handcrafted Tallit: A Sampling From Studios in Israel

Tallit buyers, for the most part, can be divided into two kinds of people: those in the store for a original tallit and citizen who prefer a modern look. If you are the latter type, chances are you have no need for a handmade tallit, but plainly need to find a quality wool black-on-white tallit. But for those in the store for a modern tallit, the options are very broad in terms of fabric, colors, styles and prices.

Sizing

Tallit

Most handmade tallits are sold as sets, with a matching bag and kippah included. The most base sizes are 20 x 80 inches, which is worn hanging down in front, and 50 x 80 inches (or 60 x 80 inches), which covers the back as well.

Fabric

Wool has a first-rate look and is the fabric of selection from a halachic perspective. Cotton is a good alternative for those allergic to wool. Silk provides greater detail and higher sheen than wool.

Colors

Traditionally tallits are made with a white base. Galilee Silks (don't let the name fool you - they make mostly wool tallits) starts with a white wool tallit and adds tastefully designed garnish and embroidery work to originate a gorgeous atara (neckband) with matching corners. Galilee Silks tallits are handmade in northern Israel at a Judaica textile studio headed by Shlomit Azati.

Gabrieli is among the leaders in the use of vibrant base colors, so if you would like a bold red or blue tallit, Gabrieli Hand Weaving is a good place to start. The world-famous Gabrieli tallit has been made in Israel on hand looms for over four decades.

Located in the Old City of Jerusalem, Weaving Creation makes excellent hand-woven tallits using a luxurious cotton yarn. They specializing in bringing together a unique set of colors chosen by the customer.

Yair Emanuel Judaica, which is based in Jerusalem, is illustrious for their use of geometry. Note that they work in cotton and silk, but not wool. Their tallits are commonly thin and lightweight. Yair Emanuel's style incorporates a fusion of original motifs influenced by oriental and modern art. Designed and crafted at his Jerusalem studio, the Emanuel tallit features a unique mixture of old and new, using vivid color schemes.

Handmade Tallit Prices

The typical range for handmade tallit prices is 0 to 0 for a perfect set, depending of course on the size and fabric you choose.

handcrafted Tallit: A Sampling From Studios in Israel

Gabrieli: Israel's Handwoven Tallit Dynasty

Israel boasts dozens of handcrafted tallit makers, but only a handful weave their tallits on a hand loom. With sales from Los Angeles to New York, South America to South Africa, Jerusalem to London - and all stops in in the middle of - Gabrieli has taken its place as the world's prominent handwoven tallit maker.

Gabrieli Hand Weaving was founded in 1964 by Malka Gabrieli, who studied at the Bezalel Academy of Arts and originate in Jerusalem. The studio was set up in the artist colony of Old Jaffa and kept growing. Malka died in a traffic urgency in 1982, but the firm stayed in the house and is now run by Aryeh Gabrieli, who continues the tradition with 40 workers on 13 looms.

Tallit

In addition to prayer shawls, the studio also produces handwoven tablecloths, challah covers, matzah covers and shawls.

Giant selection

The weavers produce an gigantic option of designs, from wool tallits in traditional colors - white with black or blue stripes - to cotton and silk tallits in bold colors and patterns, along with purple, teal and multicolor.

The option of fabrics helps buyers agree a handcrafted tallit that feels just right on their shoulders. Some go with wool because of its superior look or because according to halacha it is thought about to favorite fabric. Others prefer the feel of cotton or the fine information and sheen of silk.

Gabrieli tallits are ready in six separate sizes, ranging from 16 x 74 inches to 60 x 80 inches. The most commonly found sizes are 20 x 80 inches and 50 x 80 inches. The smaller size is narrow and is meant to hang down in front, while the larger size is meant to be worn down the back, in accordance with the age-old tradition.

Each handcrafted tallit comes with a matching bag and kippah. Although handwoven tallits often command 0-0, Gabrieli tallit sets are far more affordable, and for those on a tight funds who may not need a complete set, occasionally vendors that sell the tallit separately can be found.

Don't dally

Because of the large selection, no matter where you shop - even the company's galleries in Old Jaffa and uptown Jerusalem - you won't find every tallit in every size, color and fabric ready in stock. So if you have a fixed target date in mind, e.g. A bar mitzvah or a Jewish wedding, be sure to place your order at least a month in advance. After all, weaving by hand takes time - even if you've been doing it, like the Gabrielis, for over four decades.

Gabrieli: Israel's Handwoven Tallit Dynasty

Why and How to Wear a Tallit

The Tallit also pronounced as Tallis, is a special prayer shawl worn by Jews when they recite their morning prayers. It can also be worn during the Jewish holidays as well as during Sabbath.

How does it look?

Tallit

The Tallit is a special shawl that has knotted fringes on four corners. These fringes are known as tzitzit. It is also known as arba kanfot. As per Biblical commandments, the tzitzit is supposed to contain blue thread.

Ancient traditions

As per traditional Jewish customs, the Tallit is gifted by a father to his son or teacher to student. Most synagogues have plenty of such Tallit shawsl for the Jewish devotees.

Personal devotional space

The modern Tallit is still worn by every Jewish devotee. As per the custom of the Jews, the Prayer Shawl should never be worn on the skin directly. It should always be worn over some clothing. In fact, the word Tallit is derived from two words namely Tal and Ith. Tal means tent and ith means little. Hence, the Tallit is a small tent, which can be worn to create a personal space to express one's devotion.

Men and women wearing Tallit

Traditionally, it is mostly men who wear the Tallit as women are not obligated to wear it. However, authorities such as the Rambam, Isaac Ibn Ghiyyat permit women to wear the Tallit. Jewish women are exempt from the Jewish commandment performance and hence wearing the Prayer Shawl can be considered as an act of arrogance. However, in today's times, women can wear the modern Tallit.

Unity in differences

When praying amidst a congregation, the Tallit helps neutralize any exterior differences. Thus, while people of different financial status and ethnicity pray, there is no difference between them because all the people wear Tallits.

Colors and materials

The modern Prayer Shawl comes in several colors, black and blue being the most popular. The black Tallit is used for mourning while the blue one looks like the Israeli flag. Other colors can represent various aspects or things. Materials commonly used in the Tallit include silk, wool, linen, acrylon etc.

Things to ensure while wearing

If you are a woman and wish to wear the Tallit there are a few things you need to keep in mind namely:

- Neckband held at either end
- Fringes are correct and held in place
- Repeat the blessing
- Place the Tallit over your head. Bring the neckband as near the mouth as possible
- Bring the Tallit across the shoulders

While wearing a Tallit it is essential that you say the blessing or prayer. In this manner, you heighten the awareness of wearing this religious garment. While putting on the Tallit you need to hold one end of the garment at either end of your collar. The Hebrew words on the Prayer Shawl need to be towards you and be placed so their right side is upwards. You can kiss all the ends of the collar or Atarah during this point.

Why and How to Wear a Tallit

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Jewish Bride's Guide: Choosing a Wedding Tallit

Imagine if the groom had to choose the bride's wedding dress on his own. I have a hunch that in some cases she would take one look at his choice and call off the wedding. Yet it's often left up to the Jewish bride to choose a tallit for her fiance.

In the yeshiva world, where the custom is for the kallah or her parents to buy a tallis for the chassan, the choice is fairly straightforward. He'll want the age-old standard: a white wool tallit with black stripes (or white stripes if the groom is Sephardic). All she has to do is find a high quality tallit and figure out which size he needs. At most there will be a question of an ornate atara. (After all, the Talmud says a groom is to be considered like a king.)

Tallit

But what if he comes from a Modern Orthodox background - or isn't Orthodox at all? If that's the case, the bride has a lot of questions on her hands: Does he wear a small tallit or prefer it to drape over his back and down to the back of the knees? Would he like quiet blue stripes or a medley of colors? The issue of color is especially crucial because the bride also has to make sure the tallit doesn't clash with the chuppah or her dress. In fact, the tallit sets the tone for the look of the chuppah.

And if the tallit is used in shul, the wedding tallit she chooses will also have an impact for years to come. Clothes make the man, and it makes a world of difference if he later steps into shul wearing a nondescript tallit or an heirloom quality tallit.

Sephardic Jews have a beautiful custom of wrapping the bride and groom in a tallit during the ceremony. In the Orthodox world, a tallit is generally not used at the chuppah among Ashkenazim, although in Modern Orthodox circles it seems to be catching in.

The Jewish brides that come to me in search of a tallit for a modern groom seem to like handmade tallits, which come in a wide variety of colors and striping patterns. Traditionalists go for the classic white wool with black stripes. A middle-of-the-road option is white with blue stripes.

Another - more expensive - option is a hand-woven tallit. I recently had a Jewish bride who knew exactly what she wanted, so she went with a hand-woven tallit because it allowed her to choose a particular color and pattern. Since a tallit is a very personal gift that the groom will wear for years to come, it may be worth the price to have a special memory of his wedding ever time he wears it in shul.

No matter which wedding tallit she buys, I strongly recommend the bride add a tallit bag with embroidered lettering. A simple tallit bag can be had for as little as (and up to or more) and the lettering should cost only per letter. As long as he doesn't have a very long name (e.g. Jeremiah Eliezer Bloomenkranz) it won't cost much - and if he does, you can always use just his initials.

Jewish Bride's Guide: Choosing a Wedding Tallit

Ben Slobodkin is the owner and operator of Ben's Tallit Shop, an Israel-based webstore that sells tallits and chuppahs to customers around the world. The shop specializes in traditional prayer shawls, bar mitzvah tallits, wedding tallits, handmade tallits and hand-woven tallits in wool, cotton and silk.
Website: http://www.tallit-shop.com/.
Tallit or chuppah questions? Feel free to contact the author at benstallitshop [at] gmail [dot] com