Handwoven Tallit: Arava

The Arava is the desert valley that runs from the Dead Sea south to the Red Sea. I painted this tallit in its colors: a rich range of beige, sand and brown stripes, warm and grounded.

Like all my handwoven tallitot, Arava began as a watercolor painting of stripes in my studio. Artisans in India spin the cotton by hand, dye it and weave each tallit on a hand loom, through my partnership with Indigo Handloom. Each one is then sewn and finished in Asheville, North Carolina. Because they're woven by hand in small batches, no two are exactly alike.

Details

• 40% silk and 60% handspun cotton: soft and luxurious without being heavy
• Two sizes: a 24 × 72 inch shawl, or a 48 × 72 inch tallit gadol
• Certified kosher wool tzitzit from Israel, or tie your own
• A matching handmade bag

Questions

Shawl or tallit gadol?

The shawl rests on your shoulders with the four corners hanging in front. The tallit gadol is larger and drapes over the shoulders and down the back in the traditional way.

Can the tallit gadol be used as a chuppah?

Yes. At 48 × 72 inches it's a lovely size for a wedding tallit or a small chuppah.

Learn more about how my handwoven tallitot are made, or browse all my handwoven tallitot.