It's Not About Changing Your Jewelry. It's About Changing Your Relationship With It.
By Alissa Haroush, Founder of Alef Bet Jewelry and By Alissa
I've been thinking a lot lately about why we wear the jewelry we wear.
Not just because it's beautiful. Not because it's fashionable. But because of how it makes us feel.
For years, I wore a Hamsa. It was part of me. I loved what it represented, and I loved having it close.
But somewhere along the way, I started wearing more.
A Star of David. A Chai. A larger diamond Jewish star. Sometimes all layered together.
And I realized something.
I wasn't just adding more jewelry. I was adding more meaning.
Sometimes you need something you can touch
My faith has always been part of who I am. But there's something special about having a physical reminder of it.
Something I can see when I look down. Something I can reach for and touch. Something that rests against my skin, close to my heart.
It grounds me.
It's almost like getting a hug from my faith. Not a physical hug, of course, but that feeling of being embraced, of being connected to God, my community, and everything that makes me who I am.
And yes, I want other people to see it, too.
I'm proud of my Judaism. I want that to be part of how I present myself to the world.
You don't have to change your style
I also happen to love fashion.
And if you've looked around lately, you've probably noticed that layering jewelry is everywhere.
Necklaces of different lengths. Bracelets stacked together. Rings that tell a story.
I love it.
But here's what I want women to understand: you don't have to take off the jewelry you already love to wear something meaningful.
Add a Star of David to your favorite gold chain. Layer a Chai with the necklaces you wear every day. Wear a Hamsa bracelet alongside your watch.
Make it yours.
It's not about changing your jewelry.
It's about changing your relationship with it.
The women I'll never forget
Recently, I spoke with a woman from Arizona who was 90 years old.
She told me she'd spent her life involved in synagogue activities and had raised her children Jewish. But she'd never worn a Jewish star.
At 90, she decided it was time.
She wasn't particularly comfortable shopping online, and she made a mistake entering her address. That's how we ended up talking.
She told me she'd noticed other people in her community showing their faith more openly, and she wanted to do the same.
She bought a small Star of David from Alef Bet.
It wasn't an expensive necklace. But that didn't matter.
What mattered was what it represented to her.
Then there was a woman in her 60s from Rhode Island.
She called me around the High Holidays and told me she'd never owned a Jewish star in her life.
But this year, she wanted one.
She chose a diamond piece from By Alissa.
I remember becoming emotional during our conversation. She was so excited about her necklace. She kept checking on when it would arrive, and when she finally received it, she told me how happy she was.
Two women. Different ages. Different jewelry. Different prices.
But both making the same personal decision.
They wanted to wear something that represented who they were.
Why I created By Alissa
I've always loved gold.
And while Alef Bet has given me the opportunity to create beautiful, meaningful everyday jewelry, I found myself wanting to explore something different.
I met an extraordinary group of diamond specialists in Israel. It wasn't something I'd planned. I was simply in the right place at the right time.
I trusted them. I believed in what they could create.
And I took a chance.
That's how By Alissa began.
Our signature diamond Stars of David and Hamsas aren't made by setting lots of little diamonds together.
Each symbol is cut from one diamond.
One stone, carefully selected, then individually hand-cut by a master diamond cutter in Israel.
It can take three to four days to create a single symbolic cut.
And when I look at these pieces, I see more than diamonds.
I see something made in Israel. Something connected to our heritage. Something that a woman can wear for the rest of her life.
My grandmother's snowflake
When I think about the jewelry I want to create, I always come back to my grandmother.
She had a snowflake necklace.
That was her necklace.
It was so much a part of her that when she passed away, I knew exactly what I wanted to keep.
I wanted that snowflake.
Not because of what it cost. Not because it was the fanciest piece she owned.
Because it was hers.
When I saw it, I thought of her.
And that's what I want for the women who wear my jewelry.
I want you to find your piece.
The Star of David you wear every day. The Chai that never leaves your neck. The Hamsa you reach for when you need a little comfort.
Maybe it's sterling silver. Maybe it's gold. Maybe it's a diamond.
That part is up to you.
But I hope that 20 years from now, when someone sees you wearing it, they'll think, That's her.
And one day, perhaps your daughter or granddaughter will look at that same piece and say, "I want that. That was hers."
Because the most meaningful jewelry doesn't just become part of your wardrobe.
It becomes part of you.
With love,
Alissa
Founder, Alef Bet Jewelry & By Alissa