Raffa Art at Eldridge Street Synagogue

Has anybody been to the gift shop at Eldridge Street Synagogue lately?

There’s a new addition for sale there definitely worth checking out. These items are handcrafted tributes to the splendor and awe-inspiring beauty of the synagogue itself.

Friends, allow me to introduce you to Ralph Almeida and his Raffa Art.

Ralph Almeida was born in Connecticut (we have a tri-state rep on our hands!) and is of Portuguese descent. He moved to New York in 1984 and began studying Textile Design and Fine Arts at the Fashion Institute of Technology. Currently he lives in Brooklyn , where he continues to paint, design decorative ceramic tiles, and exhibit his work at various galleries and retail venues. In the past Almeida has free-lanced as a textile designer, studied fused and stained glass, taught art classes, and has illustrated his own children’s book. He has exhibited broadly in NYC, New Delhi, India, Washington, DC, Las Vegas, Connecticut, and California. Almeida draws from elements of textile design to create work that is richly textured, vibrant and exhibits a level of mastery of the medium.

Clearly immensely talented, Ralph’s tiles are typically hand painted 6″x6″. For $30, they can be all yours! Or for $20, you can be the proud owner of a reproduction tile (a jpeg transferred onto tile) which are just as beautiful, but a tad smaller at 4″x4″. Inspired by the Moorish stylings of the historic synagogue, the tiles are now available at the gift shop located at 12 Eldridge Street.

If you haven’t been inside, definitely go! The architecture is breathtaking and the history, palpable.

Ralph  is currently working on a magnificent fourth tile based on the Kiki Smith stained glass window, above.

For more from Ralph and Raffa Art check out the official website here. Peace.