A sweet September 2024 to you, my fellow gifted thrifters and thrifty gifters! First month of Fall 2024, Av and Elul of 5784, Bisexual Month and the first half of Latinx Month. Month of Labor Day, my marriage and meeting in person anniversaries with my spouse, the anniversary of 9/11, and Bisexual Day.
The Jewish High Holy Days / Holidays begin next month, with Rosh Hashanah, Jewish New Year – we will leave 5784 and enter 5785. Are you ready, my fellow Jews and Jewish-adjacent people? Neither am I!
But I’m always ready to curate and collect Judaica — Jewish art and ritual objects. My tribe has a very long tradition of creating all kinds of unique, beautiful, useful items for daily and holiday life. And you would be amazed at the quantity and quality of Judaica that shows up in thrift stores, including Goodwill! That’s where I’ve found most of mine. And I love sharing it. Join me here and on my social media in December for my ninth annual Mycroft’s Menorah Mishigas.
If you want to thrift Judaica offline, it does help to live in a Jewish area. However, if you don’t have a local Jewish community, and/or if you want to see what the whole country has to offer, there’s the magic of ShopGoodwill.com – and don’t forget to check out the Religious Items category. Too, Goodwills in regions with few Jews often sometimes struggle to recognize and describe Jewish items, so think outside the (tzedakah) box — where you might just find the best bargains.
Let’s look at just a few of the Jewish/adjacent items I’ve seen on DC Goodwill’s Shop Goodwill site lately, starting with this pendant I love. “I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine” is from the Song of Songs (Shir HaShirim), or Song of [King] Solomon, and remains very popular, especially between romantic partners.
https://shopgoodwill.com/item/209581718
925 Sterling Silver Pearl Heart Cross Assorted Necklace Lot 34.4g
DC Goodwill often offers great hamsa jewelry. Here are three pendants and a ring. And if you really like hamsas, I once did a post here just about them.
https://shopgoodwill.com/item/208358723
18K Yellow Gold Hamsa Hand Religious Pendant 1″ 1g
https://shopgoodwill.com/item/196544985
925 Sterling Silver Evil Eye Hamsa White Crystals 17.75″ 3.00g
https://shopgoodwill.com/item/210218905
925 Sterling Silver Multi Design Assorted Pendant Lot 31.7g
https://shopgoodwill.com/item/196534787
925 SS Peridot Amethyst CZ Textured Assorted Ring Lot Sizes 6.75-8.25 47g
Another symbol my people share with other cultures is the Tree of Life. We even have a tree holiday, Tu BiShvat! And there’s a Tree ring hiding in this lot.
https://shopgoodwill.com/item/209906356
925 Sterling Silver Turquoise Southwest Ring Lot 38.5g
I almost always see some Judaica when I go to Goodwill in person, too. Just last month, I saw these bar and bat mitzvah tchotchkes. They could also be given to nonbinary youth or adults who identify with them and are celebrating their Simchat Mitzvah, Kabbalat Mitzvah, Bamitzvah, B’Mitzvah, or Brit Mitzvah.
Todah rabah, many thanks, for schlepping along with me today! May you have a festive Fall. Meet me back here in October, for a visit to the wonderful world of thrifted dragons.
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