About My Parochet

Hi, I’m Chana Gamliel — founder and designer behind My Parochet.

Welcome to my studio in Bnei Brak, Israel, where I create custom paroches, Torah mantels, bimah covers, and synagogue textiles for Jewish communities around the world.

If you’d walk into my studio right now, you’d probably find:

• piles of velvet and satin draped over cutting tables,

• drawers bursting with Swarovski crystals and pearls,

• German Madeira embroidery threads in every shade imaginable,

• and me staring at a parochet rendering for an embarrassingly long amount of time trying to decide whether the embroidery should be 3 millimeters more to the left.

Because yes — I care about those things. Probably too much.

But that’s exactly the point.

I don’t believe a parochet should feel generic, mass-produced, or disconnected from the soul of the community it belongs to. I believe a parochet should make people feel something.

Over the last 18 years, I’ve had the incredible zechus of designing custom paroches and Torah mantels for communities across New York, Miami, Toronto, Montreal, Lakewood, Boca Raton, Deal, London, Yerushalayim, and beyond.

Some projects are sleek and contemporary. Others are layered with old-world Chassidish warmth. Some are filled with flames and movement. Others whisper quietly through texture and tone-on-tone embroidery.

Each one begins with the same question:

“How do we make this feel meaningful?”

A Modern Twist on Timeless Tradition

One customer once told me:
“You give a modern twist to a timeless tradition.”

Baruch Hashem, that sentence kind of became the heartbeat of my work.

I love creating paroches that feel elevated, emotionally resonant, architecturally integrated, and deeply connected to Torah values — while still feeling fresh, sophisticated, and relevant to today’s communities.

Sometimes that means:

• matching the exact walnut veneer tones of a new Aron Kodesh,

• integrating Syrian heritage into a contemporary Magen David design,

• creating a typographic flame from a meaningful passuk,

• or spending way too long choosing between 15 shades of off-white for a Yomim Noraim parochet.

(True story.)

From Montreal to Bnei Brak

I actually grew up in Montreal in a family immersed in luxury textiles and fashion. My father imported Italian fabrics, and our house was filled with fashion magazines, color palettes, and conversations about design.

At age five, I was already sketching dresses all over the dining room walls.

Years later, after studying in Israel and working in graphic design, I quietly told one of my former teachers:
“When I grow up, I want to open my own parochet company.”

I was already 26 and a mother at the time, so that sentence was slightly concerning.

What’s even more concerning is that she immediately found me my first client.

The problem?
I had absolutely no idea how to actually make a parochet yet.

But somehow, that first project turned into the next one… and then the next one… until My Parochet slowly became what it is today:
a high-end custom synagogue design studio creating museum-quality paroches and Torah mantels for Jewish communities worldwide.

Designed Around Your Community

No two communities are alike. And no two paroches should be alike either.

That’s one of my favorite parts of this work.

Over the years, I’ve designed projects for:

• Modern Orthodox communities,

• Chassidish kehillos,

• Sephardic batei knesses,

• outreach centers,

• yeshivos,

• memorial dedications,

• new synagogue buildings,

• Torah dedications,

• and communities trying to figure out how to make Yiddishkeit feel beautiful and compelling for the next generation.

I love hearing the stories behind each shul:
where the community came from,
what the Rav is building,
what the donor wants to express,
what people should feel when the Aron Kodesh opens.

That emotional layer is what transforms a beautiful design into something unforgettable.

The Design Process

Every project is fully custom designed from scratch.

Depending on the design, we may incorporate:

• luxury velvets and satins,

• dimensional embroidery,

• appliqué techniques,

• Swarovski crystals,

• mixed media artwork,

• custom typography,

• Tree of Life motifs,

• flame-inspired movement,

• contemporary minimalist aesthetics,

• or highly detailed traditional elements.

I work closely with interior designers, architects, rabbanim, donors, and synagogue committees throughout the process.

(Commercial break: Here’s a list of a few of the world-class interior designers, architects and Aron Kodesh producers I’ve collaborated with: Susan Strauss, Yossi G, Sholom Langsam, Blima Ehrentreu, Ari Koth, Eta Strulowitz, Miriam Spiegel, Perla Lichi, Levi Rosner, David Wajsman, Zalmi Neuman, and Kibbutz Lavi.)

And yes, there are usually many drafts.

And more Zoom meetings than anybody initially expected.

And at least one committee member hanging renderings on their refrigerator to “live with the design for a few days.”

(That actually happened too.)

Made in Israel

One thing that has always mattered deeply to me is producing our work in Eretz Yisrael.

From the beginning, I wanted My Parochet to support local frum families and skilled artisans here in Israel while creating truly exceptional quality.

Every embroidery texture, fabric combination, applique layer, and finishing detail is carefully thought through and professionally produced with enormous attention to detail.

More Than Décor

At the end of the day, this work is about much more than fabric.

A parochet often represents:

• a loved one,

• a family legacy,

• a healing process,

• a dream for a community,

• a spiritual turning point,

• or a desire to bring more beauty and kavod into a Makom Torah.

That responsibility is something I never take lightly.

I feel incredibly grateful that Hashem gave me the opportunity to use art and design to help communities around the world connect more deeply to Yiddishkeit, Torah, and their own stories.

And honestly?
I still get emotional seeing a finished parochet installed for the first time.

Every. Single. Time.

Let’s Create Something Meaningful Together

Whether you’re:

• building a new shul,

• redesigning an Aron Kodesh,

• dedicating a Sefer Torah,

• creating a memorial project,

• commissioning a custom Torah mantel,

• or looking for a truly one-of-a-kind luxury parochet —

I’d love to hear your story.

Because the best projects always begin there.