In the day and age of mass production, it’s very rare to hear of someone choosing carpentry as a career path. Henry Tawil, a Brooklyn NY native who now resides in Long Branch NJ and father of three who attends Rabbi Diamond’s Kollel, has found himself in love with this rare and dwindling craft.

“My wife bought me a handmade balsa wood surfboard as a wedding gift. That was the first time I appreciated something made of wood. It immediately sparked some interest,” explained Henry of his start in the field, “I went out and bought a 5 dollar handsaw and a cheap piece of wood from Home Depot and fell in love with the craft after making just one cut.”

A coffee table made by Henry Tawil.

Tawil is no ordinary carpenter with his company, Exotic Wood Collection. What sets Henry apart is that all the wood materials he uses are rare and stunningly different. The pieces of wood he gets are from all over the world. Some of his favorites are Cocobolo, a rosewood that grows in South America and ranges in many colors, Walnut Maple Ebony which is jet black and grown in Asia, and Purple Heart which is a very purple wood that grows in the rainforests of Brazil.

A butcher's block hand crafted by Henry Tawil.

The most difficult parts of starting up, according to Henry, were teaching himself the craft over the past three years as well as building his workshop and acquiring the proper machinery. He was always on the lookout for a deal on used machinery and got lucky a few times.

“On one occasion I got about 10 thousand dollars worth of woodworking related machinery and accessories for only 220 dollars,” Henry stated enthusiastically, he hit the mother load!

Tawil makes anything from coffee tables and butchers blocks, to small keepsakes like mallets and Jewelry boxes. The project Henry loved the most took him five months to construct. He had the Zechut of building a Sefer Torah case in loving memory of his best friend’s mother, Lori Serurya A”H.

A Torah case crafted by Henry Tawil in memory of Lori Serurya A”H.

The case was grand and stunning, made by hand out of Cocobolo wood for Bet Torah Synagogue in Brooklyn, NY.

“I had to work a little bit with metal on this project to Install bearings so the scroll can move smoothly, and engineer a way for that to work with being removable,” explained Henry about the trials he had faced while taking on such a special project.

In the future, Henry hopes to master the craft. He would also love the opportunity to make more Judaica items and Sefer Torah cases to take part in Hiddur Mitzvah.

For more information, or to commission a one of a kind hand made piece, email Henry Tawil at HTwail3338@gmail.com  or check him out on Instagram.

Frieda Schweky

Frieda@sephardic.org

Frieda Schweky is Sephardic.Org's official community events reporter. For inquiries and to get involved with our site, please contact Frieda via email.