FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
December 3, 2015
CONTACT: Samantha Friedman Kupferman, West End Strategy Team
Samantha@westendstrategy.com; Cell: 202-215-9260
IDF Soldiers to be Presented with Hanukkah Mezuzot through
Partnership of Taube Philanthropies, Friends of the IDF, and
Polish Judaica Design Studio MI POLIN
SAN FRANCISCO – Israeli military bases in need of kosher mezuzot are in luck this Hanukkah season. Through a partnership of Bay Area foundation Taube Philanthropies, Polish Judaica designers MI POLIN, and Friends of the IDF (FIDF), 500 mezuzot will be distributed next week to IDF soldiers at bases across Israel.
“When we learned through Friends of the IDF that many soldiers lacked mezuzot at their bases, we were inspired to help fill the need by sharing modern Polish Judaica with them,” said Tad Taube, Chairman of Taube Philanthropies. “Jewish life in Poland is alive and well, and one of the most beautiful, tangible representations of that can be seen in MI POLIN’s contemporary mezuzot. We hope these will be a bright symbol to IDF soldiers that Jews elsewhere are thinking about them and are grateful for their service, and serve as a reminder of today’s vibrant Jewish culture in Poland, an Israeli ally.”
The mezuzot to be delivered are made of wood with a metal letter Shin within the shape of a menorah, joining two Jewish symbols in one. Each piece is unique in the way the grains of wood are crafted into works of art. Photos are available. Each mezuzah will be accompanied by a kosher Israeli scroll.
Photo: MI POLIN
The mezuzot were designed by MI POLIN, a contemporary Jewish design brand based in Warsaw.
“As Judaica designers and producers in Poland, MI POLIN was honored to participate in a special Hanukkah mitzvah that will bring a piece of today’s Jewish life in Poland to IDF soldiers,” said Aleksander Prugar, CEO of MI POLIN, which he founded with Art Director Helena Czernek. “MI POLIN designed a mezuzah that incorporates the symbol of the menorah and reflects the concept of hiddur mitzvah, which demands that ritual artifacts should also be beautiful.”
Taube Philanthropies introduced MI POLIN’s work to the San Francisco Bay Area Chapter of Friends of the Israel Defense Forces. The IDF will distribute the mezuzot to bases in need. The kosher mezuzot scrolls will be provided by Israeli Judaica company Mishaan Marketing.
Jonathan Bernstein, Executive Director of the San Francisco Bay Area Chapter of Friends of the Israel Defense Forces, said, “Friends of the IDF is grateful to the Taube Foundation for Jewish Life & Culture for its important contribution and generous support in providing a wonderful Hanukkah gift to Israel’s brave men and women in uniform. Israeli military bases will be blessed and adorned with kosher mezuzot that are also beautiful works of art.”
About Taube Philanthropies
Taube Philanthropies was established in 1981 by its founder and chairman, Tad Taube. Based in the San Francisco Bay Area and with an office in Warsaw, the Foundation makes philanthropic investments primarily in the Bay Area and Poland, in scholarship, heritage preservation, arts and culture, education, and institution-building. Taube Philanthropies is committed to collaborative giving for greatest charitable impact and actively partners with individual donors and other foundations. For more information, please visit www.taubephilanthropies.org.
About Friends of the Israel Defense Forces (FIDF)
FIDF was established in 1981 by a group of Holocaust survivors as a 501(C)(3) not-for-profit organization with the mission of providing and supporting educational, social, cultural, and recreational programs and facilities for the heroic men and women of the IDF. Today, FIDF has more than 150,000 loyal supporters, and 15 regional offices throughout the U.S. and Panama. FIDF proudly offers its support to IDF soldiers, families of fallen soldiers, and wounded veterans through a variety of unique and innovative programs. These opportunities reinforce the vital bond between the communities in the United States, the soldiers of the IDF, and the State of Israel. For more information, please visit: www.fidf.org.
About MI POLIN
MI POLIN is a contemporary Polish Judaica design based in Warsaw, specializing in the creation of Jewish objects, branding for Jewish institutions, and graphic/event design. MI POLIN was co-founded by CEO Aleksander Prugar and Art Director Helena Czernek. More information is available at mipolin.pl.
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