This mezuzah was created as a wedding present for my sister and her husband in 2008. I wanted to make something for them that would be useful, beautiful, and part of their daily life.
The mezuzah is a traditional piece of Judaica that fulfills an obligation to inscribe specific scripture to the doorpost of a Jewish home. There are two parts, the actual parchment with the scripture (which must be written by a certified scribe) and a decorative case that holds the parchment. The religious requirements are very specific for the parchment but the case can be designed in just about any way.
My design incorporates various Jewish motifs in brass, copper, and glass. The main brass base is an extended star of David with some artistic elements in the middle. On each end, there is a bent copper piece that complete the half stars formed by the base. In this mezuzah, the parchment is held in the center brass tube capped with two turned cones. Wrapping around the tube about 1/3rd of the way down is the Hebrew letter ‘shin’ made out of copper.
Flanking the center tube that holds the scroll are two square tubes made of stained glass that are free to spin. The tubes are capped with brass caps on each side with turned brass finials to complete the look. These were meant to evoke the look of the two scrolls of a Torah.