Testimonials
In the Beginning by Ellen Hoffman
Sitting in services at IKAR, my synagogue, I saw people around me wearing tallitot, but I really didn’t think about the meaning of wearing one. Rabbi Sharon Brous had mentioned that it is a custom to wear white on Yom Kippur. Since most of the tallitot I saw around me were white I went to a local Judaica store and bought myself a white tallit. To me this purchase was as emotional as if I had just purchased a new pair of socks.
At a lovely High Holiday dinner at Wendy Light’s, one of her grandchildren asked me if I had seen Wendy’s tallit studio? Well…that was the start of my personal tallit education. As Wendy was explaining the meaning behind the wearing of a tallit and the various requirements for making them, a piece of fabric caught my eye. And so it began and Wendy made me my very first custom tallit. It was a handsome dark stripe in gray, black and tan metallic. I loved it. Lots of compliments came my way.
Oops…As fabulous as it was, I still needed a white one. This time Wendy asked me to bring some artifacts of meaning from home so that she could truly personalize this one. This tallit is a white woven fabric and in the colorful attarah (neckband) she incorporated a special ‘ (to me) Vans’ checkered shoe lace and a jade stone Buddha necklace from China, a gift from my son. Hidden on the inside of the neck area is a separate pocket made to hold 3 printed quotes that have deep personal meaning for me and truly touch my heart. Wearing this very personal tallit I feel enwrapped with love and peace and a huge feeling of well-being and peace with my community.
I am so grateful to Wendy’s creativity and peaceful way of educating me and leading me through my very own special tallit experience.
— Ellen Hoffman
“I love the various cotton tallitot I bought and a beautiful blue one that I gave away to a band new Jew from Japan who truly loves wearing it. Many years ago I brought my great niece to Wendy to design her tallit as she became a bat mitzvah. The end result was perfect. It was exactly what she wanted in colors, size and fabric. Thank you Holy Thread Design for creating and offering your love and respect for the value of wearing a tallit.”
— Barbara Z.
“My cousin is a huge fan of the METS baseball team, as was her mother, my amazing aunt. I wanted to get her a tallit that reminded her of her mom, honored her love of the team, but was still sophisticated and appropriate for an adult. I didn't have any fabric or a specific design in mind. Wendy truly listened to me and gave me several options. She is so thorough and thoughtful, and worked to manifest the meaning behind the tallit. It is beautiful and chic, but also whimsical and fun. The tallit is one of a kind and there is no way I could have found something similar without Wendy's personal touch and attention. I highly recommend Holy Thread Designs to make the perfect unique personalized tallit!”
— Marissa G, Los Angeles
My dad gets compliments on his Dodgers tallit wherever he goes. Recently it was a big hit at my cousin's bar mitzvah in San Diego!
(I don't think that he's tested the waters in real enemy territory up north yet.) Definitely the best gift I have ever given him.
— Maya Barron
Wendy Light is a unicorn of a human. Working with her is pure joy. She actively listens and comes up with an exquisite plan to create a very special one of a kind tallit. She is patient, kind, and incredibly skilled. Her sewing talent is matched by her boundless support. The result was an incredible tallit that will be treasured for generations to come. We are so grateful.
— Mariana, mother of Bat Mitzvah Girl
For my Bat Mitzvah I needed a tallit, and there was only one person who could make one just the way I wanted. When I was at Wendy's house she welcomed all of my ideas and let me take my time to decide. After I told her my dream she immediately came up with a perfect idea and the results were perfectly achieved. It's so beautiful and she even went to the store and got special beads to make it extra perfect. She did it just the way I wanted it and it is the most amazing and beautiful tallit I've ever seen. So it's a good thing it's mine.
— Jackie, Bat Mitzvah girl
"I could never thank you enough. M's tallit it so so special!!! It is truly gorgeous and he loves the buttons. Thank you for the special tallitot that you have made for all of us."
— Rachel