Meet Rachie Shnay | Jeweler, Speaker & Mazel Spreader

We had the good fortune of connecting with Rachie Shnay and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Rachie, how does your business help the community?
I went through many different career paths before this one, it is pretty crazy actually! From dropping out of a Columbia masters program to becoming a professional cake decorator then teacher, I never thought I would have a jewelry company but Gd works in amazing ways and here I am! My mother had a jewelry business so I grew up in the industry and in 2019 I realized that the mark up was so high and decided to take the ‘Warby Parker’ approach and start a line of fine jewelry at more affordable prices without sacrificing the quality and design. I already had a following from my baking account called ‘rachiebakes’ and one day announced that I will be starting a fine jewelry company and changed the account name to rachieshnay. That transition was definitely not the traditional way or maybe even ‘proper business way’ of doing things but I tend to just go with my gut and not follow the usual protocol when it comes to the way I portray my business on social media. As a grandchild of four Holocaust survivors, I knew I wanted to have The Mazel Ring (our famous star of David ring) in my line and it snowballed into the Mazel Collection very quickly as it gained attention and notoriety of celebrities like Gal Gadot, Debra Messing, Lizzy Savetsky, Noa Tishby, Emmy Rossum, Rachel Zoe, Miss Universe, Skylar Astin and many more… It has been so incredible to watch how thousands of international women wear a piece of the Mazel Collection and have proudly joined The Mazel Club. It truly has a life of its own and has created a sense of unity and immense pride, representing their heritage, past present and future. I am the type of person that if I create something, it must encapsulate the entire ME which includes expressing my passions, beliefs and everything in between. Rachie Shnay is not only a brand and website but it is a space to educate, inspire and spread Mazel! Through the Rachie Shnay platform, we raised over $50,000 with our ‘Feed Our Gems’ Initiative during Covid and sent thousands of meals to healthcare workers in hospitals across the country, we started ‘Mazel Matches,’ a matchmaking initiative which culminated in hundreds of dates and one marriage, we donate 10% of all sales to our Mazel fund which supports many incredible causes and we work diligently to inspire our followers everyday! I make it a point to use my platform to raise awareness on Holocaust education and remembrance, to show the beauty of Judaism, to combat antisemitism and to support the State of Israel. I feel so lucky that I can use my platform to add meaning and inspiration into my work and to travel and speak all over!

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Starting a business from the ground up has definitely been fun, exciting, scary and exhausting! Every single day is a hustle and every single day brings new challenges and lessons. Work never stops and there is always a million things on your to do list but it is the most rewarding feeling to see the fruits of your labor come to life! There is no greater fulfillment than seeing women all over the world wearing my pieces and when they explain that it has brought them closer to their Jewish identities and a greater sense of pride or seeing a woman sparkle with her gorgeous new diamond tennis necklace. But I always say (as does our packaging!), ‘diamonds may sparkle but you are the one who makes them shine!’ In the end of the day, I am all about cultivating purpose and meaning in peoples lives and I use diamonds and gold as a means to elevate the physical into something more spiritual. Keeping that goal in my mind everyday is what helps me get through those tough and overwhelming days. I have learned that we are all a work in progress and the most important thing while running a business is to stay true to yourself and your values and to always be kind to everyone involved! Kindness leads to trust and trust is the most important asset for a successful company!

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I was born and raised on the Upper East Side of NYC! I would have to say Central Park is a must see and my favorite night cap spot for a drink, live jazz music and the best people watching would be Bemelman’s Bar at The Carlyle Hotel. Get a Paloma, my go to drink! Bergdorf Goodman’s is one of the only department stores that still has old world class and charm, it is so beautiful and there is nothing like it! A stroll up Madison Avenue is always fun, window shopping and grabbing a coffee at Ralph’s on 72nd and Madison. For me, just walking the streets of Manhattan is exciting and I love looking at the beautiful architecture, even though I was raised here, I still find myself admiring and starring at the buildings, it never gets old!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Hands down would have to be my four grandparents who were all Holocaust survivors from Poland. I honor them on my website as well, because if it were not for their sacrifices and resilience, I would be not be here today. So I would like to give a whole hearted shoutout to them, Symcha & Deborah Horowitz and Azriel & Faiga Shnay, and to the original Rachel Shnay, who was six years old when she was murdered in a gas chamber and who I am named after- may their memories always be a blessing and source of light & inspiration. It is because of them that I am who I am and everything I will ever be is owed all to them.

Website: www.rachieshnay.com www.thehealerscollection.com

Instagram: @rachieshnay @thehealerscollection.com