With Rosh Hashanah coming up this year, you might be searching for a special gift for your significant other, friend, or family member. Perhaps, after spending the last 30+ High Holidays at your parent’s home, you might be looking for a small gift that shows your folks how much you appreciate them letting you crash in your childhood bedroom and taking advantage of their family shul tickets all these years. Use this guide to find unique, custom, and local gift ideas that are sure to sweeten up the holiday for those you love the most.
Ariel Tidhar has a great selection of custom-designed jewelry that would be sure to complete any look. She has a range of designs and products from hair pins to necklaces. For example, these pomegranate earrings are a personal favorite of mine and offered at a range of price points. All her products are handmade in New York City.
Jewish Hairclips from Ariel Tidhar
One of my favorite Jewish chefs is the District’s own Paula Shoyer. Her cookbook, The Holiday Kosher Baker, is a must for any Jewish household – even if you don’t keep kosher! The banana bread recipe in there is without a doubt the best recipe I’ve ever tried. For that alone, this book can make the perfect housewarming or hosting gift. It’s guaranteed to get a lot of use by the food lovers in your life.
DC local Marcella Kriebel makes some fantastic art prints that would make very appropriate gifts for the New Year. Her apple and pomegranate prints are both reasonably priced and absolutely gorgeous pieces that can add a bit of flair into spaces that may be lacking.
Pomegranate Fruit Watercolor by Marcella Kriebel
If you’re looking for something for the spiritual person in your life, I can’t recommend the artist Jessica Tamar Deutsch enough. Her shop on Society6 has a range of different artwork that you can get printed as wall art, tote bags, and even mobile phone cases. Her artwork is colorful, energetic, and intrinsically Jewish.
Love and Fear mobile phone case by Jessica Tamar Deutsch
Lastly, for the quiet reader in your life, check out The Jewish Book Council’s “Paper Brigade”. This is a collection of Jewish writings and illustrations that are all as gorgeous as they are captivating. I bought Volume II for my mother’s birthday last year. With Volume III out now, she might just be receiving this version soon enough. Each volume is unique, so you can gift just one or the whole set.
If you’ve read through this blog and still can’t pick something out for your special someone, it can’t hurt to pick up a gift basket from “Baked by Yael”. Their cake pops and chocolates are guaranteed to sweeten the mood of even the most difficult of family members.
Wishing you and your loved ones a very sweet new year!
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About the Author: Brett Boren is a Conservative Jewish guy who loves his mother’s challah, but could do without her latkes. Originally from Miami, he appreciates arroz con pollo as much as double-chocolate babka, though preferably not together. When he’s not experimenting in the kitchen, he can be found with his cat, Youpi, or sampling shawarma at Max’s.
The views and opinions expressed in this blog and on this website are solely those of the original authors. These views and opinions do not necessarily represent those of the organization GatherDC, the GatherDC staff, the GatherDC board, and/or any/all contributors to this site.
