Today I am a Man

Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith

Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith

ilmarinen - MODERATOR
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Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
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Aug 20, 2004
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Today was a big day for me. I was asked to speak at shavis at Temple Israel this morning.

During the summer, I restored all the Toarh ornaments - the breastplates, rimonim, crowns, yads, menorahs, and other pieces. The rabbi asked me to speak from the pulpit on the work I did, how it was done, and the importance of the ornaments. The talks was well received, and the congregation was very responsive, ending in applause. At the end of the service, before the Kiddush, rabbi Panitz did something that totally caught me by surprise. He bar-mitzvahed me....making me a member of the congregation. He then "gave me a Window". This is an honorary thing where they "give" one of the beautiful stained glass windows to you to be your special place to sit under and reflect or pray. I was given the window in the front of the church with the seraphim, flaming swords, and fire protecting the Ark. He said this window was mine because it fit me.
I was told later on that this window is not normally given, and applause is a great rarity during shavis in the synagogue.


The restoration took about four hundred hours of work, and a considerable amount of silver. I did it for one shekel. In the talk, I explained that the work was a mitzvah, and the reward for doing such a deed is the joy of doing it. The rabbi said he had the shekel for me, but couldn't pay me today, as it isn't allowed to conduct business on the Sabbath.
At Kiddush, I jokingly said to some friends who were there, "Today I am a man.". The congregation chairman interrupted and said," You are not a man, you are a Mensch!"


To say the least, I am very pleased. .....And so, to all my good friends in Shop Talk, "Today I am a man."
 
Congratulations.
You keep surprising me. Here you tell us about your Jewish background (or at least that how I interpet this) but you have also shown photo's of yourself wearing your clans kilt.
You must lead an interesting life
 
My Jewish background is by study and association. I am a Christian who works in ministry. But, both are People of the Book.

My day job is as a goldsmith, which brings me in contact with many of my Jewish customers. Nearly 40 years ago, I took over a jewelry store from a retiring jeweler who was the jeweler to the local Jewish community. Because I speak a small bit of Hebrew, and am knowledgeable of the traditions, holidays, and principles of Judaism, many customers have always thought I was Jewish.

One thing that is sort of funny now, is that one of my favorite tie pins is a Magen David with a cross in it. I made it many years ago, and wear it often. Now, I guess it applies more than ever :)


And now, for a great story:
At an ecumenical luncheon, a rabbi and a priest were sitting across from each other. The priest was making small talk, and mentioned that one of his parishioners son had just been accepted to Harvard. The rabbi said, "Yes, that's a good school. Some of our congregation members went there." The priest later said, "A Catholic missionary doctor in Africa has been working on a treatment for AIDS." The rabbi replied, "Yes, that is a noble cause. Many of our doctors are looking for a cure for AIDS at Mount Sinai Medical center." The priest looked sour, and said, "I don't suppose you would be impressed if I said one of out congregants was Jesus Christ himself.
!" The rabbi quietly replies, "Yes, he was a good person....one of our boys was that too."
 
Congrats Stacy. I would love to see some of the restoration work you did. Do you have any pictures of them?

-Adam
 
I like reading thes bits of our members lives. This is a great and diverse community.
Congrats Stacy!
 
Congratulations, Stacy. I would have loved to have sat in on that talk. Would have like to watch you work also but that's a different story.
 
Here is an exploded shot of the smaller crown. It had 101 pieces. The large one had 170 pieces. I had to make several of the "fabulous creatures" ( looks like a dragon holding a flower in its mouth), and lots of the flower studs, which are the screws that hold it all together.

Also, a shot of three rimonim ready to bubble wrap after they were rebuilt. These were bent, dented, missing many bell arms, and most of the bells before the work. I put in a shot of the actual welding in of one of the new arms I made to match.

There are no photos of the ornaments and me last Saturday, as no photos are taken during Shabbat services. I'll try and get a shot of the whole array when I get back to the temple on a non-Sabbath day.
 

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Congrats on your work for the temple and their acknowledgment.

Doesn't the term Mensch, mean a stand up man, or guy that can take it? I have jewish roots. My father was a man of science and I just didn't learn in any formal setting about the practices.

That's some beautiful restorion work you have done in the pictures.
 
Mensch has many meanings, mostly depending on the inflection of how it is said.

The definition is an upstanding and exemplary man. It can also mean a "real he-man", or just a grown up man. However, it can be made to imply the opposite.

You point to a metal of honor winner, and say to your son, "Now, that's a mensch!"
Or, you are watching Rocky with your son, and say, "Now, that's a mensch."
Or, Your point to a sports star who has behaved badly, and say to your son, "Now that's a mensch?" or "Some mensch he is!"
Or, you looks at your son who is crying because he lost a ball game, and say, "Come on now, be a mensch."
 
Amazing, really interesting stuff. I'm fascinated by different religions. I wish I had time to research them more fully.

My grandmother was a jeweler, and I inherited quite a few things of hers when she passed. My foredom, many fine hammers and tools, her remaining silver and gold stock, solders, casting stuff, gems and precious stones, etc.

It's a joy to use those fine tools and think of my grandmother while I make knives. I wish I had been old enough to learn more of her jeweler's craft before she passed.

I'm using some of her supplies to craft a fine knife for my fiancé, and will have to teach myself some stone setting skills. I plan on jeweling the ferrule, pink garnets on silver with a purpleheart handle.

I'm lucky to have been passed down things from both my grandmother and grandfather that I can use in Knifemaking. I wish the materials were unlimited so I could use them on every knife, but I have to save them for special pieces.
 
Your Grandmother would be pleased to know that these things are still in use and the stones are being passed on to a new generation.
 
That's a great story, Stacy. Congratulations! Also, that's some epic imagery to get to pray under "because it fits you." That's quite a compliment!
 
I hope this thread isn't too old to bring to the top. I just wanted to say that it made me feel happy on a rough night at work.

I love this place for so many reasons. Congratulations Stacy. What an honor!
 
To me ,from Brooklyn, Mensch was always a man of the highest qualities and standards. They called my father a mensch , and he certainly was ! A good person to look up to. A Christian who was always invited to Jewish families for holidays.
 
"A Christian who was always invited to Jewish families for holidays. "

That is truly a sign of a mensch!
 
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