Handmade by Chana

Homegoods, judaica and ritual items for Jewish holidays and celebrations. Specializing in tactile fabrics, tallitot, papercut illustrations and hand-lettered Hebrew items, every item is crafted with joy to enrich your Jewish life. L'Chaim!

Handmade by Chana is growing...

Shopping cart is now active, powered by Shopify. Shop the current collection at the tab above, or follow on facebook or Instagram via the buttons below to see new collections as I migrate from Etsy.

Tallit

Exquisite materials, handmade artistry.

Chuppah

Your wedding, personalized design.

I offer this blog as a chronicle of my imperfect Jewish journey...to share ideas and resources I've found helpful in living a meaningful Jewish life. Judaism envelops a widely divergent array of prayer and practice...mine is just one of the millions of ways in which people 'do Jewish.' 

So, if you're not into it, just click your way somewhere else. No hard feelings. If my stories make you smile, feel free to subscribe to the newsletter or follow HandmadebyChana on social media.

BLOG

Mezuzah

Mezuzah

It bridges time and circumstance, uniting us with ancestors who have similarly marked their homes for more than 3,000 years, through peace and prosperity and, often, adversity. It brings me comfort to recognize that while times change, some traditions don’t. In uncertain times, I appreciate that a mezuzah can even feel a little bold. It is a symbol, to ourselves and others, that we wear our Jewish identity with pride—an assertion of belief. And who doesn’t need a joyful daily reminder to live fully, authentically and without fear, in every situation?
jewish home judaica
A Tallit of her Own

A Tallit of her Own

However I wear it, I find the tallit garment to be a physical reminder of the holiness (and wholeness) we are all seeking. Unlike most other elements of Judaism, there aren’t a lot of rules about a tallit. But having designed and sewn nearly 1,000 of them, I can say I’ve learned a few things since the first one.

bat mitzvah tallit
Shabbat Shalom Bayit

Shabbat Shalom Bayit

As a young mother who did not grow up immersed in Judaism, one of the most daunting tasks was conveying a strong sense of Jewish identity to my children. I didn’t have the lived, communal experience that so easily informed my husband’s observance…I was determined that my children would always ‘belong.’ One of the simplest points of entry was Shabbat dinners.
Jewish Kids Shabbat
View all