Avnei Hoshen

Avnei Hoshen is a group of craftspeople from around the Modi'in region dedicated to producing original, quality, handmade creations. Some of us are full time artisans; for others our handiwork is a hobby.

What we do

Our crafts represent a diverse selection of cottage industries including glassmaking, painting, silversmithing, silkscreening, beading, photography, painting on wood and more. Amongst our creations you'll find jewellery, greetings cards, decorative and practical items for the home, Judaica, scarves and paintings.

We each have our own distinct techniques, from the traditional to the unconventional. This mix of modern and traditional connects us to our unique area of Israel, featuring new towns in the heart of ancient Judea, the land of the Maccabees. Our country's rich cultural heritage, both ancient and modern, simply inspires us to create.

How we started

Avnei Hoshen was the vision of Sandra Apperman to bring together craftspeople from the Modi'in area to share ideas, support each other and promote their work. The group includes artisans from different communities in the area including the city of Modi'in, the town of Hashmonaim and moshav Mevo Modi'im.

What's in a name

Some of the earliest Jewish art was made for ritual use in the ancient Tabernacle and Temple. The bible and external historical records describe all manner of ceremonial items and the creative techniques used to make them: weaving, dying, metalwork and carpentry to name a few.

The Avnei Hoshen were the twelve gemstones set in the ceremonial breastplate, hoshen in Hebrew, worn by the Jewish High Priest (kohen gadol) in biblical Israel. These twelve gems each had different properties, from colour to value to lustre, symbolising the diversity of the twelve tribes of Israel. Similarly each of the artists in our group has different skills and talents, yet each is a gem.

The Maccabees who lived in the Modi'in region and led the revolt in the Hannukah story were a priestly family led by Matityahu, the High Priest of his day. Thus the name Avnei Hoshen connects us to our ancestors who lived and worked in this very spot.

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