Jubili: Supplier of Crafts, Life-Changing Experiences

When things happen for a reason, it sometimes takes years before the universe is ready to reveal its reasoning.

Walk down Haddon Avenue, until in front of the shop housed by number 713. Stop. The reason behind its existence is not apparent at at first glance.

In a moment's gaze, it's easy to absorb bright announcements of beading classes, knitting workshops and craft supplies. The logical conclusion— is an arts and crafts store. 

A good start, but not nearly a finish. Jubili is certainly one of the region's most extensive suppliers of beads and mixed media crafts.

But a moment's gaze couldn't possibly tell Jubili's story, reveal that it is so much more than an arts and crafts store.

Jubili has quite a story to tell. But it wasn't always this way.

Owner Dr. Judith K. Weinstein, 58, of Mount Laurel, spent years immersed in education, with dreams of becoming a physician. She did this, practicing invasive-procedure radiology for 10 years.

Weinstein's profession required her to wear a lead apron during procedures, a protective defense against radiologic exposure. The protection weighed-in at 25 pounds. Behind her was a screen, on which she could view her work on a patient. 

Weinstein spent years craning her neck back and forth, from screen to patient, under the weight of lead.

"I didn't leave my profession by choice. I felt the pain coming on little by little," Weinstein said of feeling repercussions. "The pain was getting so bad, I could hardly bear the feel of wearing clothes, it was so painful."

Something was wrong, but it took six separate doctors—each offering no reason for Weinstein's ailments—to find a physician who knew how to help her. 

"Here I was, a physician myself. And after you see five doctors with no answers, you start to really think you may be crazy, that you're imagining the pain," she said. "When I finally met the doctor who helped me, he stopped me as soon as I told him about the lead aprons. He rattled off about 10 symptoms I'd been having, and asked me if he was right. I just started crying, I couldn't believe I'd finally found him. I wasn't crazy, the pain I felt actually existed."

Nerve damage from bearing years' worth of excessive weight had resulted in Weinstein's reflex sympathetic dystrophy (RSD). The RSD brought with it a life-changing treatment plan—her life would continue with physical therapy and treatment. But she could not practice as physician again.

During therapy, Weinstein was also diagnosed with superimposed fibromyalgia, and experienced all kinds of muscle atrophy. She could hardly use her hands effectively. Severe shaking and pain were daily occurrences. 

"About my fourth year out of work, I was still grieving, I was miserable," she said. "When you lose everything you've worked so hard to create in life, you have to take a different angle. I asked myself, 'What haven't I done, where can I go from here?'"

Weinstein had not yet been a mother. One year later, in 2000, Weinstein and her husband adopted their daughter Lilia from Russia. 

"When Lilia came home, I'd been doing physical therapy and my range of motion was much better. The (use of my) hands eventually started coming back," she said. "I remembered my first medium—knitting. My mother'd taught me to knit when I was 8 years old, and it's always been my favorite craft."

Weinstein went to a craft store and admired some fabulous new yarns that had come out. She saw a few bags of cheap, multi-colored and -sized beads. 

"It was instantaneous. I thought, 'Oh, beads with these yarns would be spectacular.' I didn't realize it at the time, but I'd basically come up with the idea of mixed media," said Weinstein of mixing different arts and crafts mediums into a single project."

Soon after, Weinstein had started a mixed media club of 10-or-so women, who met in her basement to craft together. Weinstein smiles, recalling the day she named her group, the Bead And Fiber Guild of South Jersey.

And so Weinstein's new life began.

"I remember Lilia was about to be in preschool, and I was tired of grieving for the life I'd lost. I didn't want to be unhappy anymore," she said. "I began to think, 'Maybe it's time I finally realized that my old life is gone, and I move on.' "

During a short-lived career writing freelance pieces for medical journals, Weinstein stopped thinking about medicine—and began thinking about a bead store.

"I told my husband I wanted to open a bead store, and he said, 'Beads? Who's going to buy beads?' " said Weinstein with a chuckle. "I signed the lease on a Haddon Avenue space in April of 2003. We officially opened Jubili Beads & Yarns on June 21, 2003."

But, contradictory to her husband's prediction, Jubili quickly grew out of its original location.

"We were a full-service yarn store, but also the first bead store to open in Southern New Jersey. Our first weekend open, I pulled in $4,000," said Weinstein. "And my husband said, 'Okay. I believe you now. People buy beads.' "

The clientele, and lack of space, soon became an issue. In October 2004, Jubili moved to its current location at 713 Haddon Ave.

"We moved in to a space more than double the size of our first shop, from 800 square feet to about 3,800 square feet," she said. "I was no longer limited in what I could offer. This space has an upstairs party room, and so much space for stock. We became the most comprehensive provider of any craft-related supply or service in the tri-state area."

And today, Jubili supplies an extensive assortment of arts and crafts, holds classes, hosts birthday parties—clients are even welcome to rent class rooms to hold private craft sessions with friends.

People began coming into the shop and telling Weinstein how much Jubili's classes and accessibility to crafting had inspired them. Alcoholics learned to leave their addictions alone, choosing instead to fuel their creative outlets. 

"I knew this shop had been powerfully healing for me, in my own life struggles, but it suddenly dawned on me that it could be powerfully healing for other people, too.

"I also knew what it was like to be disabled, and how crafts helped me through," she said. "And then the universe came to me, just dropped the answer in my lap. I got a coupon in the mail for an accountant's services. He came to the store, and suggested I try to gain 501(c)3, nonprofit status."

A series of good contacts later, Weinstein was bringing disabled individuals into the store to help out and take classes. An arts and crafts community for the disabled was born. 

This past fall, in October of 2010, Weinstein was granted nonprofit status. 

"I had to think of a name for the organization, and Jubilation Creations popped into my head. It's a twist on Jubili, and it evokes feelings of being joyous," she said.

Today, Weinstein said, a total of 15 disabled and special needs individuals make Jubili Beads & Yarns their second home every week. Some come from state-run programs, others from group homes.

And subconsciously, Weinstein has incorporated her background in the medical field into Jubili. Occupational therapists have partnered with Jubili to oversee the progress of Jubili's disabled community. 

"The word is spreading. Disabled students who could not speak full sentences have found a passion here, and are speaking to teachers and caretakers. We've displayed their work in the shop during a gala event. People are finding a new outlet, a new reason for living," said Weinstein, nodding at the similarity to her own path. "It's been absolutely wonderful.

"I see this place as having such potential to grow bigger. I'd love to incorporate art therapists. If at some point, I had the opportunity to franchise the business, who says I couldn't?" said Weinstein. 

Today, Weinstein can acknowledge that her life suddenly changed course for a beautiful reason—one she was unable to see until years later.

"The day I opened this store, I stopped crying and I never looked back. I let the door close on my old life and stepped into my new one. And as I helped others find their own creativity, it was very powerful and healing for me," she said. "I helped other disabled individuals move forward by getting back to my own creative roots.

"I never expected all this. I just tried to make Jubili the most creative haven I could possibly make it," said Weinstein, gazing around her shop. "And all the universal help I've been given has aided me in taking this show on the road, in expanding, in helping others. That is my story. And now, finally, I know why the universe led me here."

Want to find out more about the supplies and services Jubili Beads & Yarns offers? Visit the store's website at jubilibeadsandyarns.com. 

To hear inspiring stories of how Jubilation Creations has helped the disabled and special needs communities, visit the non-profit organization's website, at http://jubilationcreations.org.