Lalo

Here we have two rings and a group of bracelets created by the Israeli designer Lalo. She is known for her whimsical and vibrant resin production and also makes judaica with the same bright materials. Her curved, platicy forms are fun to wear and are always conversation starters. There is nothing that colors them distinctly Jewish, except for the memories that I associate with them. Each purchase was done in conjunction with my mother, so that when I even see a piece of Lalo jewelry out in the world, I immediately think of her. We happened upon the designer together and both own rings by her. I bought a bracelet for my mother while in Israel, to commemorate an award my mother received because of her dedication to Jewish education. For these reasons, the jewelry has become "Jewish" for us. We are aware of the Israeli origins of the pieces due to the nationality of the designer and our buying experiences, and additionally own pieces that are connected to Jewish events in our lives. The jewelry has become part of our Jewish existence, similar to the way non traditional elements of life such as "nonverbal gesture, rituals, daily experiences, and life stories" marked the religious life of older Jewish women who attended a Day Center in Jerusalem, according to scholar Susan Starr Sered in her article Women as Ritual Experts(Sered 5). The Jewish jewelry narrates our Jewish life, which is punctuated by simchas and gift giving, as well as travelling to what we consider our homeland. The memories embedded in the shiny resin are not just intergenerational between mother and daughter, but are also textured by a distinctively Jewish nature. We are creating our own Jewish traditions through our jewelry wearing, something that can only be sensed by us.