Star of David - Introduction

Six years ago my son imported from India folded paper star shaped lampshades. There were times when the main street of the old city in Jerusalem was lighted by hundreds of those colorful lampshades. It was a beautiful scene. Michael Stern, the renowned event designer, suggested to make the lampshades six pointed so that it will look like a three dimensional Star of David. So we started improvising with the material of our Indian lampshades; but although we succeeded building a six pointed star the angels weren't right.

Later on we saw in the stores a Merkaba pendant, and a Merkaba crystal and it seemed clearer how to build our lampshade. (Merkaba is a three dimensional Star of David). After many more trials and a little help from an engineer we found the right angles and started manufacturing them. The first shipment was of Star of David decorations and the next shipments will be of Star of David lampshades.

The Star of David is also called Magen David or Mogen Dovid or Shield of David or Solomon's seal, or Seal of Solomon. It is recognized as the Israeli national emblem; but for me the Star of David has a very private meaning. I think that the one dimensional Star of David symbolizes the material aspect of Zionism – to build a homeland for the Jews and to blossom the desert. The two dimensional Star of David symbolizes the moral aspect of Zionism- to build a just society. The three dimensional Star of David symbolizes the spiritual aspect of Zionism – to personally get out of the friction energy and to become a light to the gentiles.

This is why a lot of my creative energy is dedicated to the Star of David. I designed a Jewish clock which is shaped like the Star of David. I designed a thaumatrope; a small disk of paper, a blue triangle and a blue stripe drawn on both sides, and the disk is suspended between two pieces of string. When the disk is twirled, the viewer can see the flag of Israel, which is the Star of David between two blue stripes. I made a 46 seconds film about that Star of David thaumatrope - I even ordered from a clay artist a plate that has the Star of David shape.

So now we have these Star of David decorations in our home and they start living their own lives:

· Michael Stern, who suggested making them, used a few dozens for a Bar Ilan University reception for Hillary Clinton in New York Waldorf Astoria on 5 March 2006. They looked very majestic, each one held in a glass of sugar in the middle of the table, sending sparks of light everywhere…

· Two Star of David decorations hang beautifully on Asia's jewelry store next to the King David Hotel.

· Another two Star of David decorations were exhibited on Shenkar Designers School end of the year celebration on 7 February 2006.

· Lately it started shining on the Website of judaica for kids.

We hope that the Star of David lampshades will arrive in time from the manufacturer so that people will be able to hang them in their Sukkah (Tabernacles Feast booth).