Frequently Asked Questions
Please don't hesitate to contact me at harriet@gorenjudaica.com if you don't see the answer to your question below.
TALLIT (PRAYER SHAWL) & CHALLAH & MATZAH COVER DESIGNS
1. Handmade products disclaimer and return policy
2. How are these tallitot and challah & matzah covers made?
3. What size are they?
4. Can they be dry-cleaned?
5. What are the tallit bags like?
6. How long will it take to receive my tallit & bag or challah or matzah cover?
7. How can I customize a tallit design?
ART PRINTS
8. What are giclée prints?
9. How are these print designs made?
10. Can I purchase an original?
11. MAT-ONLY OPTION: What does the mat look like?
12. FRAMED OPTION: What do the frames look like?
13. Can I order a print that isn't in a mat or frame?
14. How are prints shipped, and what's your return policy?
15. How long will it take to receive my print?
16. Can I commission a print design?
GENERAL QUESTIONS
17. Can I purchase a print or tallit for resale in my gift or Judaica shop?
18. How long will it take to receive a T-shirt or onesie?
19. Do you design ketubahs?
20. CUSTOMERS OUTSIDE THE U.S.: VAT (Value Added Tax)
21. A note about the name of God on these designs.
TALLIT (PRAYER SHAWL) & CHALLAH & MATZAH COVER DESIGNS
1. Handmade products disclaimer and return policy
I aim to include images, descriptions, and measurements on this website that accurately portray the tallit you will receive. Since each tallit and challah cover is assembled and sewn by hand, and not factory manufactured, please keep in mind:
2. How are these tallitot and challah & matzah covers made?
Each design begins as a sketch that’s refined over multiple iterations, and combined with color in the form of digital "paint". The digital file is then sent to a fabric printer and most designs are output on medium-weight cotton. (The Psalm 150 tallit is printed on two layers of a scarf-like material.) This fabric is then sewn into a challah or matzah cover or tallit, with the addition, on tallitot, of satin trim for the four corners and atarah (neckpiece).
Please note that there is no lining on challah covers.
My tallitot are completely kosher and follow halakha. I tie tzitzit according to the “7, 8, 11, 13" Ashkenazi tradition. The strings are white and do not include a tekhelet. Note that the prayer recited before putting on a tallit is not included on or below the atarah. Including the prayer is a stylistic choice and has no bearing on the kashrut of the tallit.
Since the designs are not woven into the fabric, color will only appear on the visible side of the fabric (except for the Psalm 150 tallit, which has a design on both sides). The reverse sides are white, and slightly translucent to allow a hint of the design to show through.
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3. What size are they?
Most of these tallitot are 72" long x 24" wide, and designed to be worn shawl-style. The Psalm 150 tallit is 72" x 40", meant to be worn flipped over the shoulders and/or draped down the back. They're a comfortable size for men and women alike.
Challah covers are 18" x 18" square. Matzah covers are 13" x 13" square.
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4. Can they be dry-cleaned?
Yes. Color is permanent and will not fade with dry cleaning. DO NOT clean your tallit or challah or matzah cover in a washing machine or by hand with soap and water.
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5. What are the tallit bags like?
Each tallit comes with a matching, zippered bag in a sturdy fabric. You can see the design on the last photo on the page for each tallit. Unlike many tallit bags that quickly look worn or fall apart, these bags are machine washable in cold water and will continue to look great after steady use. (NOTE: The bags ONLY are machine washable. Your tallit is not, and should be dry-cleaned only.)
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6. How long will it take to receive my tallit & bag or challah or matzah cover?
Please allow 3-4 weeks from the time you place your order (5-6 weeks if your order is placed right before or during a major Jewish holiday) to receive your tallit and bag vis UPS or USPS. Note that customized orders may take longer than this (or not—it depends upon how extensive your customization is, and when I receive the order). We cannot accommodate rush orders at this time. Each tallit and challah or matzah cover is made "on demand"—fabric is ordered and sewn once the order is received.
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7. How can I customize a tallit or challah cover design?
Tallit customization prices are as follows:
- 1 line of Hebrew and/or English text printed along the back of the tallit below the atarah (sewn-on neckpiece, see below for two examples): $75 additional cost.
- Design of an existing tallit design altered to fit on a different size fabric: $500 price for tallit.
- New, completely customized design (i.e., original painting interpreting a Hebrew text or Torah portion): Pricing for a completely custom tallit begins at $1,500.
- Customized tallitot are not returnable or refundable.
- Hand-drawn Hebrew name in the space on the back of the challah cover that usually includes the Hebrew word “challah”: $100 additional cost.
- Customized challah covers are not returnable or refundable.
If you’re interested in any of these options, please contact Goren Judaica first before paying and and I will send you a personalized payment link.
ART PRINTS
8. What are gicleé prints?
Gicleés are a kind of high-quality inkjet print using fade-resistant, pigment-based inks that resist weathering and degradation over time. Gicleés can be output on many different surfaces; Goren Judaica prints are on heavy, bright white watercolor paper. Colors are incredibly vivid and will remain that way for years.
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Each design begins as a sketch that’s refined over multiple iterations. It's combined with color in the form of digital "paint" in a program called ArtRage, and migrates between ArtRage and Photoshop until it reaches completion. The digital file is then sent to the printer and output on heavy watercolor paper as a gicleé (see above).
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These prints are "digital originals," not copies. The digital print IS the original. Each print is signed, dated, and numbered as part of an open edition, meaning that there is no limit to the number of prints that can be made from each design. (Also please note that the concept of a "limited-edition digital print" is difficult to authenticate, and you should proceed with caution if encountering artwork so advertised. The plate of a non-digital print can be destroyed, guaranteeing that no further prints can be made and all existing prints are part of a limited edition. It is much harder to authenticate the destruction of a digital file, however.)
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11. MAT-ONLY OPTION: What does the mat look like?
Your print will be shipped in a single, white mat sized for a standard-size frame.
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For U.S. orders only, Goren Judaica offers 3 frame styles:
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Because these prints should not directly touch the glass of a frame, they are only offered matted or framed.
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14. How are prints shipped, and what's your return policy?
Prints in mats only are shipped via UPS or USPS. Framed prints will come to you directly from the framer via their carriers. Shipping charges are added to each order at checkout.
RETURNS/EXCHANGES: For matted, unframed prints, returns or exchanges accepted within 30 days for items that are unused and received in the same conditions as when shipped. Framed prints are not returnable.
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15. How long will it take to receive my print?
Prints: MATTED ONLY (no frame): Please allow 3-4 weeks from the time you order to receive the print. FRAMED PRINTS: For U.S. orders only. Please allow 4-6 weeks from the time you order to receive the print. We cannot accommodate rush orders at this time.
16. Can I commission a print design?
Yes! Please contact Goren Judaica for details and pricing.
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GENERAL QUESTIONS
17. Can I purchase a print, tallit, or challah or matzah cover for resale in my gift or Judaica shop?
Yes! Please contact Goren Judaica for more information.
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18. How long will it take to receive a T-shirt or onesie?
T-shirts and onesies will come to you directly from their manufacturers. Please allow 2-3 weeks from the time you order to receive your purchase.
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Yes! Please see the Ketubahs & Commissions page for more information.
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20. CUSTOMERS OUTSIDE THE U.S.: VAT (Value Added Tax)
VAT, or Value Added Tax, is a consumption tax paid on goods from overseas that are shipped to customers in the European Union and some other international locations. If you are located in a country that charges VAT (here's a list), please note that Goren Judaica does not add applicable VAT charges. You will be responsible for paying that tax when you receive the package.
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21. A note about the name of God on these designs.
Some of the texts on these prints and tallitot contain the name of God in Hebrew (abbreviated as hey-yud or yud-yud). If you need to discard a print or tallit, which we sincerely hope will never be the case, please consider taking it to a geniza. A geniza, which you can find by contacting any synagogue, is a depository for documents or ritual objects that contain the name of God where the objects are buried with the respect accorded to those texts.
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