Jewish ritual objects hold the essence of Jewish life and culture. Creating contemporary Judaica allows me to examine contemporary issues through the Jewish tradition. It is not a religious interest that draws me towards making Judaica, but a cultural interest and an interest as a silversmith in creating work that has a ritual function. I am drawn to functional objects because of their interactive qualities. The people who use these objects, understand them both visually and tactilely, and relate to them on a personal level. I enjoy searching for the psychological "why" of religious practices.

This work was made possible by a grant from the Idaho Commission on the Arts, funded by the National Endowment for the Arts.