Press release MEZUZAH IN SPACE!

 
Two dynamic mezuzot created by Judaica designer Laura Cowan are destined for space.

American astronaut Greg Chamitoff is taking two of Laura’s creations on the next NASA expedition to the International Space Station. NASA allows a very small pouch with a limited number of personal articles to be carried by a crew member for close family and friends to allow these people to directly share in the space flight experience with the astronaut. 

The Apollo mezuzah was purchased for Greg to take on his mission by Phil Hattis, an aerospace engineer that works on human space flight programs.  Greg was among the MIT doctoral students he supervised, guiding them in their graduate research.

Hattis said “Since Greg and I share a Jewish heritage and I wanted to pick a personal artifact that my family could appreciate for a long time, a mezuzah made sense as something that could become part of the home after returning to Earth.  Furthermore, while Greg is in space, it can be part of his temporary home.”

“Laura’s work was chosen because the designs are based on spaceflight. I was able to reach my dream of space flight work because of the Apollo programe. My current work aims to return humans to places beyond earth. The Apollo design seemed the perfect choice, (and it helped that it was small enough to meet NASA’s weight restrictions). All the factors that are important to me, my profession, religion, my family, and my home are able to be represented by Laura’s mezuzahs”. 

The second mezuzah, the Shuttle Mezuzah, was purchased by Lisa Stone a close friend of Greg’s. She said “It seems very appropriate to have a mezuzah that evokes space flight actually go into space. It will certainly make it a more powerful symbol when it's on one of our doorposts.”

1. About the Artist

Contemporary designer Laura Cowan began her career in London after graduating in Silversmithing and Jewellery at London Guildhall University.  

“My recent work is based on a rocket shape. I was inspired by the Sixties mission to land a man on the moon. Although this was achieved even before I was born, I was fascinated by the hype and excitement generated by the race to the moon. I also loved the irony of a futuristic design based on what is now history.

On moving to live in Israel I found myself drawn to creating Judaica – making the link between my design ideas and the strengthened Jewish identity I felt in Israel. Combining the design ideas with Halacha (Jewish religious laws) gave meaning to my work that I hadn’t experienced before.

I felt that by creating beautiful, accessible designs this would provide other Jews with an additional way to connect to Judaism. I love the idea of using a modern symbol to make an ancient religious law feel contemporary."

2. About the two designs

Apollo Mezuzah  A pure rocket shaped mezuzah with an abstract “shin” inspired by the windows on spacecraft. Named after The Apollo program – NASA’s 1960’s moon landing mission. The Apollo is hand-crafted using traditional silversmithing techniques – sawing, hammering, filing and soldering.  While the rocket is a modern geometric shape Laura’s unique finishing techniques provide each mezuzah with warmth and personality

Shuttle Pewter Mezuzah A simple rocket-shaped piece, inspired by the Space Shuttle - the  spacecraft currently used by the United States government for its  human spaceflight missions. This sleek piece is crafted in high quality pewter - its durable finish is perfect for outdoor use.

3. About the astronaut

Greg Chamitoff   Dr. Chamitoff is currently assigned as ISS Flight Engineer and Science Officer on Expedition 17 and will spend six months living and working onboard the International Space Station. This will be his first flight. He is scheduled to fly to the station as a mission specialist on STS-124, during which the Japanese Experiment Module will be installed and activated. He will return to Earth on shuttle mission STS-126.

4. Other work by Laura Cowan includes: Moon Seder Plate

As part of her rocket inspired Judaica collection Laura has created a Seder Plate representing the craters on the moon’s surface. The Seder Plate is made from polished aluminium and the square shape of the plate is softened with round indentations. Each piece is personally signed by the artist.

Laura's fresh ideas contribute to a new wave of exciting Judaica design, shaking up the traditional market and generating worldwide interest. Her work is exhibited in galleries and museums worldwide - America, Canada, Israel, England, Italy, Sweden and Australia.