Community Quilt

How do you change a neighborhood of new neighbors into a community? The Mishkan Tzipora Synagogue on Efrat's Zayit Hill did it in an innovative and yet old-fashioned way - by making a COMMUNITY QUILT.

Remember the old quilting bees, where pioneer and small town women sat around embroidering and chatting together? Well, that quilting circle created lifelong friends and a supportive group of women that were tied to one another from then on. The women of Mishkan Tzipora initiated the same project, and hope for the same results.

When the men of the Zayit's Mishkan Tzipora synagogue prayed in their new shul for the first time, the women (led by Zayit residents Dena Lehrman and Amy Kirshner) wanted to create something that would unite all the new families, and express their new-found attachment to their synagogue and their community.

Amy came up with an idea for each family to donate something personal to the shul, and that idea evolved into the quilt idea. Dena and Amy met with craftswoman and quilting professional Debra Walk and further developed the project. About 35 women embroidered squares that had to do with the Seven Species (especially the zayit - olive), the mitzvot (commandments) and personal ideas.

They began with some quilting workshops, led by Debbie Walk (mailto:debraswalk@gmail.com, http://www.debrawalkdesigns.com/). Dena said that the process, and those quilting-get-togethers were just as important as the results - fabulous

Everyone in Mishkan Tzipora is very proud of the magnificent quilt. The families that participated look on their squares with great pride. Children study the quilt and its intricate patterns during services on Shabbat.

Mishkan Tzipora has doubled in size since the project began. Now there are about 80 member families. New families that wish to participate are encouraged to contact Dena Lehrman (993-4516) or Amy Kirshner (993-8002).

Voices TV took at close-up look at the quilt itself and talked with Dena, Amy and Debbie about the process of creating this beautiful piece of art. Take a look - (English)
http://voices-magazine.com/voices-videos.php?id=72
(Hebrew) http://voices-magazine.com/voices-videos.php?id=73