| My name is Shlomo Simenowitz. I grew up on Sweet Whisper Farms, our horse-powered maple farm in rural Vermont. Farm life is hard work but it was a wonderful way to grow up. I loved walking in the forest, riding the draft horses and woodworking with my tatty. | |
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We even timberframed our new sugarhouse – it actually looks like the shul in my great-great grandparents shtetl in Belarus! |
Tatty is also the director of Project Ya’aleh V’Yavo, Inc., a Torah-based environmental education program which brings groups up to the farm for a hands-on taste of farm life and what it representsd in this age when the family farm is rapidly disappearing. I enjoy helping with some of the groups and I even got to give a few lessons in the art of carving yads (Torah pointers) to local b’nai mitzvah kids!
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| I myself became a bar mitzvah this summer. For my bar mitzvah I decided to start a program where I could use my woodworking and turning skills to give something back to the community. So together with my tatty I started “Maple with a Mission” – a line of sustainable wooden gifts which are designed a) to help my sister Tova raise money for the B’nai |
Tzedek Youth Council – a Jewish teen philanthropic program based in Western New England; b) to help other B’nai Tzedek teens locally and throughout the country raise money for their own tzedaka accounts; c) to teach about sustainable forestry practices and the importance of trees in absorbing carbon dioxide d) to help some of the Native American Tribes that tatty has been working with achieve energy independence. 
Ceremonial gift exchange with Vernon Masayesva, Hopi Tribal Elder at NWF Tribal Lands Climate Change Conference, Yuma, AZ
The Rambam (Maimonides) says that the highest degree of charitable giving is the gift of financial independence. I would like this project to grow and become as sustainable as the products we make to sell.
All of our products are made from locally and sustainably harvested hardwoods, usually maple and cherry. Each item is handmade and unique - I try to match the grain and character of each piece of wood with the item I am making. Buy one or more for yourself or better yet, buy a bunch and use them as the perfect corporate gift.. But in all cases, please spread the word!
THE SLIMLINE SERIES (three middle pens) – This is a thin, finely detailed wood ball point pen. It comes in a beautiful gift box. $36.00 & shipping
THE FLAT TOP SERIES (far right) – A more substantial, yet delicately balanced writing instrument. Available as both a roller ball or fountain pen. (Please specify). For an additional $7.50 these can be personalized with gold initials on the top finial. $40.00 & shipping
THE CIGAR PEN (2nd and 6th from the end)– This is a big, beefy, solid pen. While I am usually conservative and traditional in my penmaking, I let my payos down with these pens and have some fun! $40.00 & shipping
THE EL GRANDE (1st pen in photo and below) – This magnificent pen showcases the intricate woodgrain patterns It is available as a rollerball or fountain pen (please specify.)This pen can also be personallized in gold for $7.50 additional. It comes in a beautiful wooden presentation box. $60.00 & shipping
TODAY I AM A FOUNTAIN PEN – my grady a”h (we couldn’t decide whether to call him grandpa or zaidy so we called him “grady”) used to tell us an old joke about the boy who was practicing for his bar mitzvah speech. Each time the boy would be interrupted by a well wisher who gave him a fountain pen as a gift. Finally, on his bar mitzvah day when he got up to give his speech he nervously exclaimed “Today I am a fountain pen”. In keeping with that tradition we have the designed the ultimate bar/bat mitzvah package – a matching fountain pen and roller ball pen. Cut from matching wood blanks, these pens are both personalized in gold letters and come in a custom two-tone wooden keepsake box. Use the roller ball every day and take out the fountain pen for that extra special occasion (like signing your “thank you” notes). $90.00 & shipping
THE EXECUTIVE MODELS – These are heirloom quality, collectible pens. They are larger than any of our other pens but are still subtle and subdued. The detail work on the caps, bands and finials must be seen to be believed. Available as a roller ball or as a fountain pen (please specify). I use only the most interesting wooden blanks to turn these pens. The pens come in a magnificent wooden display box. This is the gift when only the best will do. $125.00 & shipping
THE MAPLE MEZUZA CASE – When we built our new sugarhouse, tatty took great care to locate it in such a way as to minimize disturbance to the surrounding forest. Happily, only one tree had to be removed. Sadly, it was tatty’s favorite tree – a tall, straight-grained black cherry which he admired every time he passed it with the team and the sapsled. Tatty decided to use the cherry as a model of recycling – the tops were used to fuel the evaporator to make syrup, the sawdust was used for bedding for the chickens and he milled the trunk into lumber. The tops and bottoms of our mezuzah are made from that tree. The body is made from curly maple and hand painted.
The mezuzah case comes in a handsome gift box together with brass escutcheons for mounting. Remember our motto - “Protecting the environment – Protecting the Jewish Home” $38.00 & shipping
There is an old saying in woodworking “As without, within”. What goes inside the mezuzah casing is even more important that the casing itself! We offer several options of kosher klaf. (parchment)
Standard $36.00
Select $46.00
Special Reserve $56.00
Cask Strength $72.00
SHIPPING – we ship USPS Priority mail at the actual shipping rates. We can overnight a gift if you need. We can also drop ship corporate gifts and can provide personalized cards with your message and/or logo at no additional cost.
ON-LINE STORE – Our on-line store complete with shopping carts and checkout is currently under construction. E-mail us at Shlomo@maplewithamission.com or just call us at 413-525-1846 and we’ll do our best to make you glad you chose Maple with a Mission.