Worn With Pride
By Jill Duff-Hoppes
Like so many in our Jewish community in Central Florida and around the world, Zoe Newman was devastated by last year’s October 7 attack on Israel by Hamas. Zoe, her husband Elia, and their two young children had just moved to Orlando after living in Israel for several years – so the shocking violence hit especially close to home.
“I wanted to do something personally to feel closer to Israel and to Judaism,” says the 32-year-old Zoe, who came up with a creative way to do just that. In January, Zoe launched an online Judaica-themed jewelry shop called Shalom With Love. She donates a portion of her sales to United Hatzalah, a volunteer-based EMS organization providing free emergency medical services throughout Israel.
“At its core, Judaism is really of love and of joy, and I wanted to make jewelry reflecting that,” says Zoe. “All the pieces are colorful and fun, and they can be worn by kids and adults.”
Zoe’s most popular items are her handmade and stackable Hebrew name bracelets. The bracelets were such a hit that Zoe soon began making Hebrew name necklaces, too. She also crafts necklaces that feature delicate opals in the shapes of Israel, chai, hamsa, and the Star of David.
A Global Perspective
Zoe was born in Chicago, Illinois, and grew up in Japan (her mother is Japanese) and Portland, Oregon. Zoe moved to Israel about six years ago, where she met her husband. The couple’s four-year-old son Ari now attends preschool at The Roth Family JCC, and their two-year-old daughter Lily will join her big brother there soon.
“The JCC has really been such a welcoming and amazing community,” says Zoe. “We already feel super comfortable, and we’ve made friends. They’ve also given me so much support with Shalom With Love. My son’s teachers even wear the necklaces.”
Until recently, Zoe didn’t have much time to explore her creativity because she was focused on her academic studies and career. She attended the University of Washington in Seattle and Waseda University in Tokyo majoring in international studies. Zoe consulted for Israeli companies entering the Japanese market, and vice versa, until moving to Orlando.
That creative side was always there, though. As a child, she enjoyed making jewelry alongside her mother and first contemplated starting her own jewelry line while living in Israel.
“I feel that especially now, it’s important to wear Judaica proudly and prominently,” says Zoe.
A Family Affair
Zoe says her children enjoy helping her make the bracelets, so she puts her little helpers to work searching for the correct Hebrew letters to spell out names. Inconveniently, the Hebrew letters she orders for her jewelry are shipped with everything jumbled into one bag rather than separated by letter.
“I tell my kids, ‘You have to learn the alphabet so you can help me find the letters,’” says Zoe with a laugh.
Zoe adds: “Shalom With Love has been an exciting adventure – a new and fresh creative project for me personally. I’m grateful and thankful for everyone I’ve met here who has supported and encouraged me in this.”
To learn more about Zoe and her jewelry, follow @shalom.with.love on Instagram or Etsy.
This story was originally published in print in Summer 2024.