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Modern Judaica Must-Haves: Why the Pieces That Build Your Jewish Home Should Reflect Who You Are

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There’s something so special about choosing the Judaica that will fill your first home together as a married couple.

The kiddush cup you’ll reach for on Friday nights, the menorah you’ll light each Hanukkah, the ketubah that will bring back happy memories of your wedding day every time you glance at it on the wall – all of these pieces and more are part of what shapes the atmosphere of a Jewish home. And while the Judaica that fills your home connects you to ritual and tradition, it should also feel like you. 

That’s exactly why we’re so excited to introduce you to Tchotchke, a design-forward Judaica brand creating pieces designed for modern Jewish homes.

Tchotchke was founded by husband-and-wife team Anna and Adam Paskow after planning their own wedding and realizing they couldn’t find Judaica that reflected their style – or the kind of home they wanted to build together.

They saw a gap: much of the category felt overly formal, ornate, or out of step with modern life. Their answer was a collection of Judaica that feels fresh, elevated, playful, and meaningful -designed to be lived with and displayed year-round.

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A Gemy Maalouf Bride for a Classic Winter Jewish Wedding at Banking Hall, London, UK

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Claudia and Aaron, Banking Hall, London, UK

We love a London winter wedding, and Claudia and Aaron’s is really something special! Claudia, a wellness coach and personal trainer, and Aaron, a consultant, had the chicest December Jewish wedding at the iconic Banking Hall. The character-packed venue was the perfect spot for their classic black tie affair – and we’re obsessed with the stunner of a staircase!

Featuring a simple, chic chuppah adorned with white florals and greenery, an absolutely breathtaking Gemy Maalouf gown, and the most wonderful personal touches (Claudia and Aaron wrote personal notes to each of their 175 guests, which they placed on the tables as place cards!), there’s so much to love about this gorgeous day. Don’t miss all the magical details in the photos by Pippa Mackenzie and video by Lewis of Lightbulb Films.

When it came to music, Claudia and Aaron opted for Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor XS Showband, and they couldn’t be any more thrilled with their choice. In Claudia’s words, “They were just unbelievable. Every meeting with Fran and her team was perfect and they also did our production too which made the process feel really seamless. The band absolutely smashed it and our guests still reminisce how amazing they were.” They even brought Claudia’s grandad on stage to sing “New York, New York,” one of the highlights of the whole evening!

Read on for the rest of the story in Claudia’s own words…

Claudia and Aaron, Banking Hall, London, UK Claudia and Aaron, Banking Hall, London, UK Claudia and Aaron, Banking Hall, London, UK Claudia and Aaron, Banking Hall, London, UK

How We Met

Claudia, the bride: Aaron and I grew up in the same area, lots of mutual friends, same parties, rival schools but never crossed paths until our early 20s when we were both on JSwipe and matched. The rest is history.

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The Ultimate Guide to Planning a Jewish Destination Wedding in France & Monaco

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A tender moment underneath the chuppah | Histoire d’Amour: The Wellness Wedding Planner, by Gillian Teboul

There are Jewish destination weddings… and then there are Jewish destination weddings in France and Monaco.

A chuppah set against the glimmering Mediterranean. A black-tie celebration in a grand château that ends with fireworks. A long Shabbat table beneath the cypress trees in Provence, candles flickering as the cicadas sing. An alpine wedding in the French Alps to the sound of crackling log fires. 

A Parisian garden venue | Histoire d’Amour: The Wellness Wedding Planner, by Gillian Teboul

But as dreamy as a Jewish destination wedding in France or Monaco can be, planning one from abroad is rarely simple.

That’s why we sat down with Gillian Teboul, founder of Histoire d’Amour: The Wellness Wedding Planner – a Paris-based studio dedicated exclusively to weddings in France and Monaco, founded by a Jewish bride.

“In Jewish tradition, the wedding day is the holiest day of a couple’s life: a day of renewal, of beginning, of profound meaning,” Gillian says. “As a Jewish bride myself, I understand that from the inside. Everything at Histoire d’Amour begins from there.”

Here’s her guide to planning the Jewish destination wedding of your dreams in France or Monaco.

Where Should You Get Married in France?

The most enchanting thing about a wedding in France is that every region tells a different love story.

“France set the standards in the art of hosting, gastronomy, and hospitality,” Gillian says. “And it is on top of that a deeply romantic country. The two together make it the most beautiful place in the world to marry.”

“Every setting in France has its own soul. The work is matching the place and the décor to the moment and to the couple.” 

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A Galia Lahav Bride for a Soft and Sophisticated Jewish Wedding at The Dorchester, London, UK

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Jessie and Elliot, The Dorchester, London, UK

Dreamy wedding alert! Jessie, a personal shopper and stylist, and Elliot, who’s director of paid digital at Warner Music Group, had an absolutely breathtaking London Jewish wedding, and we’re smitten from start to finish.

The couple turned to Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Uptown Events to help them bring their vision to life at the iconic Dorchester, and Jessie can’t stop raving about how amazing they were every step of the way. In her words, “Uptown proposed amazing ideas to fit our vision and be aesthetically pleasing for our guests! Uptown Events truly were a saving grace, we were able to speak to them constantly throughout the process and their organisation was top notch. We really couldn’t have planned the wedding without them and they genuinely sorted out everything we asked for and made the day run extremely smoothly (which I know is not always possible!).”

Being in the fashion industry herself, choosing a dress was a big decision for Jessie – and unsurprisingly, she picked an absolute stunner, Sun from Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Galia Lahav. Even though Jessie initially thought she wanted something simple, but when she tried Sun on her sales assistant’s recommendation, she instantly changed her mind – and we’re so glad she did; it looks like it was made for her!

There’s so much else to love about this fabulous day – don’t miss it all in the wonderful candid photography by Alex Wysocki, paired with the coolest film shots by Adam Crocker!

Jessie and Elliot, The Dorchester, London, UK Jessie and Elliot, The Dorchester, London, UK Jessie and Elliot, The Dorchester, London, UK Jessie and Elliot, The Dorchester, London, UK

An Iconic Venue

Jessie, the bride: The Dorchester – I’ve always wanted to get married there and we had quite a large wedding so it was the perfect space to fit all our guests! We loved the character of the ballroom and the hotel overall. It’s such an iconic landmark within London so it felt extra special to get married there.

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An Elysee Bride for a Romantic Valentine’s Hindu-Jewish Wedding at Lucien’s, New Jersey, USA

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Heather and Kinjal, Lucien’s, New Jersey, USA

We love seeing how couples blend two different traditions into one beautiful multicultural wedding – and the HinJew wedding of Heather, who owns a counseling and consultation business, and Kinjal, who works in IT, is the perfect example!

The duo made their celebration a two-day affair, with a chuppah one day and a mandap the next. Heather and Kinjal’s Jewish wedding featured a heartfelt ceremony led by a rabbi, beautifully blending elements from both Jewish and Hindu traditions.

The wedding took place over Valentine’s Day weekend, and the couple leaned into the holiday, opting for a palette featuring featured rich reds (which also hold deep significance in Indian wedding traditions) and vibrant pinks. Don’t miss it all in the wonderful photos from Natali and Kate!

Now over to Heather…

Heather and Kinjal, Lucien’s, New Jersey, USAHeather and Kinjal, Lucien’s, New Jersey, USA Heather and Kinjal, Lucien’s, New Jersey, USA Heather and Kinjal, Lucien’s, New Jersey, USA

How We Met

Heather, the bride: We met at a local bar, very unexpectedly. Ironically the bar is always the last place people think to meet their life partner yet it was truly meant to be for us. It really was fate, being in the right place at the right time, our paths crossed and we never looked back.

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