Sterling Silver Filigree with Amethyst Mezuzah

This beautiful Sterling Silver Filigree with Amethyst Mezuzah case is made in Israel in the Yeminite tradition by Ben-Zion David. The art of Yemenite silver and goldsmith has run in the family’s veins for eight generations and Ben-Zion David (Benzi) has this skill in his genes. At the age of ten he began helping his father in his workshop preparing and interweaving the silver threads.

In Yemen, a person who wanted a piece of jewelry would give five silver coins to the silversmith. Three coins were melted for the jewel itself and the two other coins were the jeweler?s fee. After two days of preparing the silver into threads and small silver domes, the jewelry was crafted in another day. ?I am still using ancient methods to make jewelry, maybe more advanced than my grandfather?s, but not very modern,? says Ben Zion. ?Till this day, all the tools I work with have Yemenite names. Each small jewelry piece, each individual thread has a name.?

Ben Zion does all the designing himself. His more commercial designs combine modern fashion trends and Yemenite traditional craftsmanship. Some pieces Ben Zion makes ?for the soul? which are not for sale. Pieces which he makes for collectors of Judaica, are heavy and expensive and made completely by hand. For these pieces he prepares the threads by hand, interweaving them to achieve a special and unique braided effect. His designs are inspired by the traditional Yemenite design of heavy bridal jewelry.

Ben-Zion pieces are on display at museums and galleries both in Israel and the US and he has won the ?Accent Magazine? design competition for two consecutive years.