The Guild was\norganized in 1977 by a group of professional Jewish needle artists in New York.\nThese women shared a common interest in maintaining Jewish tradition through\ntextiles by creating new and beautiful ceremonial objects for the home and\nsynagogue. The Guild\npublishes a quarterly newsletter and sponsors a convention in North America every\ntwo years, offering classes to support Jewish traditions through textiles such\nas quilting, embroidery, knitting, and other fiber crafting. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Formal Chapters\nof the organization have been formed in 12 States and there is also one in\nAlberta, Canada. Chapter meetings are a rich blend of needlework, culture,\ntradition and religious practices as they relate to Judaic textiles. Members\nstudy the history of Judaic ritual objects in order to embellish their work\nwith authentic symbols and motifs. Through these efforts, members perpetuate their\nJewish traditions through textiles for generations to come.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The\nPomegranate is frequently mentioned in the Bible and is reported to have 613\nseeds, the number of required mitzvot (good deeds). It was chosen as a modern\nlink to the Guild\u2019s heritage and founding principle of reviving Jewish Traditions\nthrough textiles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The name, \u201cPomegranate\u201d\nwas specifically taken from the Bible, in Exodus 39, verses 24 \u2013 25: “And\nthey made upon the hem of the robe pomegranates of blue, and purple, and\nscarlet and twined linen” which describes the garments of Aaron, the High\nPriest. The Guild logo, designed by a founding member, is a stylized\npomegranate with the stem transformed into a threaded needle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Marion and Mary Ann are from Winnipeg, Canada. They have known each other since 1995 when they met in a Jewish conversion class in Canada and have been friends ever since. \u00a0It was Marion who introduced Mary Ann to quilting. She gave Mary Ann fat quarters, thread, and needles for a birthday gift to encourage her to get started. Marion also invited Mary Ann to join her quilt guild, the Manitoba Prairie Quilters<\/a> as well as take her to quilt classes and quilt shows. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Another way\nthese quilting friends get support for their interest in Jewish traditions\nthrough textiles, is with their membership in Internet Jewish Quilters, a\nclosed group that shares ideas for quilting along with quilt links and upcoming\nquilt shows.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It was from belonging to this group that Marion and Mary Ann heard about the Pomegranate Guild of Judaic Needlework<\/a>. They joined Pomegranate 7 years ago when Mary Ann gave Marion a membership as a birthday gift. There is no formal Chapter near where they live, so they meet weekly with another friend to quilt. The three also go to quilt shows together. <\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"Jewish](\"https:\/\/road2ca.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/jewish-quilters.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n Why Pomegranate? <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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<\/figure><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\nA Quilting Friendship Rooted in Jewish Traditions Through Textiles <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"Jewish](\"https:\/\/road2ca.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/jewish-quilters3-e1562220557271.jpg\")
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