A workshop in Jerusalem produces beautiful handmade embroideries.
By Janet Mendelsohn Moshe
In a poem written thousands of years ago by King Solomon and still recited every Sabbath eve in traditional Jewish homes, the lady of the household is praised as being practical and hard-working, thrifty and confident. The verses relate how"she seeks wool and flax and works willingly with her hands...she makes herself coverlets; her clothing is fine linen and purple." (Proverbs 31: 13, 22)
Although today most clothing and embroidery are produced in factories, exquisite handiwork is still admired. In the mid-1980s, a community-based workshop was set up with the assistance of South African Jews and Keren Hayesod-United Israel Appeal to create employment opportunities for residents of the Bukharian Quarter of Jerusalem. The neighborhood was founded in the late 1800s by wealthy Jews from Bukhara, Samarkand (now both in Uzbekistan) and Afghanistan, but today has a mixed population with a high percentage of elderly and needy residents. The idea of a traditional embroidery workshop
was eagerly welcomed as a way to alleviate some of the financial hardship of the residents.
The workshop was named Kuzari, after the Khazars, a group of nomadic Turks who in the 7th - 10th centuries professed Judaism. Although many of the workers at the Kuzari workshop are elderly women, their nimble fingers bely their age, as they delicately stitch colorful and stylish embroidered ethnic items and Judaica. The pieces of needlework are sewn onto rich velvet backings or on pieces of satin; sometimes sequins or fine beads are attached, and ribbons or fringes complete the work. Under the watchful eye of designer Nili Sverdlov, the finished pieces are always imaginative, precise and beautiful.
"Although many of the women were taught embroidery skills at a young age, they had little time to use them while they brought up their own families," explains Nili."Yet when the word of the workshop spread, they started to come forward with samples of their needlework."
In its heyday, some 50 women were employed at the workshop, but with the decline in tourism, only half that number is on the payroll today. In addition to the Quarters residents, several seamstresses from the former Soviet Union have joined the staff, as well as younger women who are learning the art of embroidery. As they admire each others work, the air of camaraderie in the air is contagious, and despite their different backgrounds, it is obvious that they enjoy working together.
"We use vibrant designs from the various communities that make up the fabric of Israel today," explains Nili, pointing to colorful green and purple roosters embroidered on a Kurdistan-inspired wall hanging. The seven biblical species native to the Land of Israel is also a popular motif, as is Jerusalem. The most popular items are embroidered coverings for the Sabbath challot (braided loaves), and the round coverings for the matzot (unleavened bread) eaten at Passover. Special orders include large curtains that adorn the Holy Ark in synagogues and coverings for Torah scrolls.
The handmade embroidered textiles are also made into pillowcases, place settings, stylish wall hangings and fashion accessories. A new line of designs on these items includes beautifully embroidered quotes from the Book of Psalms and Isaiah.
"The Kuzari workshop is a special place where the world slows down and expert craftsmanship is still appreciated," says Nili.