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The discovery that an ancestor invented his own heraldry in the 16th century led to the birth of customized modern heirlooms.

When I saw the crest for the first time, I was nine years old. I understand what someone explained to me-the coat of arms belongs to Rapoports, which means it belongs to me. But it is difficult for me to master it.

We are not the kind of high-sounding ones. After all, I am the daughter of the feminist writer Nessa Rapoport and the granddaughter of Abe Rapoport. Abe Rapoport is a doctor. His bequest idea was to hand me a prescription book for me to doodle on. The badge is the authority of WASP and the exile prince, not the offspring of Holocaust survivors, whose acronym silverware never reached the United States.

But this: it's gorgeous and old. There is a crow on the arm and two outstretched hands-this is the gesture of the Jewish kohen. Two topless women stood by and watched. Calling this frank indicator of privilege as subversive may seem frivolous, but it is almost a profit. This proves that not only did we not survive the persecution, but we were also very talented.

I want to know the name of the rabbi who crowned the Central Medal: Abraham Menachem Ben Jacob Hakoen Rapa Mi-Porto. How did the Jews deserve the badge in 1594? Sharon Mintz, the curator of Jewish art at the Jewish Theological Seminary Library, gave an answer, a bit like: What the emblems of the Jewish family have in common is that the oldest of them are all fictitious. Those that were stamped on the leather and painted on the faded wedding contract? made up!

"Acquiring a badge indicates that you have achieved a certain status, which has been the case since the Middle Ages," Mintz said. "The Jews were never considered part of these circles." Later, some families would be promoted: Montefiores, whose weapons were registered in 1819; Sassoon in 1863. But these are exceptions. The rule is that we don't get the badge. We gave them to ourselves.

Abraham Menahem showed his coat of arms for the first time in his 1594 essay-Topless Ladies and All Characters-a Torah Gloss called Minha B'lulah. No one does honor, he has already taken the initiative. There is a patriarch here who knows how to create his own luck. I decided that I would prefer his method to the old-fashioned etiquette. I want to convey that timidity. Even better, I want a wearable reminder.

Instagram showed jewelers-including Foundrae and Monica Vinader-who displayed their style not only on traditional badges, but also on various personalized icons. In order to recreate the Rapoport badge, I met with New York designer Briony Raymond, an alumnus of Van Cleef & Arpels, whose customized badges blend old-world technology and modernity. Using her expertise, we determined a plan. The ancient design of the badge gave us a road map, but we repeated the details: the proportions, textures, and details are as subtle as the curves of the female back.

Raymond also recommends this degree of obsession to those who execute works online or via email. Make a Pinterest section and use Photoshop to learn what is tempting. If there is a designer’s work that appeals to you, please contact; not all jewelers advertise for custom business, but most are willing to accept it, even through Instagram DM.

According to our conversation, the badge is printed with wax. After I approved the model (I took a breath after seeing it), it was sent for casting. "Once the casting comes back, I will touch and feel it, because it is a tactile thing," Raymond said. "It must be accurate and beautiful, but it must also be sensual. Have we grasped the essence?"

Like Abraham Menahem (Abraham Menahem) once did, create a brand new badge, and that is more participation. Some people like the agreement between a lion and a sword. Others borrowed more private vocabulary: children’s graffiti, signs used by a couple on wedding invitations, private jokes.

What makes tradition legal? Even the oldest was once new. If Abraham Menahem was worried about looking rude, I would not write this article. I may not even be here. Foundrae co-founder Beth Bugdaycay said: “We provide people with tools to build their own heirlooms and serve future generations from this generation.” He believes that heraldry is not necessarily static. We all inherited the story. Then we can talk about our own.

This story appeared in the November 2021 issue of Towns and Villages. Subscribe now