About meHi, I'm Dalia and I'm an artist based in North London. I’ve always loved textiles and started sewing my own clothes in school, including some very 70s corduroy dungarees!
I never considered making a tallit until my son’s bar mitzvah in 2013. We wanted to find him a tallit that would be truly special - a tallit that would not only mark the occasion of his bar mitzvah but one that he could carry with him throughout the rest of his life. While we saw many beautiful tallitot, nothing felt quite right; we couldn't find one that he really liked. So... we decided to make one. Amidst the busy bar mitzvah preparations, we picked out the colours, fabrics, and I taught myself how best to work with materials I hadn't worked with before. He now has a tallit that is beautiful and vibrant and colourful and, most importantly, deeply meaningful to him - a tallit that reflects his Jewish and personal identity. Seeing how meaningful a personalised tallit could be, made me want to continue this work, helping others design and create their own. Since then I have made tallitot for so many incredible people. I love making each tallit and infusing them with blessings, care, and Jewish tradition; reflecting the wearer's essence and wrapping them in light. |
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You wrap yourself in light as with a garment
You stretch out the heavens like a curtain
Psalm 104:2
My artistic philosophy
I love how choosing colours you like and special fabrics, adds a whole other layer of meaning, something deeper and of your essence, to your tallit.
It is one of the things that is different and so personal about the tallits I make.
I have this lovely idea that if you think about the colours you like for your tallit, and what they mean to you; it can connect you to your joy, good feelings, happy memories and things that light you up. For example, reds might connect one person to sunrises, their love of nature and happy feelings this evokes; and blues might connect another to the sea and skies and the happy, liberating, expansive feelings this might evoke. So, wearing your tallit can then connect you to your essence and these lovely feelings, that light you up.
I often see this when talking to people about colours they like, that their eyes and whole being suddenly light up. This is what I am hoping to reflect and recreate in your tallit, when I make it; to connect you to these sparks of your essence, your good feelings and what makes you feel most alive; and for your tallit and its colours, to reflect your essence and lovely light.
This isn't essential, though, for me to make you a special tallit.
Adding personal fabric
I also can add any special fabrics you might have, to your tallit, weaving extra meaning in to it. As a few examples, I have integrated favourite pieces of clothing, weddings dresses and family tallits to connect you, 'l'dor va dor', to previous generations......
It is one of the things that is different and so personal about the tallits I make.
I have this lovely idea that if you think about the colours you like for your tallit, and what they mean to you; it can connect you to your joy, good feelings, happy memories and things that light you up. For example, reds might connect one person to sunrises, their love of nature and happy feelings this evokes; and blues might connect another to the sea and skies and the happy, liberating, expansive feelings this might evoke. So, wearing your tallit can then connect you to your essence and these lovely feelings, that light you up.
I often see this when talking to people about colours they like, that their eyes and whole being suddenly light up. This is what I am hoping to reflect and recreate in your tallit, when I make it; to connect you to these sparks of your essence, your good feelings and what makes you feel most alive; and for your tallit and its colours, to reflect your essence and lovely light.
This isn't essential, though, for me to make you a special tallit.
Adding personal fabric
I also can add any special fabrics you might have, to your tallit, weaving extra meaning in to it. As a few examples, I have integrated favourite pieces of clothing, weddings dresses and family tallits to connect you, 'l'dor va dor', to previous generations......
Beautiful ceremony, celebrating you
Once the tallit is ready, it's time to tie the tsitsit, the sacred small strings at its corners. - The tsitsit remind us of the mitzvot, the commandments and acts of loving kindness and humanity we can carry out, to help make our world a better place.
I love this part. It is a beautiful ceremony I have created, where I guide you, the new tallit owner, either with close family, friends, or on your own, in tying the strings. It is a special time to think about mitzvot and to celebrate you, make blessings and loving wishes for you. These then become 'held' in your tallit, wrapping you in these blessings and love when you wear it.
I find there is a power of bringing people together in ceremony. Families and individuals tend to enjoy and value this special moment and time of coming together.
I feel your tallit not only reflects your light, but wraps you in light too; reflected by the beautiful psalm above ' you wrap yourself in light... you stretch out to the heavens... '
Beautiful Ceremony for a tallit you already have
If you already have a tallit and would like me to lead you in this ceremony, to beautify your tallit, focus on mitzvot, on wishes you have for yourself and loving wishes and blessings those close to you would like to make for you, please be in touch. This can be for you on your own, or with others too. It might be for a Birthday, a Wedding, Bar, Bat or Bnei Mitzvah or another special occasion; or just because you would like to.
Ceremony can bring so much wonderfulness, meaning and renewal to our daily life.
I love this part. It is a beautiful ceremony I have created, where I guide you, the new tallit owner, either with close family, friends, or on your own, in tying the strings. It is a special time to think about mitzvot and to celebrate you, make blessings and loving wishes for you. These then become 'held' in your tallit, wrapping you in these blessings and love when you wear it.
I find there is a power of bringing people together in ceremony. Families and individuals tend to enjoy and value this special moment and time of coming together.
I feel your tallit not only reflects your light, but wraps you in light too; reflected by the beautiful psalm above ' you wrap yourself in light... you stretch out to the heavens... '
Beautiful Ceremony for a tallit you already have
If you already have a tallit and would like me to lead you in this ceremony, to beautify your tallit, focus on mitzvot, on wishes you have for yourself and loving wishes and blessings those close to you would like to make for you, please be in touch. This can be for you on your own, or with others too. It might be for a Birthday, a Wedding, Bar, Bat or Bnei Mitzvah or another special occasion; or just because you would like to.
Ceremony can bring so much wonderfulness, meaning and renewal to our daily life.
