So my dear friend emiko suggested that we rent the documentary called Paper Clips which is about a middle school in Whitwell Tennessee that created an amazing program to teach kids about the Holocaust.  With Yom HaShoa (Holocaust Remembrance Day) on my mind I wanted to spread the word about this wonderful program and documentary. Here is a link to get more information: http://www.paperclipsmovie.com/synopsis.php 
           
    After watching the movie I was so impressed that I wrote to the principal of the school.  My letter to her is below.  We spoke over the phone and I as a result I have created a "Paper Clip" Mezuzah for their school.  The picture of the piece cast in pewter is attached.  They are building a new school, and the original copper piece will be attached to a doorpost there (my mother-in-law and I plan to travel to the ceremony November 7-9, 2008 to affix it and teach about the mezuzah.)  More on the contemporary pewter Hope Mezuzah and hanging ceremony to come, but for now, if you haven't seen the movie, check it out!   And, keep in touch!

With Love,

Aimee

http://www.aimeegolant.com

Dear Linda Hooper,

    I watched the documentary "Paper Clips" last night and was totally moved.  Words cannot express the level of gratitude I feel for your educational programs and memorial for those who perished in the Holocaust.  Wow and thank you!!!  I am a 6th generation metalsmith, a grandchild of Holocaust Survivors and a full time metal artist and teacher in San Francisco California.   My inspiration for becoming an artist was my grandparents Arthur and Mary Kleinhandler.  Here is a picture of them taken on the day of their engagement in the Chmeilnik Ghetto, in Poland during the war. 

    In 1993 I began making Judaica (Jewish Ritual Objects) as a result if wanting to preserve traditions which might have been lost had Hitler been successful in his endeavors.  Through my journey as a female Jewish artist I have come to the understanding that many of our teachings are universal.  Wisdom is wisdom, just as people are people.   As an artist, I would very much like to  participate in raising funds for your program, perhaps by designing a paperclip mezuzah (to understand more about what a mezuzah is, please visit http://www.aimeegolant.com/mezuzah_whatis.html) which I would sell and donate a portion of proceeds to your project.  

I would also like to send you one of my mezuzot for the doorpost of your school or for the railcar—to bless the space.  Knowing that you are not a "Jewish School" I do not want to send anything that may seem inappropriate or uncomfortable, so I would like to ask you if this is something you would like.  I would also be interested in one day coming to your town to talk about some of the more universal teachings within Judaism including the Mezuzah and Tzdakah, because through understanding one another's teachings we can see that there are many parallels and core beliefs which are in line with each other and help prevent ignorance, stereotypes, and evil injustice. 

As a result of growing up a grandchild of Holocaust survivors I have always wanted to contribute in some way to the greater good of humanity, for me it has been one mezuzah at a time.  You have changed the world one paper clip and one class at a time filling us all with loving kindness.  That is truly an inspiration to me and it is in line with my dream of creating a world of peace and understanding.  Regardless of whether you want to go forward with a mezuzah with me I would love to talk sometime, if you have a moment to spare.  I also have a brief DVD of my grandma talking about some of her experiences during the Holocaust which I can copy and submit as part of your educational materials.   I can be reached directly at 415-682-7128 I hope to hear from you.

With love and gratitude,

Aimee Golant

    Each person gives, even poor people, because there is always someone who has less than he or she does. Tzedakah is meant for giving to the poor. One is to give until they feel it, but not until it hurts. Very wealthy people who do Tzedakah are thought to be deputies for G-d, correcting the world with their wealth. 

    According to tradition, one starts by giving to those closest to you and then working your way out from there.  Start with immediate family, then extended family, then friends, then your city, state, country, and, finally, the world.  

    In my opinion Tzedakah is one of the most universal and powerful teachings in all of Judaism. I love sharing it, because I know that if more people understood and participated in the act of Tzedakah the world would be a better place.

    The Tzedakah box is a symbolic place we collect funds for giving.  This one is my design, in pewter.  The link takes you to my etsy page for more product information.....

The first of the "Jewish Values" hand-written in Hebrew on the parchment scroll are a call to listen and understand that we are all one. Then we are instructed in the writings to love kindness, to treat all things with truth and compassion, to care for the earth and everything that dwells upon it, and to teach these values to your children and your children's children.

According to the teaching, if we uphold this peace and justice will prevail and there will be protection for the soul. It is my wish to share the meaning of the mezuzah to spread the love so to speak with people, regardless of religious affiliation, and open the door to Judaism one contemporary mezuzah at a time.

 
Look it up:  Deuteronomy 6:4 & 11:13

Then she pointed to the peace sign and the heart, and wondered why I kept using these symbols in my work. "What is it about peace and love?" she asked. "I want you to express yourself without using a cliché." Just like that, she rejected my project, encouraging me to dig deeper. She told me that she believed in me, and she thought I could do better.

I spent a week in anxious panic. What was it about peace? I thought. At this point, several things in my life just came together.I was taking a class called 'Holocaust and Genocide' where I learned about the Holocaust from both a historical perspective as well as from my family's personal history. I went straight from that class to my metals class several times a week.

While learning about my grandparents' experience in the Holocaust, my grandpa and I found a new connection-metal. The first time I sat down at the bench, I knew I loved working with metal. It just felt right. The hours melted away. I learned that my grandfather, along with most every male relative on that side of the family, was a machinist and tool and die maker. They owned a factory in Poland before the war where they made the machines that make candles. My grandpa began giving me his hand tools which I treasured using. (And still do!)

With all this in mind, the idea of making contemporary mezuzot materialized. I created my first die to make three different mezuzot. However, all that came out were images of flame, jail bars, decay, and pointed barbed wire. I had many intense moments of tears and revelation. I thought about why visions of peace and love were so important to me. I realized that the Holocaust was deeply influencing my life and my metal art was meant to express it.

Once the mezuzot were finished, I explained the story behind the work to my class. I told them that I loved using the metal in such a meaningful and permanent way; and by making mezuzot, I was preserving a tradition. "But," I asked, "how could there be a G-d when something like the Holocaust happens?" I burst into tears. I knew, in that moment, that this was my first true expression of art. 

Every year I wonder how I want to honor Yom Hashoa.  The best I could come up with was simply calling my grandma, and sending a donation to the National Holocaust Museum.  Does anyone else have an annual ritual different from services etc….? 

Also have you seen this week’s J. Jewish News Weekly?  This week featured an article on grandchildren of Holocaust Survivors in the bay area. http://www.jewishsf.com/content/2-0-/module/displaystory/story_id/35122/format/html/displaystory.html.  I was interviewed for it.

Keep in touch,
Aimee

Read on.
Aimee

April 10, 2008

Re: Barbed Wire Mezuzah

Dear Mr. Massimino:

           Rona Ramon asked us to send you a barbed wire mezuzah to take on your next trip to space in honor of Ilan Ramon. This mezuzah is a duplicate of the one that Ilan took on his trip with him.  A mezuzah is placed on the door post of a Jewish home to remind one of G-d's presence. (Ilan joked that he would place it on the door entry of the shuttle.) It is surrounded by barbed wire symbolizing the Holocaust, because we are a Holocaust survivor's organization and Ilan's mother was a Holocaust survivor.  Thanks you for your wonderful tribute to Ilan.  It is very meaningful to all of us.

            The mezuzah was crafted by artist Aimee Golant, a wonderful metal art sculptor, whose grandmother is a Holocaust survivor and one of our members.  I have enclosed a copy of Aimee's brochure as well as her card for your reference.

            Also enclosed is the latest copy of our Yearbook which describes our organization and activities; I hope you find it of interest. Best of luck and kindly keep us posted.

There has been lots going on as of late and I just wanted to share and connect with you.  As some of you know I stopped attending the big trade shows about 3 years ago.  The biggest drawback to this is that I miss seeing my retailers in person!  One wonderful thing is that I have become a metal arts teacher to adults and children, which brings vast amounts of joy to my daily life.  For more on private lessons please visit http://www.aimeegolant.com/services_lessons.html and for links to schools where you can take group lessons visit:  http://www.aimeegolant.com/bio.html.   For some upcoming class listing including upcoming summer youth programs, please visit: http://www.aimeegolant.com/news.html. 

Lately I have been using my art to help raise funds for some wonderful organizations including the Upper Midwest Region of Hadassah, American Jewish World Service,  Sharsheret and more.  When you buy work from me I donate money to these great causes.  Hadassah has an exclusive on the Chai for their Chai Society, so those are not for sale in this catalog.  I n case you are curious you can see the Chai pin pendant on their facebook page at  http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=6423958375.  Some of you may also know of organizations that need art to help them raise funds.  If so, I would be grateful if you could please forward along this information.

Next, I have a new full color brochure, that I would be happy to send you or your colleagues who need art for selling/ fundraising.  Please do let me know if you want me to send you one. Some of you have been asking  if I could send updated catalogs.  Here is the latest (scroll down).  If you want to see more of my current work visit: http://www.aimeegolant.com.  I am always making new pieces but sometimes I will admit it takes a little while for these to get on my site, therefore at the bottom of this email I have included some work not yet posted online.  I have also been doing a fair amount of custom work.  You can have your old gold refined and we can use it to create the jewelry that you will really wear and cherish.  It is fun too, if we make the jewelry together as a private lesson. 

Some of you have been curious about the Women's Torah Project.  It has been way slow going, so much so that another woman already finished a Torah before us!  We are still glad to be involved in it in whatever capacity as it has openend doors for women to become Torah scribes.  I am still making a crown (although it probably will not be used for WTP)-- it is a one of a kind in copper, silver, 22K gold with a brown diamond.  When it is done, I will send you all pictures.  I am planning on lending them out to different temples.  If you know any temples that may be  interested, please let me know. 

Are you on myspace or facebook?  In the web based social networking world I am on myspace at http://www.myspace.com/mezuzah_lady and on facebook at http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=736105391, if you are on these sites, I would love to link up with you.  Also, I have started a new little online store on this great site called etsy.  To check out my new online store there, please visit: http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5560559.  If you are interested in seeing me in the bay area  at one of my upcoming shows, visit: www.aimeegolant.com/news.html.

Finally, in other (personal) news, many of you know that David and I got married in September of 2007.     We spent 3.5 weeks in New Zealand for our honeymoon-- which was awesome at the end of 2007- through mid January 2008.  What an amazing adventure!!!

I hope you all are doing well, and please do stay in touch with me.  Some of my pieces for sale (and otherwise) are below.

My Best,

Aimee Golant
415-682-7128
info@aimeegolant.com

Custom Silver and 18K gold cufflinks $295.00 (hi Elane)


Cool Copper Box


Eye Necklace silver amethyst tiger's eye $198.


Steel, Silver, Gold Plate Pod earrings $88.

 
Rollprinted Star Box, silver, gold, copper.  (You don't want to know how much this one was....)


Silver and gemstone enameled cell phone charms $52.