L ifestyle /C ulture
Jews of Philly Fashion: Kimby Kimmel and Amy Fink
P H I LLY FASHION
JESSE BERNSTEIN | JE STAFF
It’s the newest edition of Jews
of Philly Fashion, introducing
you to the Chosen few who
dress our city. They might mix
wool and linen, but they’ve got
some strong opinions on mixing
stripes with florals. In this space,
we’ll talk to designers, sellers,
buyers, influencers, models and
more. This week, we spoke to
Kimby Kimmel and Amy Fink.

AMY FINK AND Kimby
Kimmel share quite a bit. They
both graduated from the former
Akiba Hebrew Academy in
1988, both send their children
to the now-Jack M. Barrack
Hebrew Academy today and
both found themselves looking
for something new during the
pandemic. When it seemed like nothing
would ever be the same, the
longtime friends looked to
each other for support and
inspiration. What came out was Ilyan
Jewelry, Kimmel and Fink’s
private jewelry company
(the name is pronounced
“a-lion”). As they don’t have
a storefront, customers can
view the jewelry by appoint-
ment only, and they participate
in trunk shows and private
charity events. Fink studied
gemology at the Gemological
Institute of America; Kimmel
learned about custom jewelry
design from her mother, Nancy
Hankin Schwartzman, and
co-owned a stationery and
invitations business for 20
years. Fink and Kimmel, friends
since they were 14, spoke about
inspiration, their favorite
pieces of their own and TikTok.

What’s the last book you read?
KK: “To Kill a Mocking
Girl: A Bookbinding Mystery”
by Harper Kincaid. The author
is a good friend and roommate
of mine from the University of
Miami. AF: The last book I read was
“Mrs. Everything” by Jenifer
Weiner. I love all her books.

What clothing trend would
you like to see make a
comeback? KK: I would love to see
scarves make a comeback.

There’s nothing like a colorful
Hermès scarf worn with a
From left: Kimby Kimmel and Amy Fink
blazer or thrown over a white her big birthday many years ago
T-shirt and jeans.

and I have always loved them.

They go with everything.

Best piece of jewelry you own?
KK: It’s not necessarily What’s the best quality in a
the best piece that I own, friend?
but definitely a favorite
KK: The best quality in a
and meaningful piece: my friend is someone that is honest
emerald-cut blue topaz and and there for you through the
gold ring that my mother made good and the bad. Amy and I
for me for my bat mitzvah.

have been friends since ninth
AF: The best piece of jewelry I grade at Akiba Hebrew Academy
own are my Cartier tri-color trinity and I can definitely say that she
rolling bangles. My aunt gave them is that kind of friend. There’s a
to me at my big birthday. They lot of history there and so much
were given to her by my uncle on more to be made.

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What would you be doing
if you weren’t in the jewelry
business? KK: If I weren’t in the
jewelry business I would just
continue to live my best life
surrounded by people I love.

What item of clothing should
more people be wearing?
KK: Loafers. They’re the
perfect shoe to dress an outfit
up or down.

What person’s style do you
admire? AF: I love Sarah Jessica
Parker. She is so talented and
creative in her style. She is
extremely fashion forward, but
always has a classic and elegant
flair. What talent would you most
like to have?
KK: I would love to be able
to paint or learn how to do
graffiti art.

AF: Anyone who knows
me knows that I am a terrible
dancer. I have no coordination
and wish I did. My daughter
is obsessed with TikTok and
always asks me to make them
with her, but I feel too self-
conscious. l
jbernstein@jewishexponent.com; 215-832-0740
JEWISHEXPONENT.COM



T orah P ortion
L’Chaim: A Reminder to Live, Celebrate
BY RABBI GLENN ETTMAN
Parshat Emor
PSALM 90 CONCLUDES by
saying: “Teach us to number
our days that we may get a
heart of wisdom.” It is to this
text that we begin to consider a
deeper meaning of this week’s
Torah portion, Emor.

The end of Psalm 90 is
reminding us that time manage-
ment is not simply a productivity
tool. It is, in fact, a spiritual
exercise. Shabbat is our weekly
reminder to take a moment to
pause, reflect and set our sights
on the bigger aspirations we
have in life. Shabbat inspires us
to consider the deeper implica-
tions of what life itself can be.

Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel
encourages us to make Shabbat
a palace in time by making our
moments holy, special, distinct
and sacred.

Each week, when I reflect
on Shabbat, I encourage my
community to look at the
hopefulness that we can feel
and see in our lives. Each week,
certainly for the past year, I
encourage everyone to not
despair and to find the courage
to move forward even when
we feel blue or stuck or out-of-
sorts. This week is no different.

But this week I want to
challenge us to take our spiri-
tual exercise further. Shabbat
not only inspires us to come
together in whatever way we
can, but Shabbat obligates us
to attune our hearts and souls
toward the peace and solace
we seek.

In the Torah, this week,
we read from Parshat Emor.

Within this section, we find
descriptions of holidays and
how to celebrate them. I find
that one of the most significant
teachings from this portion is
how we make the time special
and sacred.

We are taught that certain
holidays are supposed to be
zman simchateinu — seasons
of our joy. No matter what or
how we feel or what place we
are in mentally or spiritually,
we must find ways to celebrate
time and time together.

In an interview in 1972,
which turned out to be his
last public statement, Rabbi
Abraham Joshua Heschel was
asked a question that yielded
an answer that can help us
prepare for Shabbat. At the
twilight of his life, reflecting
on the impact he had on the
world through his campaigns
of social justice as well as
Jewish philosophy, he was
asked: “What would you tell
young people?”
This was his answer:
“’Remember that there is
meaning beyond absurdity, that
every little deed counts, that
every word has power and that
we can, everyone, do our share
to redeem the world despite all
the absurdities, frustrations and
disappointments. Remember
that life is a celebration.”
Even as we look at the
landscape of the world and
Abramson CAN DL E L IGHTIN G
April 30
May 7
our lives and find challenges
in front of us, we must always
remember that every little deed
counts, and every moment is
one when we can try to make
a zman simchateinu. We
must remember that every
word not only has power, as
Heschel teaches, but is signifi-
cant because it helps us learn,
grown, communicate, create
community and ultimately
come together in some way.

One of Judaism’s greatest
gifts to the world is the sense
of optimism no matter what.

There is no question in my
mind that the reason why when
we raise a glass to make a toast
we say the words l’chaim — to
life — is because it is through
life and living that lives are
touched. And it is through life and
living that worlds are created
and peace is pursued. We
must be remember that life is a
celebration — of all the messy,
beautiful, heart-filled and
hopeful things we can find.

W. Bush, and was invited to to him. He was president of a grandfather of 14, counting
attend the president’s inaugu- Congregation Tiferes B’nai spouses of grandchildren, and a
Continued from Page 8
Israel, where he received the great-grandfather of 10. He was
ration and inaugural ball.

years and then in Warminster
“I remember him calling Man of the Year award. He was preceded in death by his eldest
me and saying, ‘We’re going active in his posts’ Holocaust daughter, Brenda Fineberg, and
for 42 years. They celebrated
Tuesday morning to have education programs and son-in-law Rick Ryan.

the 75th anniversary of their
first date in early April.

Gloria Abramson said much
of her husband’s work involved
advocating for the families
I remember him calling me and saying, ‘We’re going Tuesday morning
of service members. Later in
his life, most of his projects to have breakfast with the president.’”
centered around helping
families of deceased veterans GLORIA ABRAMSON
understand the benefits to
which they were entitled.

During his time as national
Gloria Abramson said her
commander, he traveled across breakfast with the president,’” regularly visited churches and
community centers
to speak
husband was by her side when
Gloria Abramson
said. the country and to Europe
about the
topic alongside
she had
an amputation in 2015.

In addition
to his
positions to advocate for veterans with
concentration camp
liberators Although
she recovered from
at JWV,
Lou Abramson
was a
his wife and brother, Allan
and survivors.

the procedure,
it took a toll on
member of
the American
Legion Abramson, who was his chief
His relatives
remember him
both of
them. Post
166 and
AMVETS Post
77. of staff. He laid the wreath
“There was a time when it
Religion and the Jewish as a dedicated family patriarch.

at the Tomb of the Unknown
Soldier with President George community were important Gloria Abramson said he was was not good, and he was there
JEWISHEXPONENT.COM JEWISH EXPONENT
7:37 p.m.

7:44 p.m.

And so my prayer for each of
us is this: May we find a heart of
wisdom. May we be inspired by
the words and deeds around us
to do more and to fight, strive,
and work to make the world
a safer and better place for
our children. And may we be
inspired to find our life celebra-
tions — even if it is just raising
a glass and toasting l’chaim.

When we remind ourselves to
live, we will. l
Rabbi Glenn Ettman is the rabbi at
Congregation Or Ami in Lafayette
Hill and also serves as the chaplain
of the Montgomery County Sheriff’s
Department. The Board of Rabbis
of Greater Philadelphia is proud to
provide diverse perspectives on
Torah commentary for the Jewish
Exponent. The opinions expressed
in this column are the author’s own
and do not reflect the view of the
Board of Rabbis.

by my side, and he never went
home. He just slept on a chair
in the room where I was,” she
said. At the end of his life, Louis
Abramson lived at Horsham
Center for Jewish Life in a
room close to his wife. Even
during the pandemic, they
were able to watch TV and
eat meals together. She said
he died peacefully in his sleep
after contracting pneumonia
and experiencing organ failure.

His funeral, which was held
at King David Memorial Park
in Bensalem on April 22, drew
more than 250 mourners on
Zoom. “They kept referring to him
as a mensch,” Gloria Abramson
said. l
spanzer@jewishexponent.com; 215-832-0729
APRIL 29, 2021
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