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Judaism has been around longer than other religion. The holy book of the Jewish people, the Bible, is written in the Hebrew language, one of the oldest spoken languages. Within the Jewish culture there are a huge amount of symbolic items that hold vital roles in tradition. For those looking for an ideal Jewish gift we would like to suggest five such symbolic items; the Tallit, Torah, Menorah, Tefillin and Mezuzah. Their deep symbolism means that these items make memorable, special gifts for Jewish friends and loved ones. • The Tallit / Prayer Shawl The Tallit is a traditional Jewish prayer shawl, worn by males only in Orthodox circles and by men and women in non-Orthodox circles. In Orthodox circles, boys receive a Tallit either when they turn thirteen; the age at which they enter manhood in Jewish tradition, or on their wedding day- depending on their family custom. The Tallit is worn at morning prayers during the week. The basis for wearing the Tallit is in the commandment in the Bible to put fringes on the corners of one's garment. When the days when such garments were worn on a daily basis ceased to be, the Tallit was introduced as a way of ensuring that this commandment would be upheld. • The Torah Scroll The Torah Scroll is the most sacred book for Jewish people- it is also known as the Five Books of Moses. The Torah is the primary holy scripture of Judaism and is read from on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays in the Synagogue. A Torah Scroll is hand-written according to special rules by a specially-trained scribe, so it is not a cheap gift by any means, but is a very special gift that is often donated to a Synagogue in memory of someone, or on the event of a special event. • The Menorah The Menorah is a very old symbol in Judaism, originating in the Temple as a candelabrum with seven branches that was lit every day by the High Priest. Since the miracle of Hannukah, a nine-branched Menorah has come to symbolize the quest of Israel for peace and independence. On each night of the festival of Hanukkah an additional candle is lit until all nine are lit. The Menorah is a wonderful gift for the festival of Hanukkah and also features on Jewish Jewelry. • Tefillin The Tefillin are worn by Jewish males on a daily basis; they are two small black boxes with black straps attached. The boxes contain pieces of parchment that contain sections of the Bible. One box is worn on the head and one on the arm. Boys start to wear Tefillin from the age of thirteen and so are often presented with a set of Tefillin by family members. • Mezuzah The Mezuzah is a small, handwritten scroll contained by a case but the word is often used to refer to the case itself. A Mezuzah case is placed on the right doorpost of every doorway in a Jewish house and reminds the household members of G-d's everlasting protection. A Mezuzah is a wonderful house-warming present. An article written by Rivakh Abrahams for Cannan-online.com
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