By Betsy Schneier, JTNews Correspondent
When the doors open on Seattle’s second annual “Shop Israel” event, Sun., Nov. 16, shoppers will find a wide array of Israeli goods and the Israelis themselves.
Some have established international reputations, others are visiting the united States for the first time.
Items in all price ranges, from fine art to Judaica, CDs and videos, and t-shirts to backpacks will be on sale at Congregation Herzl-Ner Tamid that day.
Although every sector of the Israeli economy has suffered from the impacts of recession and the security crisis, the fine arts market has been one of the most profoundly affected, since tourism is its primary source of income.
Exhibits in cyberspace cannot substitute for the personal interaction that is so important when considering the purchase of a painting, a wall hanging, or fine jewelry. Sales via the Internet have helped keep some of the better-known artists from losing their livelihoods.
Current sponsors include the American-Israel Public Affairs Committee, Congregation Beth Shalom, Congregation Herzl-Ner Tamid, Glazer’s Camera Supply, Hadassah, the Jewish Day School of Metropolitan Seattle, the Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle, Jewish National Fund, the Jewish Transcript, Temple B’nai Torah, Tree of Life Judaica & Books, and We Stand With Israel.
Mindful of the overwhelming response to last year’s Shop Israel event at the Jewish Community Center, several positive changes have been made to help make this year’s Shop Israel in Seattle a pleasurable experience for the entire community.
The list of Israelis coming to Seattle continues to grow. They include:
Moshe Dadon: Born in Morocco, Moshe Dadon settled in Tzfat in 1962. After a career in the police force, he began to explore the ancient medium of microcalligraphy: artistic representations of Biblical themes and events interwoven with tiny, hand printed Hebrew text. Given the painstaking process of printing each tiny letter of Biblical text clearly, in addition to designing the unique illustrations, one piece may take up to a year to complete. Mr. Dadon has created works including the complete book of Genesis, Exodus and the five Megillot.
Av Omer: Mr. Omer is a 10th-generation goldsmith whose work reflects Yemenite and modern styles. He was commissioned to create gifts presented to President Clinton and members of the British Royal Family on their visits, as well as a piece commemorating the signing of the peace treaty between Israel and Jordan.
Dan and Stacy Givon: Dan Givon, a Sabra, was trained at Bezalel Institute in Jerusalem, and has acquired an international reputation in limited-edition Judaica pieces crafted in silver.
His prize-winning designs balance tradition with function and beauty. His message is that for today’s generation, “Judaica is art as well as a harmonious part of our modern lifestyles.”
He shares his studio with his wife, Stacy, a master silversmith and designer of contemporary jewelry. Stacy made aliyah from Chicago in 1979. Also a graduate of Bezalel, Stacy Givon has established an international reputation with designs featuring a unique combination of polished and matte finished metals containing silver and gold contrasts, almost always with Jewish motifs. The couple resides and works in Tsur Hadassah, a small village in the base of the Judaean mountains.
Yuval Mahler: Born in Haifa, Yuval Mahler studied graphic design and animation in New York at the School of Vistual Arts. His paintings draw on a rich supply of wry humor, satire and caricature to produce insightful studies of human behavior. He works in varied media: acrylic, gouache, pastels and seriographs. His paintings have been included in many important exhibitions throughout the United States and in Switzerland, Germany and Canada.
Also returning to Shop Israel are the popular T Max Designs, a purveyor of t-shirts and hats, as well as Ahava, the internationally known cosmetics manufacturer.
Shop Israel in Seattle will take place on Sun., Nov. 16 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Congregation Herzl-Ner Tamid, 3700 E Mercer Way, Mercer Island. For more information, call 206-232-2641, or look for the Shop Israel link at www.herzl-ner-tamid.org. Be sure to mark your calendars — and bring your wallets!