A little more than two years ago, Jewish comedian Carlen Altman decided she wanted a rosary necklace during the Pete Dougherty/Kate Moss craze, but couldn't wear a Catholic one for fear of breaking her poor little grandmother Rose's heart. So she started grazing Ebay for charms and decided to make one for herself. Her mission wasn't religious though; it was 100% intended for fashion, but Altman wears her rosaries with as much pride as she does irony.

Soon enough Altman's friends, both Jewish and "Goy" were asking for her homemade rosaries and she found herself making enough to justify starting her own business. Jewish Rosaries™ was born. She says about the line: "Jewish Rosaries™ are just as the phrase suggests: Rosary necklaces for Jewish people and the people who love them. I love how rosaries look but why should Christians have all the fun?"

The designer's sense of humor comes from her comedian father, Bob, also known as Uncle Dirty. He performed in a comedy troupe in the seventies with funnymen George Carlin and Richard Pryor, and strongly advised his daughter form getting into the comedy circuit. "I tried doing things outside of comedy, but I find myself creating things from my sense of humor, whether it' my jewelry, performing, or making videos. I don’t know what else to do."

Altman has been performing standup since college, and has made appearances as a guest host in a web series with "Hip-Hop Historian" Bonz Malone and was the token vegetarian in the George Foreman Grill infomercial. How much more comedic street cred do you need?

Her clients include everyone from the teenage girls and elderly Jewesses in her Brighton Beach neighborhood to Downtown New York fashionistas. British model Agyness Deyn is pictured with Altman on the front page of the site wearing the rosaries with pride (as pictured above). She sells them in a spectrum of colors from black to baby pink and even offers a glow-in-the-dark option. The charms are varied as well, and include classic Jewish symbols from dreidels and the Star of David to a dancing Hasidic man or the more biblical hamsa (Hand of God). Customers can log onto the website and select any combination of charms and beads they want. Every order comes with fun surprises like googley eyes, stick-on earrings, or dancing Matzah Cracker stickers (wtf?) and a hand-written note from the designer herself.

Shalom Carlen! Even the Irish Catholic girls in the office are huge fans!

The rosaries cost from $25-$50 and are available at http://www.jewishrosaries.com.