Judaikitsch: Tchotchkes, Schmattes and Nosherei [Paperback]

Jennifer Traig (Author), Victoria Traig (Author), Dwight Eschliman (Photographer)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1, 2002

What would happen if Martha Stewart were abducted by a tribe of trailer park rabbis? Judaikitsch! Filled to the brim with crafts, collectibles, and creative cooking, heres the ultimate guide to a funky, festive Jewish lifestyle. From everyday kitsch to holiday entertaining-and loads of mishegoss in between-Judaikitsch asks the all-important question: Why eat sushi when theres Jewshi? Put away that mizrach and hang up the Miz-Rock. Host a Sukkot Luau featuring a Poi Vey Pineapple Mold, and celebrate Rosh Mexicana with a heaping helping of Hava Tequila Pie. Guaranteed to amuse, Judaikitsch encourages readers to don their Starlet of David Sunglasses, buckle their Borscht Belts, and enjoy a ride through a world where Elvis sports sidelocks and cats and dogs wear yarmulkes. At last, essential reading for the Divine Miss Martha in us all.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Jennifer Traig is the author of Crafty Girl: Accessories, Crafty Girl: Beauty, Crafty Girl: Cool Stuff, and Crafty Girl: Fun & Games. She has a Ph.D. from Brandeis that she has yet to put to good use. She lives as a self-styled kosher cowgirl in San Franci

Victoria Traig serves up cool art and hot food as an artist and waitress in Portland, Oregon. She s a Hebrew-school dropout but holds degrees in art from UCLA and the Oregon College of Arts and Crafts.

Dwight Eschliman is a San Francisco-based photographer whose photographs have appeared in A Good Day for Salad (0-8118-1991-4), The Autobiography Box (0-8118-2673-2), and The Cocktail Hour Deck (0-8118-3082-9).

Product Details

• Paperback: 128 pages
• Publisher: Chronicle Books (February 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0811831884
• ISBN-13: 978-0811831888
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 7.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,283,477 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Kvit Kvetching and Become a Kvelling Balebusta, May 6, 2002

By 

Larry Mark "editor of MyJewishBooks.com" (nyc) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Judaikitsch: Tchotchkes, Schmattes and Nosherei (Paperback)

Christian Americans have had marshmallow fluff and Christmas ornaments. Jews, avoiding graven images, have evaded lots of kitsch (except for chopped liver molds). Sure, maybe you've seen Sesame Street kipahs and Nike swoosh dreidels, but what if Bezalel from the Bible and Martha Stewart mated while reading The Jewish Catalog? Naturally, you would have the Traig sisters of the West Coast. This book is not only fun to read, but it provides the instructions on how to create your own kitsch, like the Manischewitz Concord Grape Wine bottle lamp or the Rastafarian Hey-Mohn-Toschen. Divided into eight parts, there are kitsch projects for everyday, Shabbat, Rosh Hashanah, Sukkot, Hanukkah (burn baby Burn), Purim, Passover, and Shavuot (milk it. do i make you flemmy, baby?). So get up off your tucches, break your dreidel shaped piñata, grab a slice of Hava Tequila Pie, and buy this book. Highlights include the Neil Sedaka Tzedakah Pushke Box (I used an empty band aids box); the Borscht Belt belt; a black velvet Elvis mizrach for your Eastern wall; the Carmen Miranda fruit filled yarmulke; and votive candles for Jewish patrons (the patron Jew of passive aggressive compliments). Replace wasabi with horseradish and you have Jew-shi sushi. Get a jar of Green olives and make some Poi Vey. Is havdalah havdalah without the Spice girls spice box? Is it true that there is Jewish Time? Then make yourself the Jewish Time Zones clock. The book closes with a Hebonics glossary. So gather the mishpocheh, and buy the book, cuz this one is a keeper.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What a great book!, April 15, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Judaikitsch: Tchotchkes, Schmattes and Nosherei (Paperback)

I picked this book up because I liked the cover, and ended up laughing so hard in the store I had to buy it. I am half jewish and wasn't raised very religious, but am still able to appreciate the humor and intent of this book. I have showed it to many friends and can't wait to give copies as gofts. Jewish or not, you will get a kick out of the clever crafts and ideas, and you may even learn a little bit about those Jewish traditions and hebrew words you never quite understood! And everyone can use a votice candle for the Patron Jew of Passive Aggressive Compliments!!!

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Laugh out loud crafts!, April 1, 2002

By 

Kelley Taylor (Connecticut) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Judaikitsch: Tchotchkes, Schmattes and Nosherei (Paperback)

Never before have I laughed so hard at a craft book. From the Patron Jew Candles, Berry Manilow dessert (yes, it is a tribute to our all time fav Jew) to a "David" quilt with Hasselhoff, Duchovny, Letterman, and Michaelangelo's "The David" transferred onto quilt squares, this tongue-in-cheek book is a treasure and tribute to wonderful kitschy humor! You'll find recipes and crafts for fake chopped liver, a Jewish Princess tiara (complete with Tab and a Princess phone adorned as accents)and so much more. The "Hebonics" dictionary in the back was the finishing touch which turned this "craft" book into a coffee table conversation piece. This shicksa finally found out that "nosh" meant "snack"! Don't think these two authors are making fun of anything Jewish! Their wonderful sense of humor and creativity enlighten even those who aren't Jewish about Judaic culture and tradition. With their twists on kitsch, you will find yourself with perhaps your hands in fake chopped liver and your sides in stitches.