Where Do I Hang a Mezuzah?

Can you name off the top of your head all the doors in your home that would require Mezuzah cases? Sorry for the pop quiz. The answer is: it's complicated. We'll try to give you a hand, if you're confused, interested, or both.

A general rule to remember is that every room except the bathroom needs a Mezuzah. As always, there are exceptions. The doors of dressing rooms can also do without one. Any completely open room without a door doesn't need one either. And if the room is smaller than 36 square feet, don't bother.

Some unlikely doors qualify for a Mezuzah. Garage doors, sliding glass doors, and french doors are all fair game. Like we said, it's complicated.

Not everybody gets around to hanging Mezuzot -- did you know that the plural of Mezuzah is Mezuzot? -- in their home, but it's a fun tradition, one that blesses the home and teaches kids something about their heritage. If you decide to add Mezuzot to your home, remember that we've got a great selection of Mezuzah cases in our Mezuzah shop. We also sell the Kosher scrolls that go inside. 

Our cases have designs that range in style from classic to modern to fun: we even have a Hello Kitty Mezuzah case. Can't decide on whether you want a traditional or eclectic design for your room? In the end, compromise isn't a bad idea: the slanted position of mezuzot on a door frame is the result of rabbis compromising on whether mezuzot should be aligned vertically or horizontally. If compromise was good enough for them, it should be good enough for us, right?

As always, feel free to contact us if you have any questions, comments, gripes, or good wishes.

New York International Gift Fair Finds - Day 1, 2012

New Stuff Spotted at NYIGF today.

Today I attended New York's Newest and NYIGF. I always love to visit the newbees. I'm looking for fresh products, of course. Often the items are debuted at the show, like the very cool new menorah I found. I also enjoy seeing how first-timers set up their booths. Some get it right and fit it perfectly. Others, not so much. No matter, the vendors are friendly and eager, and lovely to chat with!

DIY SOUVENIR KIT

The designers I enjoyed chatting with most today were from Bottle Brooklyn. Tell me what you think of this: they've created a product called "DIY Souvenir Kit". I love DIY stuff for ModernTribe because, I like to imagine, my community are DIY kind of folks. This product is a glass tube with a piece of blank white canvas inside. The idea is that, instead of buying (or giving) a-little-something-by-which-to-remember, make it. One makes the souvenir by "dirtying up" the canvas.

It's conceptual, maybe too much so for most buyers. My feedback to them was, "you need a video!" They're working on one.

I HEART GUTS

The next line is totally gutsy. It's called I Heart Guts and is a line of plush internal organs. Here's Large Liver and Heart on the Brooklyn Bridge.

It doesn't fit with ModernTribe... but I do like them and think they'd sell well in a fun gift boutique. "Testicle" and "Ovary" may be cute gifts for the right occasion.

I found colored fabric covered electrical cord for my friend Joel Silverman from NUD Collection. Yes, they will sell you only the cord and it comes in over a dozen colors.

FINGERLESS GLOVES
What do you think of these? I've been wanting to offer gloves for a Hanukkah gift and found these today. They are fingerless gloves made of soft cotton, comes in many colors on the inside fold, with black on the outside layer. They are reversible too. They sell for about $24 a pair.

LIPSTICK & MOUSTACHE PERSONALIZED PRINTS
These would make a good addition to our Jewish Wedding Gift collection.

ModernTribe Needs Temporary Space Oct-Dec 2012

Dear ModernTribe customers, friends, and family,

As the summer is coming to an end very fast (school starts in 10 days?!), ModernTribe is figuring out its options for Holiday 2012.

We've Outgrown Our Basement

Last Hanukkah was -- Ridiculously Uncool -- in our basement warehouse. There is just not enough space for all the cool stuff we sell... and there is more uncool on top of that:

Because of zoning laws in Atlanta, we can only have myself + one person working at any given time. This resulted in ModernTribe having "shifts" -- including an overnight shift -- with a guy working through the night... in my house.

Even with our Hanukkah Elf, we still had trouble keeping up with the volume of packages. We did it -- (and kept our terrific customer service rating on Google). However, the holiday was grueling for me, my employees, and my family.

Our Basement Warehouse... it is no joke... but it is not enough for the Holidays.

It's not As Simple As You Think

"If you are growing... why not just move into a warehouse?"

Typical of small businesses, we are having growing pains. At this point, only during the holiday season can we afford to pay rent on a 3rd party space. It could be that we find a warehouse that allows enough in-store sales that we can keep the 3rd party space. However, this is an unknown, and there is a significant financial risk of signing a long-term lease.

Putting our Request out into the Universe

This is what we need:

A mixed-use space on Dekalb Ave would be ideal.

• At least 1300 square feet, street level -- allowing us to load and unload.
• At most, a short-term lease of 6 months maximum. We'd prefer Sept-January. 
• We must be moved in, drop dead, by October 1.
• Located on the East side of Atlanta, Downtown to Decatur.
• Ideal -- to reach our core market -- is on Dekalb Avenue.

What we do not need:

• Buildout -- we will require little to none.
• Fanciness -- we'd prefer a big open space with concrete floors and brick walls.

Added Benefit to the Intown Atlanta Jewish Community is an Experiment with a Jewish Third Place

Beyond allowing ModernTribe to continue the successful (albeit small), growing business, this will test the feasibility of having a permanent 3rd party warehouse and showroom.

Depending on the location of the space, we'd like to have a small showroom attached to the warehouse and sell to the public. We know there is an opportunity to offer the growing intown Jewish community a place to buy Jewish gifts + fresh challah on Fridays. We need to know how big is this opportunity. (Where do you get your fresh challah intown Jews?)

Who May Have Such A Space?

• Real-estate owners with unrented property
• Business owners who have extra space
• Business owners trying to get out of a lease
• You?

We appreciate your help. Serious leads, please write me at Jennie@ModernTribe.com

About ModernTribe

Through retail websites and new product development, ModernTribe is making Judaica appealing to the new generation. ModernTribe is a social enterprise with missions of (1) providing products that help people express and share their Jewish identity (or for non-Jews, express their Jewish affinity), (2) providing appealing, effective marketplaces for independent American and Israeli artists and designers and (3) building community through the retail experience.