Have you ever wondered how Jewish communities, throughout the centuries, have beautified their homes, sukkot, and Shabbos tables? How they sewed colorful challah covers, created intricate papercuts, or dipped their candles? Have you ever wished that you, too, could learn and practice these traditions?

In this session, we’ll begin with a teaching from Mekhilta de-Rabbi Ishmael on Exodus 15:2, where Rabbi Ishmael interprets the verse “This is my God and I will glorify Him” as a call to beautify mitzvot. This idea—known as hiddur mitzvah—has shaped Jewish craft traditions for centuries.

Drawing on this core text and others, we’ll learn about the long history and evolution of Jewish craft practices. We’ll look at examples of historic and contemporary ritual objects, tell stories about the heirlooms and sacred items in our own families, and try our hand at a few of these traditions ourselves.

Joshua Kurtz is a weaver, writer, and educator based in Somerville, Massachusetts. He recently completed a Masters of Divinity degree at Harvard Divinity School, where he studied Judaism, grief, and ethics. He has previously worked as a community organizer and educator in Washington, DC, and Brasov, Romania. His writing has been published in the Smithsonian Folklife Magazine, the Colorado Review, Peripheries, and several other magazines.