This interview/article appeared in the January 2026 Washtenaw Jewish News. See page 1 and page 6 at this link: https://washtenawjewishnews.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Jan-2026.pdf
The Ann Arbor Reconstructionist Congregation (AARC) is fortunate to have a special collection of ritual objects created by its talented congregants. At the high holidays last fall, Idelle Hammond-Sass, an artist, jewelry designer and metalsmith, presented the congregation with yet another sacred object: a beautiful yartzeit candle holder. A yahrzeit candle is a long-burning candle lit to remember a loved one on the anniversary of their death.
Emily E (EE): Idelle, tell us about how the idea came about for you to create a yahrzeit candle holder for the AARC.
Idelle: The idea really originated with Rav Gabrielle. She invited me to create it for the ritual of lighting a community yahrzeit candle on Erev Yom Kippur. She saw this an opportunity for an artisan in the community to contribute to hiddur mitzvah – the elevating and beautifying of a mitzvah or cherished ritual – and to embody the DIY and collaborative spirit that defines our Reconstructionist community.
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EE: Tell us about your research and creative process.
Idelle: I use a metalsmithing technique called Foldforming. It is a process that can transform metal with hammering, folding and unfolding, repeating the process to create amazing complex forms. I also used this technique to create the Ner Tamid (eternal light) I made for the AARC Torah Ark.
Part of experimenting with fold forms means you can fold paper to plan a fold or create variations. Some of these can be very interesting in their own right.
I was doing a little research on paper folds and found a folded seven-point star in a book which I knew could be modified to be a six-pointed star. Using a piece of bristol board I measured it out, adapting it from the original seven-pointed form. It looked like two triangles attached at the long edge. I then measured one-inch segments and folded them back and forth, like an accordion. I added an additional inch to overlap in the front. This determined how much metal I would use.
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EE: What were the materials and did you have any challenges in creating the candle holder?
Idelle: I first made a copper model to see how the glass candle holder would fit. It needed to be longer to accommodate the thickness of the metal and the glass insert. First, I priced it in sterling silver which turned out to be fairly expensive, so I began to look for other alternatives. I ultimately decided to use NuGold, a brass alloy often called Jewelers Brass. I wanted the interior to have a golden glow and reflect the candle.
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EE: At Kol Nidre Services in October 2025, you dedicated this yahrzeit candle holder to an AARC founder and longtime friend Evelyn Neuhaus, z”l, who passed away in February 2025. Tell us about the connection you felt between this special object and Evelyn.
Idelle: Evelyn and I met in a Hebrew class and she was an important friend over many years. I was unable to attend her funeral and honor her so this was something I wanted to do. She had many close friends in the AARC congregation and in the community and made spirituality and Jewish learning a priority in her life. The Yahrzeit candle radiates the inner light of the person we are remembering; this is what the golden glow represents within the object.
Evelyn Neuhaus, z”l
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EE: How do you see the yahrzeit candle holder being used by the congregation?
Idelle: I imagine it will be available to use especially at times of remembrance such as Yizkor, but will be used at other services as the congregation and Rabbi decide.
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EE: What else would you like to share about this gift to the congregation?
Idelle: I’ve made other ritual objects for our AARC congregation including our Yad (Torah Pointer), a Crown for a Megillah holder made by Allen Haber and the Ner Tamid (eternal light) called “Forest Dawn” which sits atop the Torah Ark. All of these are specific to our congregation as they were intentionally made for AARC. I don’t use the Star of David often, although I did use it on the end of the Yad which was a triangle and offered that very naturally. In this Yahrzeit holder, the Star of David becomes the space to hold the memorial candle. I see it as the whole community holding the space for the person(s) we are remembering, embracing them with love and respect for who they were to us as a community.
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To learn more about Idelle’s artwork, see her website.
To see photos of the AARC’s beautiful ritual objects visit https://aarecon.org/sacred-objects/.
