I don’t usually plug a business, but this time I’m going to make an exception. I’m going to order two mezuzahs for my home and office, two hamsas for the same, and some other items along those lines.
Stay with me for a minute, and you’ll see where this is heading. Whether you are Jewish or Gentile you need this information. I’m going to tell you where I go to get those types of things, and why you should make this business your first call whenever you are shopping for such items.
I’m an Apostolic Christian. I’m not going to go into a theological discussion or explanation about it at this point; I offer that up to say that as a Gentile and student of Classical Judaism, I’m always looking for authentic Jewish resources.
Back beginning in 1993, when I started working for the Jewish Information Network, based in NYC, Cantor Beck, president of the JIN, introduced me to Rabbi Shalom Hecht, owner of Hecht’s Bookstore, and the C & S Skullcap Company, at 1265 Coney Island Avenue in Brooklyn.
As the only Gentile to work for the JIN, (it is a conserva-dox oriented organization focused on Jewish education and stopping assimilation), in addition to being a researcher and author, I was the Shabbat Goy. Call your rabbi, or a rabbi, for the details about that. At any rate, let’s just say it is fun getting to talk to the best and the brightest at The Yeshiva University, the Israeli government, at Jewish organizations, scholars, rabbis, and civic leaders – among a host of other categories and people.
Back to Hecht’s. If you want anything Judaica, anything in reference works, anything for your shul – or for your church, or whatever it is that you call your place where you worship the god of your understanding, anything in clothing, anything for gifts, items for the home or business . . . you get the drift, anything Jewish – and you want to know it is pure orthodox, glat kosher . . . you want to go to this web site: http://www.gotjudaica.com/.
Make sure you Bookmark it (Firefox, Netscape, Opera) - or share it to your Favorites (Internet Explorer) so you won’t go crazy in the future trying to remember where to find this treasure trove web site!
If you go to the customer service link, you will get their store phone number, and street address. You will talk to one of four people – the elder Rabbi Hecht who founded the business in 1961, his wife Joan, her sister Harriet, or Rabbi Hecht’s son – the younger Rabbi Shea Hecht.
OK, we’re talking family business here. We’re talking about incredible service, outrageous levels of knowledge, and again, more authentic and kosher than anywhere else on the planet.
Bottom Line: Anything you want, the Hechts can get for you. They ship worldwide. It will be 100% kosher – beyond any doubt whatsoever.
Here are two final notes for credibility’s sake:
First, NO, I don’t have any business interest in Hecht’s, or their affiliates, or anything else associated with them, and I don’t get any money for click-throughs to their site. I’m writing this 100% straight up as a journalist – using the rules a person my age imbued within, as opposed to the corrupt set of so-called ethics practiced by the glamour queens of today’s media-entertainment industry. I put all that in knowing the incredible cynicism of today’s bloggers and their readers – which is unfortunately more often than not very well justified.
Second, and much more important, when the New York City Board of Rabbis commissioned the menorah for the 9/11 site, they commissioned the younger Rabbi Hecht to design it, build it, and place it. What does that tell you about them?
OK, so use a little moxie, and schlep on over to their web site, or give them a call directly. Without any doubt whatsoever, you will be very, very pleased.
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