While in the past it was common to offer one a handmade gift, nowadays, the variety of products which could be offered as a gift is impressive. Thus, Jewish gifts can be found to suit all occasions, ages and tastes.
One can choose between purchasing pieces of jewelry with Jewish symbols and significance for girls and women, objects for the household (which could either be practical ones or decorative), such as Tzedakah boxes, Mezuzahs, Havdalah and/or Shabbat candles, and religious objects, such as Torah pointers for boys, richly decorated Torah scrolls and religious books for those being initiated in the Jewish faith, etc. Such gifts have the advantage of not being just decorative ones, but they could also be used by their owner in practicing the faith.
A good example in this regard is the visiting of friends who have recently moved to a new home. One could offer them a Mezuzah, to be placed on the door post, or a set of glasses embellished with Jewish traditional symbols, various types of candles which could be used when observing Jewish religious holidays, etc. Other popular gifts for the home include the home blessing and the Mizrah, which is a painting or wall decoration hung on the eastern wall of the home to mark the direction towards Jerusalem.
It is a fact that Jewish gifts are considered to be gifts for the soul and are intended to be highly cherished in the home of the owner. Consequently, a Jewish gift shall never be tossed aside as it would happen with regular gifts, such as vases, books, paintings, etc., that one might not like enough to display in his/her home.
