The True Meaning of Mensch

S. Grossman writes in with this poignant story:

"Gary-

It was wonderful seeing you again today. Attached is the picture of the sculpture you created for me and the story behind it:

My father passed away in 1976. When my mother opened his wallet, she found two $10 bills. She gave one bill to my brother and one to myself, asking us to find something meaningful to purchase in remembrance of my father. I carried that $10 bill for many months, looking for something special in his memory.

As I was walking through a local mall, I saw an arts and crafts show, and met Gary Rosenthal. I asked if a sculpture could be made of my father, sitting in his wheelchair, reading a book, under a tree, which is the image that I remembered most of my father in his later years. Gary said he could make the sculpture and he completed it in about a month's time. I went to his home to pick up the piece, and was brought to tears with the realistic image that had been created. I told Gary the story of the $10 bill that I had kept in my wallet and when I asked about the price of the sculpture, I planned to apply the $10 towards the purchase. To my astonishment Gary took the $10 bill and said the purchase was complete!

This piece is my most meaningful possession and Gary's good deed has never been forgotten. He is the true meaning of a mensch."

Happy Holidays 2008!

As we go into Hannukah, the Gary Rosenthal Collection would like to wish a happy Hannukah, a merry Christmas, a cool Kwanzaa and a happy New Year to one and all. Here at the GRC studio we just held our annual holiday party with food, fun, and gifts all around. We even had a Christmannukah tree! Gary cooked his famous latkes and everyone dug in to the bounty. We are all thankful that in tough times we are still getting by because of people like you who admire our work. Thank you!

December Birthdays

Greta - designer and glass artist, and Hamilton - webmaster and marketing coordinator, celebrate their December birthdays:
(Photo by Beth)

Create For A Cure

The Beth El Sisterhood in Yardley, PA, recently participated in a special Breast Cancer Hiddur Mitzvah event. We sent them the Hiddur Mitzvah kits free of charge for them to create the special pink glass we will use in the Breast Cancer items we sell. They then also had the option of buying the pieces we made with their glass. It was a great success all around. Here is a picture of Gary and crew with all of the pieces that came out of the project. If you are interested in a similar project contact the Gary Rosenthal Collection at 301-493-5577 or email Gary at garymrosenthal@aol.com.

December Update

We've all been busy here with the holidays almost on us, but busy is good! There hasn't been anything particularly interesting recently for me to write to you about. Things have been well at the studio. Greta and Hamilton did celebrate their December birthdays which was a nice change of pace. I will have to track down some photos of that day and get them up here for you. We also have our annual holiday party coming up soon which is sure to be fun. I would also like to report that there is an interesting new collection of sculpture in the works and I hope to be able to share more about those pieces with you soon! So for now this entry will have to serve as a "good things to come," placeholder until I have more exciting things to report. Never fear, excitement is surely on its way!

Gary Rosenthal In The News Again

I found this article on http://www.stltoday.com/. Mentions of the GRC are highlighted below:

Hanukkah decorations: Menorahs, dreidels brighten homes

Hanukkah decorations: Menorahs, dreidels brighten homesBlue coaster set features a dazzling design by Sudha embellished with semiprecious stones ($35) at Neiman Marcus, Plaza Frontenac. - Playing with the dreidel is a traditional Hanukkah game. This deep blue dreidel ($75) at United Hebrew Congregation Gift Shop is designed by Gary Rosenthal. A variety of other styles, colors and sizes are available ($70 to $117). - Serve your favorite appetizer in this small glass serving dish ($20) at The Judaica Shop at Congregation B'nai Amoona, 324 South Mason Road. - Handmade multicolor glass artwork menorah with gold candle holders ($150) by Murano Traditions at The Judaica Shop at Congregation B'nai Amoona. - Fused-glass menorah ($162, in foreground) by Beames Designs at United Hebrew Congregation Gift Shop, 13788 Conway Road. (Max Ghersh/P-D)

WRITTEN BY KAREN DEERST.
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
11/29/2008

Hanukkah, the Jewish festival of lights, begins this year at sundown Dec. 21.

The holiday is celebrated on eight successive nights by lighting a nine-branched candelabra called a menorah. During the festivities, children play with a spinning top called a dreidel. These items can be colorful and are offered in various styles, and they help brighten the home.

Hanukkah commemorates the Jewish Maccabees' military victory over the Greek-Syrians more than 2,000 years ago and the rededication of the Second Temple, which had been desecrated by the Greek-Syrians, to the worship of God.

Celebrating Hanukkah — Blue coaster set features a dazzling design by Sudha embellished with semiprecious stones ($35) at Neiman Marcus, Plaza Frontenac. — Playing with the dreidel is a traditional Hanukkah game. This deep blue dreidel ($75) at United Hebrew Congregation Gift Shop is designed by Gary Rosenthal. A variety of other styles, colors and sizes are available ($70 to $117). — Serve your favorite appetizer in this small glass serving dish ($20) at The Judaica Shop at Congregation B'nai Amoona, 324 South Mason Road. — Handmade multicolor glass artwork menorah with gold candle holders ($150) by Murano Traditions at The Judaica Shop at Congregation B'nai Amoona. — Fused-glass menorah ($162, in foreground) by Beames Designs at United Hebrew Congregation Gift Shop, 13788 Conway Road.

<<<<>
Celebrate Hanukkah at the Missouri Botanical Garden

WHAT — Chanukah: Festival of Lights

WHEN — Noon to 4 p.m. Dec. 21

WHERE — Missouri Botanical Garden, 4344 Shaw Boulevard

COST — Included with Garden admission

More information — www.mobot.org or 314-577-9400

Happy Thanksgiving!

A happy slightly belated Thanksgiving to everyone from all of us at The Gary Rosenthal Collection! We hope your turkey day was filled with fun, food, and of course, lots of thanks. Even in these trying times there is a lot to be thankful for. At the GRC we are especially thankful that our work is appreciated and enjoyed by so many people! Welcome back from your holiday weekend and may the rest of your year be as stress free as possible!

The Gary Rosenthal Collection and The Treehouse Green Gifts

Corporate Social Responsibility

News

11.21.2008 - 04:42pm ET

CSR News from:	The Gary Rosenthal Collection
News Categories:	Sustainability
	CSR - General

The Treehouse Green Gifts Adds Eco-Friendly Judaica Artwork

World-Renowned Gary Rosenthal Collection Features Recycled Glasswork Reflecting Green Art Movement

The A6 menorah is one of the items using recycled glass that will be available at The Treehouse Green Gifts

(CSRwire) SAN FRANCISCO, CA. - November 21, 2008 - The Treehouse Green Gifts, (www.treehousegreengifts.com), a leading eco-friendly gift shop specializing in unique organic, recycled, fair trade and handmade gifts, is pleased to add artist Gary Rosenthal’s recycled glass Judaica collection to its product offerings just in time for the holidays.

The Treehouse will carry one-of-a-kind functional Jewish art such as menorot, dreidels and mezuzot, each handcrafted by Gary Rosenthal and his team of talented craftsmen. Sculpting in welded metals and brilliant recycled fused glass and combining copper, brass, steel, and 24 karat gold, Gary Rosenthal has built a world-renowned following over the past thirty years.

"We continually seek out special gifts that match our mission of giving back to the community and environment - and hold a special place in people's hearts and homes,” says The Treehouse Owner Maureen O'Neill. "So I am especially pleased to team up with one of the world's most talented, eco-friendly Judaica artists. A recognized leader of the American crafts movement, Mr. Rosenthal captures the spirit of the green movement with his creations."

Rosenthal combines recycled materials such as crushed glass with an environmentally-friendly production process that results in beautiful, functional contemporary art. "From menorahs to mezuzahs, my pieces are inspired by the rich history of the Jewish people, and every product tells a story," he explains. "Reusing scrap glass means my team works harder in the production, planning and design stages, but we employ an efficient process that uses waste material and actually saves raw material cost, energy, and labor. The end result: unique functional art found throughout people’s homes, and a sense of pride in helping the environment."

Find Gary Rosenthal Collection items at www.treenhousegreengifts.com; by calling 510-204-9292, or visiting their shop on 2935 College Avenue in Berkeley, California. For custom recycled glass gifts and awards, contact Gary Rosenthal directly at 301-493-5577, via email at info@collectgaryrosenthal.com or via www.collectgaryrosenthal.com.

About The Treehouse Green Gifts
The Treehouse Green Gifts is committed to green business principles in operations and product selection, and is on a waiting list to be certified as a green business. A member of 1% for the Planet , an organization of businesses who donate 1% of their sales to an approved environmental cause, The Treehouse offsets all carbon emissions through Carbonfund.org.

About The Gary Rosenthal Collection (www.collectgaryrosenthal.com)
For 30 years, artist Gary Rosenthal has specialized in sculpting welded metals into unique Judaic art. Combining copper, brass, and steel with brilliant fused glass, the collection has a contemporary style rooted in tradition. Inspiration comes from the rich history of the Jewish people, which tells us it's a blessing, a mitzvah, to make beautiful functional art. Work from the Gary Rosenthal Collection has been presented to Presidents from Jimmy Carter to Bill Clinton to George W. Bush, and to celebrities as varied as Bette Midler, John Travolta, and Tony Randall. Gary also frequently creates custom awards for a variety of corporations. He may be contacted directly at 301-493-5577 about custom work. The Gary Rosenthal Collection is a socially responsible company and a member of the Social Venture Network.

For more information please contact:

Maureen O'Neil, Owner
The Treehouse Green Gifts
510-204-9292
www.treehousegreengifts.com

Gary Rosenthal, Owner
The Gary Rosenthal Collection
301-493-5577
www.collectgaryrosenthal.com

Erin Mantz, Principal
Elm Tree Communications
202-744-4157
www.erinmantz.com

For more CSR news and information from this organization:

Corporate Social Responsibility Profile for The Gary Rosenthal Collection

A Behind The Scenes Story

Gayle Nadler writes in about her recent visit to the GRC.

"My Private Invitation:

I called the Gary Rosenthal Collection to ask if Gary could sign the two tzedakah boxes I purchased from Beth Sholom Congregation and Talmud Torah. Not certain who was more excited: me for having my request honored, or Gary for honoring my request! Gary invited me in to the studio where I met his mom, dog, and craftspeople. If you've never had the opportunity to catch a glimpse of what goes on "behind the scenes" at GRC, then all you need to do is take one of Gary's pieces, place it in front of you and gaze at it closely.

You will see that his beautiful designs reflect the aura of his office/studio/showroom. There is so much to marvel: these tzedakah boxes, as well as all of the other splendid pieces, exude creativity in unexpected ways. There are light areas and dark, as well as surprising shapes, colors and sizes. The metal appears to capture the sunlight and use it knowingly to enhance itself.

Each piece is unique, created with the help of everyone I met. I know they were in the studio to work, but that hardly seems to be the correct term to use because all employees appeared to be having too much fun. They were enjoying themselves while creating extraordinary works of art. Gary has also enabled others (fundraisers, breast cancer survivors, those wishing to create personal projects) to be a part of this process in very meaningful ways. After spending about an hour with Gary touring the building, I now have a greater understanding of why each piece is so special, just like the home and craftspeople of GRC."

Gary Rosenthal Menorah Featured on This Old House Blog

As part of my job as blogmaster here at the Gary Rosenthal Collection, I browse around from time to time online looking for interesting mentions of our artwork. This article I ran across is from last year, but it's new to us and with Hanukkah around the corner I thought it was relevant and interesting.

Reprinted from The Hardware Aisle, This Old House Blog:

Hanukkah hardware: The Nail Menorah

December 4, 2007
Happy Hanukkah from the Hardware Aisle!

The Nail Menorah's golden solder and copper candle-holders span a series of creatively reused flat-cut nails.

The elegant cantilevered design reminds me of those "My boss is a Jewish carpenter" bumper stickers I used to see down south--though I don't think this product, by metalsmith Gary Rosenthal, is exactly what those stickers' owners had in mind.

The Jewish Gift Place was actually boxing up a couple of Nail Menorahs when I called this morning. It's a popular item, I'm told, but they don't know if the buyers are actually into the DIY aspect of it.

Maybe they just have good taste.

After the jump, another shot of the Menorah, showing its Star of David base (and a spooky shadow effect).

____________________________________________________________________

Thanks to TOH for their kind words.

Please visit the original blog post and be sure to check out the rest of the blog if you have a good spot in your heart for hardware!

Brandeis Event

Though The Gary Rosenthal Collection studio is not regularly open to the public, we do like, on occasion, to make arrangements with special groups. This past Friday, the 7^th, we had such an opportunity as we welcomed about 30 participants in a fundraiser for Brandeis Women. Each participant donated $25 which will go towards supporting Brandeis Women's good work. They also participated in a Hiddur Mitzvah project, creating custom pieces of glass that will be used in pieces of the Gary Rosenthal Collection whose profit will also be donated to charity. In exchange, the group was able to get a behind the scenes tour of the studio as well as get the exclusive opportunity to use their $25 donation also as credit towards any purchase directly off the shelves that day. It seemed that everyone involved had a great time and it was a lively change of pace around the office.

If you are part of an organization that would be interested in organizing a similar event, please contact Gary at info@collectgaryrosenthal.com.


For more photos and video of this event and other happenings at The Gary Rosenthal Collection, check out our Facebook page!

A Tzedakah Box to Remember

Merle Honey Porter of The Rosen Group in Baltimore writes:

"I purchased a tzedakah box made by Gary Rosenthal as a baby gift for my niece and her new son. She received tons of clothing , toys and plenty of receiving blankets. I knew that I wanted to give her something that was important and that would be meaningful throughout her life and the life of the baby. I knew that this piece would become a "family heirloom". It would commemorate Colby's birth and it would symbolize a life's lesson worth learning that no matter how much money we do or do not have, charity is an important value to keep for a lifetime. She cried when she opened the gift. She knew that when Colby grew up and had children, he could teach that life's lesson to them and remember how much I loved him when he was born and forever. That would get passed on to his grandchildren and so on. The baby clothes would have a short life as he grew and would be stained and given away as would the toys and blankets but my love for him and an important life's lesson would continue on. Gary's tzedakah box would always provide that memory. Thanks Gary!"

Gary Rosenthal Seder Plate Part of Fundraiser Auction

Suzye Doblin of Texas writes in to tell us about a fundraising auction that includes one of Gary's seder plates, the uniquely vertical SP16.

"As co-chair for the fundraising arm of Temple Emanuel in Beaumont, Texas, I borrowed an idea that had been successful at my previous temple in Hattiesburg, MS. We will have a silent as well as a live auction. My husband, Steve, who is president of the temple, and I like to donate Judaica for the fundraiser. Our fundraiser is called the Fabulous Fall Fun Raiser (FFFR). Last year we made about $8000. I love the pieces of art that we have from Gary Rosenthal's collection and so I decided to donate the Vertical Seder Plate. I thought that would be a fun item. It is going to be a part of the live auction. We put minimum bids on all items...usually half of retail and then hope the bidding will soar. Our fundraiser is November 1st and I will let you know how we do."

Though she didn't mention it in the letter, Suzye liked the seder plate so much that not only did she buy one to donate for the auction, but bought one for herself as well! We wish Suzye good luck with her fundraising efforts and can't wait to hear back from her in November. It's always great to hear that our work is appreciated and put to good use.

Recycled Beauty

People often contact us wondering if we produce any recycled/green Judaica. In addition to simply striving to keep packaging and material waste to a minimum, one of the ways we at The Gary Rosenthal Collection take initiative as a socially and environmentally responsible company is the way we run our glass shop. No glass is thrown out. If something breaks, it’s remelted. If something turns out wrong, it’s remelted. Even the unused stems of the wedding glasses are put to good use and melted down to be used in a menorah or dreidel. No scrap is ever wasted and every shard that is melted down again contributes to the unique look that we all love. Not only is recycling the right thing and the smart thing to do, it’s beautiful too.

Hiddur Mitzvah Video

Watch as Gary explains our Hiddur Mitzvah project and gives a tour of the studio.

Facebook

This just in, we're on Facebook now!

New for Fall 2008

Hello again! I just wanted to post a quick note letting everyone know that our new pieces are now available on the website. You can view all of our new items, featuring the intricate Tree of Life Collection and our unique woven mezuzot by going to the newest additions section of the online catalog. The hard work of Gary and company has paid off with some truly beautiful designs that you won't want to miss!

A Very Special Mezuzah

A new collection, our unique woven copper and brass mezuzot are enhanced by the story of those who created it. Two autistic employees on staff at the Gary Rosenthal Collection contribute on a daily basis to the studio’s fine artwork. One of them, Tim, enjoys the task of weaving copper strips into a mesh that other artists can fabricate into this wonderful mezuzah. He loves the precise operation of weaving, a skill at which he excels, and is very proud of the finished product.

The Gary Rosenthal Collection is pleased to be a company that combines business, art, and social responsibility. The purchase of this piece helps us to continue in that direction now and in the future.

Welcome!

Welcome to "The FOG Blog." I'm Hamilton Whitney, blogger for The Gary Rosenthal Collection. This is where we at The GRC will keep you, the friends of Gary, up to date with everything new and exciting that goes on here. From news about the Hiddur Mitzvah Project to glimpses of new products, this will be the place to be! Look for updates soon as we get the creative juices flowing. For now I will leave you with a peek at a menorah from our beautiful new Tree of Life collection: