The Workshop

Our Glad Tidings Workshop in Amman, Jordan was started in 2001 as part of an effort to provide training and employment to people who are underprivileged or have physical disabilities.  In a land  plagued by unemployment, Glad Tidings helps provide an avenue of economic support and stability for over 20 families.

Commitment to Quality
Glad Tidings is committed to providing beautiful heirloom-quality products of the highest standard.  Innovative design and quality control are foundational in the production of each of our diverse hand-crafted collections.

Commitment to Community
The workshop’s goal is to train local men and women in skills such as woodworking, carving, painting and sewing that broaden their opportunity for economic stability and professional advancement.  Glad Tidings works for the good of the community, making certain that every starting salary is sufficient to provide housing, food and education for a family of four.

Glad Tidings Workshop fosters a family atmosphere and a spirit of community lived “from the heart.”  Meals are usually taken together, and everyone looks out for each other as they face the difficulties of daily life and other challenges.

Commitment to the Environment
In the Middle East, the olive tree is considered “blessed,” even holy.  No tree would be cut down simply for its wood.  Glad Tidings celebrates this time-honored tradition and uses only olive wood from trees which have already been cut down — either because they no longer produce fruit or because of road construction or building.

Fortunately, these trees often produce the highest quality olive wood.  Those trees which endure harsh conditions, clinging to the side of a cliff or surviving long seasons without water, result in the truly valuable wood grain essential for our products — rich in color, intricacy, and beauty.