence of experiences through time (the long history of our nation) and space (the geographic dispersion throughout the four corners of the earth) expressed through the prism of uniquely personal vision and personal experience of the artist.
Ketubah, although essentially a legal document (and legal papers rarely find themselves a source for artistic inspiration), has been an important outlet for artistic expression for hundreds of years. Before we explore contemporary Ketubah artists, let me post here a few examples of Ketubahs of yesterday. There are a few Ketubah collections on the web; here are just a few excerpts from these that caught our attention:
These are from the New York Public Library collection:
(To see more from this collection of rare, antique ketubahs, click here: NYPL Digital Library)
As the weather gets hot and the sun constantly splashes the atmosphere with the warm hues of deep yellow and orange, colors that just a couple of months ago we would look for in our windows with eager anticipation, we seem to be drawn now to the coolness of the blues, greens, and turquoise, colors that remind us of the refreshing coolness of water. I collected here for you a few items that, if you are like me who likes to color coordinate your gifts, you might appreciate this time of year, and hopefully so will the recipients. (Click on the images for more details.)
Mairead Photo Album - Reg. $19.99 Now 9.99 at Sears
Room Essentials Stoneware Mug (Set of 8 ) - $15.99 at Target.com
Vagary Collection 16 Piece Dinner Set - $99.99 at Target.com
Dualit 4-Slice Toaster - $319.99 (ouch) also at Target
Household essential for many: KitchenAid Artisan 5-qt. Stand Mixer - $299.99 at Target.com
Raymond Weil Don Giovanni Mini - $895 at theWatchery.com
Organdy Table Cloth - 71 x 102 - reg: $355.00 now: $268.95 (comes in other sizes also) at Bellacor
Portmeirion "Sophie Conran Forget-Me-Not" Dinnerware Collection - Teapot $30 - see also other items in this set at Macy's
Le Creuset Round French Ovens (every kitchen's desire) 7¼ qt. - $274.95 at Sur La Table
Mikasa "Parchment Blue" 5-Piece Place Setting Reg. $100.00 Sale $69.99 at Macy's
As you plan your wedding, we’re sure that your plate is quite full. We hope that we’ve helped a bit in bringing some ’seder’ (order) into your wedding planning process.
As the month of Adar tends to add an extra measure of fun, silliness, and humor to Jewish orthodox weddings that coincide with it. We started a flickr group that we hope all of you can join and share with the rest of us some of these great wedding moments.
The ChossonKallah Express is currently on its way to the greater CHICAGO area. Drop us a line in the ‘Contact Us’ page describing your experience with some of the outstanding wedding service providers in that region.
![[Ketubbah. Isfahan, 1881]. Digital ID: 1238124. New York Public Library](http://images.nypl.org/index.php?id=1238124&t=r "[Ketubbah. Isfahan, 1881]. Digital ID: 1238124. New York Public Library")
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