About Us

We create, design and produce all components for your space of worship.

• Higlhly spiritual and exceptionally crafted sanctuaries.
   
• The finest custom made liturgical furniture and ceremonial art objects.
   
• Unique donor recognition installations and presentation gifts.

Artists/designers Lorelei and Alex Gruss produce inlays, marquetry work, metalsmithing and woodworking.

Their creativity and skills enables each of their creations to transcend the ordinary.

Lorelei Kellman Gruss

Born in New York City in 1961. Emigrated to Israel in 1971.

Lorelei apprenticed with some of the most prominent Israeli crafts people ,experiencing the early eighties revival of Judaic art.

She developed her woodworking skills at the Vocational Training School in Jerusalem. After relocating back to the U.S., Lorelei studied silversmithing and enameling at the New York Jewelry Institute in Manhattan.

Her inlay and marquetry techniques are self tought and world renown.

Alex Gruss

Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina in 1957. Emigrated to Israel in 1974.

After completing studies in history at Hebrew University and animation art at Bezalel Academy in Jerusalem, Alex combined both interests publishing numerous political cartoons in the Israeli and American media.

A career as a set designer for television and movie productions trigger a discovery of tridimensionality that later developed into architectural and liturgical design.

Important works of art have been conceived by his infinite creativity and originality.

Reviews:

"Religion is a powerful catalyst for craftmanship. Lorelei and Alex Gruss creations are some of the finest ever made."

    -- The Jews in America. A treasury of art and literature

"Liturgical art has captured the imagination of Lorelei and Alex Gruss and inspired their highest skills.Their form of expression has produced exquisite woodworking detail in everything from small ceremonial pieces to entire sanctuaries. Being able to execute spiritual work is not easy, says designer Alex Gruss, religious crafting must meet the requirements of the clergy, congregation and building space. Liturgical furniture should enhance worship,design and materials used in succesful pieces involve the congregation mentally and spiritually in the service."

    -- Furniture fit for worship, Fine Woodworking magazine, Tauton Press

"Drawing on nature's marvelous diversity through the use of wood, shells and precious metals, the Grusses have managed to create a new look for Jewish ceremonial objects that is at once illustrative and elegant. The pieces lead us to perform the commandments with enhanced devotion."

    -- Sylvia Herskowitz, Director, Yeshiva University Museum

Exhibits:

"Contemporary craft and Judaica", Jewish Museum, New York, NY

"The Art of Giving", Christie's, London, UK

"Modern Jewish Art", Israel Museum, Jerusalem, Israel

"Ceremonial Works", Sotheby's, Los Angeles, CA

"Aishet Hail", Yeshiva University Museum, New York, NY

"Renewing Rituals", Hebrew Union College, New York, NY

"Sacred Vessels for the 21st Century", Wexner Heritage House, Colombus, OH

"Tradition Today", Whitehall Flager Museum, Palm Beach, FL

"First Works" , solo exhibition, Yeshiva University Museum, New York, NY

Clients Include:

American Friends of Hebrew University
New York, NY

Beit Avodah Congregation
Boston, MA

Beit Emet Congregation
Hewllet, NY

Beit Zedek legal services
Los Angeles, CA

B'nai Abraham Congregation
Livingston, NJ

B'nai Israel Congregation
Sacramento, CA

Brooklyn Heights Synagogue
Brooklyn, NY

Central Synagogue
New York, NY

Colombus Hebrew Academy
Colombus, OH

Congregation Habonim
New York, NY

Great Neck Synagogue
Great Neck, NY

Gesher Foundation
New York, NY

Habad Congregation of Atlanta
Atlanta, GA

JCC of St. Louis
Chesterfield, MI

Jewish Federation of MetroWest
Whippany, NJ

Keter Torah Congregation
West Bloomfield, MI

Lester Senior Home
Whippany, NJ

Mashadi Congregation
Great Neck, NY

Moriah Congregation
Deerfield, IL

Muesum of Tolerance
Los Angeles, CA

Ner Tamid Congregation
Ranchos Palos Verdes, CA

North Shore Congregation
Glencoe, IL

Shaarei Tefilah Congregation
New York, NY

Stephen Wise Synagogue
New York, NY

Temple Emanuel
Livingston, NJ

Temple Israel
West Bloomfield, MI

Temple Shir Shalom
West Bloomfield, MI

United Jewish Appeal of Bergen County
Riverhead, NJ

Young Israel of Great Neck
Great Neck, NY

Young Israel of Woodmere
Woodmere, NY

World Jewish Congress
New York, NY

United Jewish Appeal of Greater Philadelphia
Philadelphia, PA