Hello! My name is Chaykah and I welcome you to my website. I am proud to introduce you to Mazeltops Yarmalkes. Each yarmalke is handpainted by me. My hope is to offer a special and unique gift that will make boys and men all over the world, want to cover their heads.
A Jewish man is required to cover his head as a sign of modesty. One interpretation of this requirement is that a man needs to know that he is finite, with limited abilities and knowledge. He needs to be constantly aware that there is a G-d above him.
I have always had a talent for art and remember that as a young girl in school, people were already noticing my ability. My talent took me in several directions and over the years, I painted everything from baby bottles, planters, shirts and murals to complete pictures on fingernails!
When I got married and started our family, I painted murals in the children's bedrooms and people who would see them would offer to pay me to do that. At that time, I thought that my only job in life was going to be a Mommy, but it was not meant to be! Being an Orthodox family, meant that when our boys would turn three they would be required to wear Tzitzis and a kippah every day. Of course I wanted my son's to have "special kippot" and one way to accomplish this was to do it myself! If I remember correctly, my first kippah was a Ninja Turtle. My son wore it proudly the first day at his new school. Since it was a new school for us, I am not sure who was more nervous, he or I? Within the first 5 minutes, a mother approached me and asked where I bought his kippah? When I replied that I painted it, she asked if I did it as a business because she could get me a ton of orders. At that moment, Mazeltops Yarmalkes began. Within hours I had already ordered business cards. I was now a Mommy and a yarmalke painter.
Soon the business grew, as did our family. Recently, with the advances of the Internet, we have added a website and the business has grown again. I am now able to reach people from places I had only dreamed of. This business in essence, began with our oldest son. We were blessed after him with a girl and then a boy and then a girl and then another boy! The oldest was just 5 ½ when the fifth one was born, so painting yarmalkes in those days, was done around a table late at night. These days I create them in a special studio area in our home.
I recently saw one of my original designs and was proud to see how far I have come. I love doing each and every yarmalke and I hope if you order one, it will bring joy to someone you love.
Take care and be safe!
SUCCOS 2016