Jewelry - Making in the Holy Land

Jewelry-Making in the Holy Land: A Wise Profession for a Peripatetic People Posted: 07 Jun 2013 08:37 AM PDT Assembling rings (circa 1925, Cigarbox collection) Jewels were always the currency of travelers.  Gemstones were more reliable than currency and lighter than gold bullion. Even today, some investors are smitten with a "refugee mentality," financial experts recently told The Wall Street Journal. "If the world gets a computer virus," one explained, "and suddenly you need to move $10 million in 48 hours, gold will set off metal detectors and too much cash gets cumbersome, but you slip on a $5 million ring and a $5 million necklace and you've got no problems." Tragically, that scenario repeated itself  throughout Jewish history.  According to some accounts, prior to the expulsion of Jews from Spain in 1492 a rumor spread that many Jews swallowed diamonds and gold in order to take their wealth with them. Thieves killed many and sliced open their stomachs in their search for treasure.  The Holocaust is fraught with tales of Jews attempting to use gems to buy their escape.  Diamond polishing (1930, Library  of Congress) Diamond cutting on lathes (1939, Library of Congress) Inspecting diamonds (1939, Library of Congress) Since the 15th century, diamond cutting was a traditional Jewish craft,Wikipedia reports. That's when a Jewish diamond cutter in Belgium invented the scaif, an essential tool for polishing.  The first diamond polishing plant was opened in a Jewish town in Eretz Yisrael by Dutch refugee experts. By 1944 the industry employed 3,300 workers in 33 factories in Palestine. Today, Israel is one of the world centers for preparation and sale of diamonds. Today's posting is dedicated to Stella and Jordan -- Happy Anniversary and many, many more  and to Keren B, the jewelry maker and designer Israel Daily Picture website

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"The Love Heart of God" -lovingly written by Steve Martin

Dear family of friends,

The love heart of God is expressed to us in many ways. Sometimes we just have to "look" and see Him there. Whether He shows us through His creation, His people, or supernatural random acts of love, He is there. Calling out to us to know and experience Him in our daily lives.

Through these photos I took, and this poem He has me sharing with you, may His love touch your heart today. In a deeper way than you have ever known. He loves YOU!

The "heart of the Lord" revealed in His creation.

This photo was taken with my Blackberry phone on April 10, 2013. It was around 4:30 pm, after I arrived home from work. It is located at the foot of our steps leading up to our front door.

The bed faces east. Towards Jerusalem.

This purple flowering heart is another way the Lord shares His with us.

This morning, while meditating and considering the Lord's ways in my big, black, cozy prayer chair, the Father gave me this simple poem. Just another small expression of His love.

"Some say He is not aware
Of life and what we really share.
Others think He doesn't know
When men and more have lost their soul.

But with His heart and by His hand
He counts the hairs and waters land.
The love of God can simply be
Revealed through grace for you and me."

Steve Martin
April 11, 2013, 3:55 a.m.

"Heart of God" shining on the wall

On Feb. 25, 2011, as I was in Antioch Internantional Church (Fort Mill, SC) preparing for that night's Shabbat service for our Beit Tikvah ("House of Hope") meeting, I saw this on the east wall. It was around 4 pm in the afternoon. There are windows only on the west and south walls.

I took two photos with my Blackberry phone. Believing at first that it was a reflection off some necklace or other jewelry, I diligently searched around the chairs. Then I checked to see if anything by the windows could have been causing the image. Nothing.

So my conclusion? Just a simple, but effective way that the Lord again shows His love for us.

Steve Martin 

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