BATYA DESIGNS
Custom Bead Jewelry
Precious & Semi-Precious Gems
Bead Restringing
50 Dinsmore Avenue, Suite 101
Framingham, MA 01701
508/879-1640 TTY/Voice
617/965-7880 FAX
JDCC is pleased to introduce you to Betsey-Freya Kaplan. She was born deaf in Boston, Massachusetts to musical parents whose families immigrated from Holland and Russia.
She was trained, at 2 years old, to speak and lipread. With influence and encouragement from her parents, Kaplan also took two years of ballet training “to broaden her creative horizons”.
Challenges Of Education
When she was 4 1/2 years old, Kaplan attended the Clarke School for the Deaf in Northampton, MA for thirteen years before enrolled as sophomore at Natick High School and studied Art. But after one year, she was unhappy as she was the only deaf student at the school.
That is when she made her decision to transfer to Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) where she studied Photo Illustration and Photography. And yet… Kaplan still felt something was “missing”…
Turning Point
Her life changed when she entered Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C… “I finally came to terms with my deafness,” she explains, “… and had the greatest opportunity meeting deaf people from all walks of life. The four years at Gallaudet were very happy and productive years.” She received her Bachelors degree in Art History/Art.
After working for seven years in California as a graphic designer for a newspaper company in Walnut Creek, she has moved back to be close to her family in Boston. Soon, however, two senses soon crossed roads…
Life Impacts Kaplan
Betsey Kaplan always had a fascination for jewelry… and was creative in making jewelry items and experimenting with colors. After her bout with cancer, her outlook on life changed. “It was a very scary ordeal,” she confides, “getting involved with jewelry helped me get over the trauma with flying colors.”
It was at that time when she decided to ‘dare the entrepreneur spirit’ … she went into her own business!
Batya Designs
She put her interest to good use by going into her own business full-time where she makes, designs and sells jewelry items. “My designs are elegant and simple”. When asked if she designs Deaf-related items, she says its general types. “I only use 14 karat sterling silver and semi-precious or precious stones as well as blown glass, venetian, Swardiski, or Czech glass.” She sells her works to Danford Museum in Framingham, the Jewish Community Center in Newton, Chico’s jewelry store at Quincy Market in Boston, Images at Snowbird, Utah and will eventually sell a line of products for the Sundance Shopping catalog owned by actor Robert Redford.
The word ‘Batya’ in her business name is Hebrew for her first name, ‘ Betsey ‘.
Future Goal?
“My future goals are to expand my business & sell the items in Europe especially London, Rome and Paris where the fashion industries are located.
“I go to New York City on business to buy stuff for my business from time to time… making beaded jewelry enables me to meet fascinating people everywhere!
“… always developing new creative ideas which is the fun part!” She also attends many jewelry shows. She is a member of the Bead Society of Boston and attends monthly meetings. She also keeps up to date by taking mini-courses to continually improve the quality of her designs.”
Judaism Faith
Kaplan is proud to point out that she had her adult Bat Mitzvah four years ago. She says it was a “milestone” in her life. She received the Shevit La’am Scholarship to teach deaf students in Israel but says “it did not work out very well because I had to go up north to Kiryat Shmonah to study Hebrew without any interpreters!”
Offer For JDCC Friends
Betsey Kaplan has offered to donate 10% of the orders she receives from JDCC friends. “There is a large group of deaf Jews living in the Los Angeles vicinity,” she explains, “hopefully this will benefit them in a way that is worthwhile to them.”
