Vendor after vendor selling dozens and dozens of products. There were necklaces, pins, rings, bracelets, T-shirts, paintings, and every type of Judaica product you can imagine. Beautiful silver candlesticks, tallesim, painted wooden mezuzuot, and so on and so on.

The only thing missing was a falafel stand, which I really missed, because I was famished.

I spent some time speaking with Laura Cowan, a silversmith and Judaica designer, from Tel Aviv. Laura immigrated to Israel from England, and now works in Neve Tsedek, Tel Aviv, designing Judaica pieces using a variety of techniques, including traditional silversmithing to lathing.

Laura informed me that a group of artists from Israel has been touring around the U.S., and will visit 50 cities when the tour is done.

I inquired of Laura how difficult business has been in Israel, and she told me that without this tour, many of the artists displaying their wares would have been forced out of business because of the lack of patrons in Israel.

One of the most interesting products at the show was something called "Kufsahod," a product designed by Tefillin Beit El in Mizrach Binyamin, Israel.

This products looks like an artillery shell, and it is designed to protect one's tefillin when traveling. I could hardly help but giggle as the designer showed me this product that looks like it could survive a lunar landing or tank battle (which in Israel, unfortunately, isn't that unlikely).

I informed the vendor that my tefillin usually doesn't undergo too much stress, and my little velvet bag would probably be sufficient.

As I left the show with a gorgeous, "rocket-ship" inspired set of Shabbat candlesticks, designed by Laura, as well as several necklaces, a kipah and a mezuzah, I realized, in a very concrete way, that we are connected not only to the Land of Israel, Eretz Yisrael, but to the People of Israel, Am Yisrael, and that this connection needs spiritual and, in particular, financial nourishment, and every Jew has an obligation to do his/her part.

After speaking with several vendors at this show, I am convinced that Israelis would much rather have our business than have our charity. Therefore, take a look at just these 3 websites (there are thousands of others, too) and do your part in helping Israel and Israelis survive the current crisis.