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Remembering, While Choosing Light
Why We Chose to Share the Sparkle on October 7
Last night, we sponsored one of the activities we look forward to most every year: an evening with a group of Bat Mitzvah girls.
Traditionally, we decorate mezuzah cases together while sharing the story of Apeloig Collection—how our brand began, why it carries the name of our Holocaust-survivor grandfather, and what it means to us to design Judaica that feels relevant, beautiful, and meaningful.
Most importantly, we talk about one of the ideas at the heart of everything we do: Hiddur Mitzvah—the Jewish concept of beautifying a mitzvah.
This year, inspired by the bedazzling trend we’ve been seeing everywhere, we decided to add a little extra sparkle.
We created acrylic Shin charms for the girls to decorate with gems. We spoke about the meaning of the Shin, its connection to Shaddai, one of the names of God, and to the words Shomer Daltot Yisrael—Guardian of the Doors of Israel. You can see the Instagram reel here.
The idea was simple: each girl would take something connected to a mitzvah and make it her own. Make it beautiful. Make it shine.
And they did.
But this morning, as we were getting ready to post the reel from the event, we looked at the date.
October 7.
And suddenly, the sparkles felt different.
For a moment, posting a video filled with gems, smiling girls, music, and light felt almost inappropriate. Our feeds today would be filled with memories of the horrors of October 7, 2023. With the faces of those murdered. With stories of the hostages. With grief that is still incredibly present three years later.
For our family, that grief is also personal. Among the lives taken that day was our Uncle Moshe Ridler z”l.
We wondered: Is today really the day to post something so joyful?
And then we remembered something that has guided us throughout the last three years.
This is part of our mission too.
At Apeloig Collection, we have always chosen to respond to darkness by being louder and prouder in our Judaism. By putting mezuzot on more doors. By celebrating Shabbat. By creating beautiful Jewish homes. By teaching our children not only what happened to the Jewish people, but what it means to continue being Jewish.
And maybe one of the most powerful answers we can give to October 7 is exactly what happened in that room last night.
A group of twelve-year-old Jewish girls sat together learning about a mitzvah.
They learned why a mezuzah matters.
They learned about Hiddur Mitzvah.
They learned that Judaism is something we inherit, but also something we can make personal and carry forward.
And yes, they added rhinestones.
Because maybe that is the point.
We can mourn and we can create.
We can remember and we can celebrate.
We can carry enormous grief while continuing to bring beauty into Jewish life.
These things do not cancel each other out. Jewish history has taught us, again and again, how to hold both.
So today, we remember every life taken on October 7. We remember our Uncle Moshe Ridler z”l. We pray for those still carrying unimaginable pain.And we also keep teaching the next generation to do mitzvot.
To live Jewishly.
To be proud.
And, sometimes, to make those mitzvot sparkle.
Am Yisrael Chai Forever & Always.
