This Tzedakah Box measures 5 inches tall and 4 inches across. The box is hexagonal. There are 6 side panels and the top of the box, each depicting one of the "7 Species" of the Bible. Those 7 species are wheat, barley, grapes, figs, dates, olives, and pomegranates. Each of these were major food sources for all the people living in the Middle East centuries ago.
I hand-sculpted and painted each of the embellishments. I used powdered mica pigments, which give a beautiful shimmering metallic and iridescent effect.
Tzedakah Boxes are used to stash coins for donation to a charitable cause. Traditionally, before Shabbat (the Sabbath) begins, pockets are emptied into the family's Tzedakah Box.
I was able to obtain a large quantity of these unique metal boxes. I hand-cut the coin slot in the lids with my rotary tools. Then I primed the outer surfaces to prepare them for embellishment. I painted the boxes, added the raised elements, and applied many coats of acrylic, for a protective glossy sheen. The embellishments wrap around the 6 corners of the box, so it is beautiful from every angle!
These boxes will grace any home and may become a treasured heirloom to be passed on to your children and grandchildren. Or you may prefer to give this as a wedding gift, a hostess gift, or a housewarming gift. It would also be a meaningful gift to a Bat Mitzvah girl on her special day. At any rate, these boxes are exquisite! They represent some of my finest work ever.