Our Story
Pushcart Judaica was born in 5783 / 2022 out of a need for easily accessible, ethically sourced Judaica that reflects the vibrance of our tradition and uplifts the work of queer, trans, disabled, Sephardi, Mizrahi and Jews of Color artists and craftspeople within our communities.
The name “Pushcart” is inspired by the 11,000 pushcart merchants of early 1900's on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, who peddled their wares by foot in wooden "pushcarts" as a way to survive and provide for their community as recent immigrants. I give thanks to my great grandpa Louis Schwartz who fled Galacia, Austria in 1901, to sell pickles and cigars as a pushcart peddler in 1901.
Mission
Our goal is for the Northeast corner of the Jewish diaspora (US, Canada, & Europe) to be able to easily access workshops and teachings, ritual items, books, and art that reflect liberatory values, handcrafted beauty, and queer brilliance.
No more scouring the internet to find Judaica and craftfolk that reflects us and our community!
Vision
We can live in a world where when you press your lips to the shofar, touch your palm to the mezuzah, and wrap yourself in a tallis for morning prayer your practice is uplifted by ritual objects that were crafted by friends who are fighting for justice, undoing oppressive systems, and creating the Judaism we need to face the challenges of our time. Together we can support the revival of small-scale Jewish chandlers / candlemakers, Kravitz / taylors, sofers / scribes, Kaufman / merchants, kupers / coppersmith, Goldschmidt / goldsmiths, glasers / glassblowers, and fabrikants / manufacturers.
About Ollie
Ollie Emmes Schwartz is a trans, disabled, white, ashkenazi libra. As a third generation Lower East Sider, Ollie grew up a stone's throw from Orchard St., whose cobblestone sidewalks were once the site of the largest Pushcart market in New York. Ollie currently lives with the quiet and the queers in the rural hilltowns of Western, Massachusetts on unceded Nipmuk and Pocumtuck lands. Ollie founded Pushcart out of a love for Jewish ritual, queer craftsmanship, and shtetlcore as embodied de-assimilation practice.
Ollie's previous work includes co-founding Nishmat Shoom High Holy Days Minyan and co-directing Linke Fligl. When they are not running Pushcart they are learning to identify bird calls, dipping candles, avidly reading, and trying to move more slowly through our ever-accelerating world.