Sharing the Aesthetic Sense of Our Community

A new chapter begins for Aesthetic Sense

Karen and Jay Schecter at their recently reopened Mount Kisco store, Aesthetic Sense, which promises “goods for the soul.”

“Behind every one of the items in our store is a story,” says Karen Schecter, co-owner with her husband, Jay, of the recently reopened and repurposed Aesthetic Sense. The store’s tagline, “Goods for the soul,” speaks to the couple’s commitment to, and belief in, merchandise that is either ethically sourced or hews to fair trade... READ MORE >

By Karen Akst Schecter

The Most Meaningful Bar and Bat Mitzvah Gifts EVER: Ethical Sourcing and Becoming a Child of the Commandments

That Perfect, Most Meaningful Gift - Whatever Your Budget

The Bar and Bat Mitzvah ceremony, or, more accurately, the occasion when a child is called to the Torah as a Bar or Bat Mitzvah, is the Jewish coming of age ritual, marking when a child becomes an adult in the eyes of the Jewish community, responsible for fulfilling the commandments and taking full moral... READ MORE >

By Karen Akst Schecter

Building a Global Community: How We Adhere to Fair Trade and Ethical Sourcing Standards

Fair Trade & Ethical Sourcing: Good for Your Soul

Here at the Aesthetic Sense: Goods for the Soul, we believe in knowing the origins of the creations that we showcase. For the artists who we know personally, we know their stories, and we know that they share our values. In our mind, they do not need any certification: we know they are ethical in all that... READ MORE >

By Jay Schecter

Shokeling When I Pray: Is it Good for My Soul?

Musing about the Shokel Shuffle - an Esoteric Piece of Jewish Trivia

Walk into virtually any synagogue service at any time of the year and you are bound to see one, if not many, worshipers shokeling. What, you might ask, is shokeling? Or is it shokling? Either way, it derives from the Yiddish word “to shake” and means just that: the swaying back and forth and/or side... READ MORE >

By Karen Akst Schecter

Ethical Sourcing: The Roots of Charity

The Who, What, and Why of the Fair Trade and Ethical Sourcing Movements

Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime. This ancient proverb has variously been attributed to Maimonides, ancient Chinese philosophers, and to a mid 19th Century British author. Tzedek tzedek tirdof: Thou shall pursue justice. This phrase is a... READ MORE >

By Karen Akst Schecter

Judaica: How, What & Why

The Concept of Hiddur Mitzvah

Why Judaica as an art form? Judaism, like many of the world’s religions, is intrinsically beautiful, and we want our relationship with the Almighty to be just as beautiful. Judaica – Jewish ceremonial art used for ritual purposes – embodies the concept of Hiddur Mitzvah: to beautify the Almighty’s commandments or mitzvot by performing them... READ MORE >

By Linda Dishner

Building Community: The Architect Talks About Creating a Gallery Good for the Soul

There is one thing a designer likes more than completing a project, and that is to write about completing a project. Not only do I get to describe the architectural process, but I get to formally thank Karen and Jay for making the process an enjoyable and successful one as well. We began with a... READ MORE >

By Jay Schecter

Past, Present & Future . . .

Jay: Our Responsibility to be Truthful, Transparent, and Giving, Grateful to Family and Friends

Whether it is in my personal life or my business life, I’ve always believed in the maxim: To know where you are going, you need to know where you come from. Never has this been more true than now, as we launch The AESTHETIC SENSE: goods for the soul. Karen’s and my personal journeys over... READ MORE >

By Karen Akst Schecter