Hey GOLDA gang, 

Tomorrow is Yom HaShoah, the annual day of Holocaust remembrance. Growing up as the grandchild of Holocaust survivors, my Jewish identity was very much framed through that lens. Sure, we went to Hebrew School and High Holidays at our local Conservative synagogue on Long Island, but I primarily saw myself as linked to a highly specific part of Jewish history. Half of my older relatives had inky numbers on their forearms, which was something I never thought about until suddenly it was all I could think about. 

Whenever I interview a fellow grandchild of Holocaust survivors, which I do fairly frequently in my line of work, I always ask them when they realized that something about their family was different. And they all have a precise moment—usually involving a childhood friend over for a playdate asking why their grandma or grandpa talked with a funny accent. 

It became a badge of honor for me, and for all of us, a part of our lives we felt proud and protective of, even if we were too young to fully understand it. As I grew up and my comprehension grew, there was one thing that remained certain. These were stories of survival, not victimhood.

My paternal grandparents, Milton and Dora Butnick, were part of a thriving community of Holocaust survivors who settled in New York City and actively filled their lives with joy and celebration. It was their way of reclaiming all that had been taken from them, and rebuilding a vibrant world that they defined. Though they died when I was just a few years old, the way they lived—loudly and Jewishly—is something I’ve internalized and prioritized first as I built my career in Jewish media and now as I build my family. 

I felt this sentiment echoed back at me when I interviewed jewelry designer Rachie Shnay a few years ago on my podcast. Her sparkly Mazel rings were all over my Instagram feed, and the inspiration behind them was Rachie’s four Holocaust survivor grandparents and the proud Jewish identity they instilled in her. 

We connected the dots on-air and realized our grandparents were part of the same survivor circle, and that our families had known each other for years. It felt bashert, or meant to be. I made a pilgrimage to Rachie’s Upper East Side showroom a few days after Oct. 7, when I realized I needed one of her bold and blaring Mazel rings (I got the black diamond version and wore it on my middle finger).  

Since then the brand has grown, and so has the showroom. I visited her new space, aka Mazel HQ, a few weeks ago with GOLDA editorial director Ariel Shapiro. We oohed and ahhed over all the shiny things in her new collection, and then I remembered I was there to interview her. 

Here’s my conversation with Rachie Shnay.

So Rachie, we go way back. As far back, I feel like, as any Jews go, which is three generations, to our grandparents. 

Right, they spent summers in the same bungalow colony, so our parents knew each other really well, too. 

And what’s really special is that your jewelry line is inspired by the story of your grandparents. 

When I started my jewelry line, I knew right away that I had to have this Mazel collection. It started with the Mazel Ring, which became the iconic piece. Then it went on to include bracelets, necklaces, and everything else. The Mazel collection has become the focal point of the business, and that's really what I'm known for.

There wasn't a place to find cool, funky, not-crazy-expensive Jewish jewelry that you'd be proud to wear. On top of that, I just knew that I wanted to use a Magen David and make something symbolic and meaningful that women and men all over the world would choose to spend their money on. 

There was one grandmother, a Holocaust survivor from Montreal, and she bought, like, 57 bracelets for all of her daughters and daughters-in-law and granddaughters for Hanukkah. She wanted them to all be wearing this and to be proud and loud and not hiding. There's a story behind every purchase, and I love getting to know everybody and hearing their story.

I will tell you that once I was in a taxi wearing my Mazel ring and I saw a woman driving next to me, and I could see that she was wearing one, too. And I really wanted to roll down the window and shout out to her.

This just happened to me at the airport, the woman in front of me at TSA said, “I know that ring. I love that.” Then she looked up at me and was like, “Wait, are you Rachie Shnay?” I was like, “Yes!” I know that kind of thing happens to all the Mazel Club members. 

I recently went to my local coffee shop, and a new barista was working, and she was wearing a Hebrew nameplate necklace. And I blurted out, “I love your necklace.” I felt like it was my duty to acknowledge this person doing something that is actually pretty brave, to be out there wearing a publicly Jewish symbol. I know that’s depressing to say, but it’s true. 

I know how you feel. The Holocaust survivors who sacrificed everything, they were still such proud, strong Jews. I always think of them, and it’s like, if they could have done that, I can do this. If the soldiers who are fighting every day and sacrificing their lives can do that, I can do anything. So this is my small form of resistance. And my resistance is being sparkly, loud, and proud!

So let’s talk about what I just put on my finger, a Mazel signet pinky ring with a big, blingy Star of David. It makes me really happy. I feel like my Grandpa Milton would have worn this. 

A lot of it is inspired by my grandparents’ vintage jewelry, because that was the only thing that I actually liked. I couldn't find any modern pieces that I liked. I loved my grandmother's pieces, my grandfather's necklaces. The menorah piece that I just created was inspired by something of my grandmother's from the 1950s from Israel. I think a lot of people want that connection to what they were used to seeing their grandparents wearing. 

It’s actually funny. Now that we talk about it, I feel like it skipped a generation, like our grandparents wore it, but our parents’ generation didn’t.  

Because they were trying to assimilate, right? And they had all this baggage. 

It wasn’t cool for them to wear a Jewish star.

They were so close to something very traumatic that had happened to their parents. Then by the time we come around—this is what I think is so interesting about the third generation—we come around and this is our grandma and grandpa. They are these older, softer people, and they're ready to share their stories. 

And we're trying to figure out where we come from and what our story is. So I'm not at all surprised that a third-generation woman made this line of jewelry because it's so powerful and grounding. It feels like it’s part of your family’s story.

So, my full name is Rachel Shnay. My grandfather's sister was Rachel Shnay, and she was killed in Belzec when she was six years old. So every pouch in every shopping bag, and everyone who's talking about the brand, they're saying her name. For me that was such an aha moment, because I feel like I live my life trying to memorialize her and honor her, and this is hopefully a way that she can be proud, because I am living the life that she never got to live.

And you're making that life very sparkly.

Very sparkly. I want people to see that it's cool to be a proud Jew, and you don't have to be wearing some boring piece of jewelry. You can get something like you would find on Net-a-Porter, but with a Jewish twist.

The Mazel collection has expanded. Tell us about the turquoise and the coins. 

We just came out with the Mazel Coin a few months ago. I haven't seen this from any modern jewelry brand. I added the menorah, which isn't the classic Hanukkiah. It has three candles on each side, like the menorah that we had in the time of the Temple. That's actually the symbol of Israel. I thought it was such a cool piece, and I wanted to make it chunky and fun—everyone's into the chunky jewelry right now. This piece has the menorah with diamonds on one side and the Magen David with turquoise on the other. It also has a sapphire in the bail for protection, because sapphire and turquoise are stones for protection. And then on the bottom it says Am Yisrael Chai.

Covering all your bases!

I am very into the details. There's a lot more stuff coming, so we're really excited. The possibilities are endless. You're going to see a lot more colored stones, chunkier things like beaded pieces on silk cords, more fun ear pieces. And new rings! I think a turquoise Mazel Ring is coming soon...

So we’ll be back! Rachie, thank you so much for welcoming GOLDA into your showroom.

Thank you! What I love about the Mazel HQ is that I get to hang out with all these different, amazing Jewish women.

It was hard to choose just five things, but here are our GOLDA picks:

GOLDA’s Rachie Shnay Picks

The Turquoise L’Chaim Charm

The Mr. Mazel Tag

The Mazel ID Baby Bracelet

The Mazel Ear Cuff

The Paperclip Eye Necklace

I have some great events coming up in New York City and Long Island, and would love for you to join me IRL. (And if you’d like me to do an event for your community, get in touch here!)

On Wednesday, May 7, I’ll be at The Altneu in conversation with Kelsey Osgood about her new book, Godstruck, at 7:30 p.m. More info here. 

On Thursday, May 8, I’ll be back at The Jewish Museum for the final Unpacking the Book event of the season, with authors Stuart Nadler and Iddo Gefen, at 7 p.m. (Gefen’s latest novel, Mrs. Lilien­blum’s Cloud Fac­to­ry, was one of the 2025 books we’re excited about.) GOLDA is proudly the media sponsor of this series, in partnership with the Jewish Book Council and The Jewish Museum. Register here. 

On Tuesday, May 13, I’ll be at the Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan with Myriam Sandler of MotherCould to discuss her new book, Playful By Design, at 6:30 p.m. Get your tickets here.  

And on Monday, May 19, I’m heading to Long Island for a fun talk at the Port Washington Public Library about my book, The Newish Jewish Encyclopedia, at 7 p.m. Register here.  

We’ll be back in your inbox Friday to finally tackle those spring wedding gift questions!

Stay GOLDA, 

Stephanie