Our friend, Avichay shelley, came over for a visit. when he reached his hand to the doorpost to kiss the Mezuzah he said, surprised: “What’s that beautiful thing?” and asked us to pack some mezuzahs, one for each door in his newly redecorated apartment.
This was a ceramic mezuzah, inspired by origami, an item from our Judaica-for-design-lovers series, it was one of the most special and exciting feedbacks we recieved in more than 10 years we design modern Judaica. Avichay shelly, talks regularly about his life story and about believing in willpower. He works in the financial market, did his IDF service in the intelligence division (Modiin) and is a former winner of the International Bible contest. During Hanukkah, a holiday of awareness of blind people, he is especially busy and a sought-after speaker. He travels throughout
Experience Judaica design with your eyes and your touch
Israel riding trains, visiting schools, working places and prisons.
The story of the Mezuzah design and Avichay made us to stop for a moment and think, who are we designing for and what senses are we aiming for? This story highlights the idea that design can be perceived by all of our senses.
This is interesting, when we talk about designing products for people with special needs or handicapped people we tend to think about useful and technical aids, which aren’t necessarily refined or beautiful. This story poses the question -How can one design a product that causes aesthetic pleasure to everyone, even to people who can’t see, or to people who can ‘see differently’, as Avichay proclaims.
Another artist who is very busy this time of the year is PatriciaO’Donovan, a puppeteer who presents a one-woman show “A Touch of Light”, based on Louis Braille’s life. Braille lost his sight when he was three years old and invented the Braille writing system. We had met her in a special day for school kids, which included her one-woman show and our presentation about our Menorah design. We had a pleasant conversation and shared experiences while Patricia ended hershow and we were getting organized for our workshop.
Zelig segal is a great artist and inspiring silversmith who designs contemporary Judaica. He has designed some exemplary Menorahs, but in this context we remember his work “To Touch
‘Zelig Segal – ‘to touch the light
the Light” as providing a
direct artistic experience for people who can not see. Segal wrote:
(This statement is a transcript from the artist’s statement at The Adi Foundation’s website. Segal’s work of art has won the Adi Prize for Jewish Expression in Art and
Design for the year 2003)
“In my work, I wanted to explore the absence of light in the world of the blind person and I wanted to bring him into contact, via touch, with the concept of light. I designed and sculpted six letters in Braille that comprise the words from the verse above; yehi or (let there be light)… The connection between light and matter and the connection between the blind individual’s touching of the letters in relief, bring the blind person and us close to the abstract world, to wisdom, to understanding and to knowledge – light via contrast and touch”.
Armadillo - Judaica design lover 
