Sophie The Giraffe in the Middle East

September is here!

2017-09-02T10:23:00.000+03:00

😊Bonjour les amis!

September is here....

For families with school-age children, that means: back to school! It can feel exciting or scary or both!

For new parents it can be that new stage of leaving Baby in a nursery or kindergarten or other daycare facilities. From personal experience that is more scary and tough than exciting!!

Parents are usually told to bring "the essentials" to the "gan" such as diapers, wipes, ointment, pacifier, blankets and favorite toy... Recently I met a few parents who told me Sophie the giraffe" was the favorite toy. That simply put a smile on my face!

And this past week, we all found out that Sophie la Girafe got more awards after being selected by parents in the US, in Singapore, in Malaysia... Earlier in the year it was in Australia, and I am sure I am forgetting others! 2017 has been so far a fantastic year for Sophie la girafe worldwide, being recognized for her quality both as a development Toy and as a teether. Bravo Vulli! Bravo Sophie!
and a huge thank you to all the parents, friends and families who put their trust in Sophie la girafe!

Waterproof Sophie la girafe: ideal for summer and bath all year long

2017-08-23T10:16:00.000+03:00

Can you believe summer is almost over....?

It always starts slow..June..July.... and suddenly we are at the end of August! Just like that!

It is true that this July we were busy with a new shipment. that means new toys! ^_^ Always fun! yes! even for the grown-ups!

We particularly fell in love with the new Sophie the giraffe for the bath.. It has been on the market for the past couple of years and slowly but surely this bath toy is finding its place.

Here is what we like about it:

* Just like the original Sophie the Giraffe, this healthy toy is made from 100% natural rubber, derived from rubber tree sap, and decorated with food grade paints.

* She floats! She is completely waterproof ensuring optimal drying.

* Shaped like a buoy with the cute face of Sophie la girafe, it is easy for little hands to grab and to chew safely on it!

* As with the rest of the So' Pure range, Sophie the giraffe for the bath comes in an attractive gift box made from recyclable materials.

What more is there to ask! 😃

A picture you say? yes..of course... here it is!

and in action?

of course!! In the bath... by the pool...She likes to go to the beach too 😊 ( Merci les bébés 💖)

As always you are welcome to visit us on our website .. Get in touch via email sofi.hagirafa at gmail.com or on our Facebook page

Wishing you a lovely end of summer..

The team of Sophie la girafe in Israel

2017-04-08T11:39:00.002+03:00

Spring time!

Passover time!

Wishing you and your loved ones
a beautiful happy and meaningful chag!

2017-01-19T17:18:00.001+02:00

Beautiful new graphics from Vulli on how to clean Sophie La Girafe

It's important to clean your Sophie la girafe correctly, as she's made of 100% natural rubber. We at Vulli have done a little graphic to help you...

Also, Dr. Ferda Arca-Sedda PhD from University of Pierre at Marie Curie provided the following statement:

"Sophie the Giraffe is safe, it is unlikely that the mold growing inside Sophie is coming from saliva, since it is known that saliva is acidic and contains several enzymes like amylase, pepsin, lipase that play a role in breaking down food particles. In addition, saliva contains antibacterial, antimicrobial and anti-fungal enzymes that kill bacteria, microbes and fungus. The mold inside Sophie comes from submerging and washing Sophie with water and not from saliva. I confirm that cleaning Sophie with a damp cloth is more than sufficient to keep it safe."

2017-01-19T08:24:00.001+02:00

How to take care of your Sophie la girafe

Bonjour!
As indicated on the package , a damp cloth suffice to clean Sophie the giraffe : it is as simple as that!

How to clean Sofi hagirafa

2017-01-10T18:26:00.000+02:00

Almost 4 years since the last message!

and since we are still in January,

Sofi Hagirafa in Israel wishes you all: 😃

A lot has happened in those past years!

Sofi hagirafa in Israel has a new website.. same address but very different look! It is in English and in Hebrew and contains tons of info on Sophie la girafe but also other products .

Come have a look! Do not be shy! Click right HERE

We will present all the new products and more as 2017 unfolds...

In the meantime, keep warm! Be Happy!
You are also welcome to come see us and say hi! on
our Facebook page 💖

A bientôt!

Order your Sophie The Giraffe in Israel now!l

2012-02-03T09:00:00.000+02:00

Bonjour!

You can now order Sophie The Giraffe in Israel straight from Vullis' official distributor of Sophie The Giraffe in Israel ( 89 shekels only & shipping 15 shekels).

As the official importers we guarantee the quality of your Sophie la Girafe!

Click here to visit our website
and order your Sophie la Girafe

http://www.sofi-hagirafa.co.il/

You can also
email us

sofi.hagirafa@gmail.com

or visit us on our Facebook Page

www.facebook.com/Sofi.Hagirafa.The.Official.Israel

Looking forward to helping you!

Girafement vôtre

Sophie!

Happy New Year 2012~~

2012-01-01T08:43:00.000+02:00

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

May you achieve success in every facets of life

and all your heartfelt wishes comes true.

Wishing you all a

Happy New Year of Health, Happiness,

Success & Prosperity.

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

Sophie La Girafe awarded Mother&Baby GOLD award 2011/2012

2011-11-23T19:12:00.001+02:00

We are very happy to announce to you that Sophie The Girafa has just won the UK 's Mother and Baby GOLD award for Best Toy dedicated to 6-12 months babies!!!!!!!!!!

Sophie La Girafe

We are so happy!!!!!!!!!!

About the Mother&Baby Awards:

“Over 3000 products were carefully parcelled and then sent nationwide to be sicked on, bashed, chucked and chewed. It really means that shortlisted products impressed the women that matter –mums. Mums, who gave the nation an extra 790,000 babies last year all of whom need to be cleaned, transported, fed, entertained, and put to bed…

Mother & Baby continues to set the standard for parenting press and is undoubtably the most influential and trusted brand, with a heritage that spans over 60 years. These fantastic awards are a vital part of Mother & Baby’s heritage – we’re so pleased to be able to reward excellence within the industry, supporting mums to support you through these accolades. Everyone shortlisted should feel so proud – these mums are a tough crowd. And don’t get me started on the toddlers…”

Boo!

2011-10-30T22:34:00.000+02:00

Bonjour!

Tomorrow is October 31st, 2011- A day with a connotation to Death and Spirits... celebrated in various ways in many countries...

Just to give you an idea, here are a few:

Mexico and the Hispanic communities in the US have "El Dia de los Muertos", a ritual to mock death.

France has la Toussaint, All Saints' Day, when people take flowers to the graves of dead relatives. It is also done all over Europe and the US...

But October 31st is also... Hallowe'en !!!!!!

Hallowe'en is thought to have originated with the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, (Samhain signifies "summer's end") when people would light bonfires and wear costumes to ward off roaming ghosts.
Nowadays, Hallowe'en evolved into a secular, community-based event, characterized by child-friendly activities such as trick-or-treating. Many communities around the world started marking the night of the holiday... (After all, it is also a profitable business...)

Hallowe'en does not exist in Israel. Some say that "Purim" is the equivalent... but without the trick-or-treat part.

Purim is a day where children go to school all excited and dressed up. It is one of the most joyous and fun holidays in the Jewish calendar. It commemorates a time when the Jews living in Persia were saved from extermination. Parades and parties everywhere... candies too, of course...

Purim usually takes place in March... so until it arrives, Sofi Hagirafa is having a virtual Hallowe'en, just for the fun of it because Hallowe'en is fun!,

And for fun facts about this night,do not be frightened... ;)

Click here!

Here!

Sophie The Giraffe in Israel wishes Happy Halloween

to those of you who celebrate it !

And see you again at Purim!

Happy New Year 5772! Shana Tova U'Metuka!

2011-09-27T17:31:00.001+03:00

Bonjour!

Let's skip the lesson and go straight to the conclusion, shall we?

All we can wish is

for the World to be a sweeter place,

for Peace and Humanity,

for no more Hunger,

for no more Hurt,

for Love, Respect and Care, not only between ourselves but also towards Nature and our little planet Earth.

So Shana Tova everyone...

May our hearts beat the right drum...

A bientot!

The New Year is upon us!

2011-09-24T12:24:00.000+03:00

And time flies! We are soon entering the year 5772.....

Playing with the Hebrew Alef Bet... here are the three letters that form the word "SHANA", Shin, Nun, Hey .... meaning "Year"....

Presenting Letter "Shin"...

Letter"Nun"

and Letter "Hey"...

End of lesson one!

Lesson two will add "good" to "year" ;)

Come back soon....

Sophie The Giraffe: step by step video...

2011-09-10T12:19:00.000+03:00

No words necessary.... simply enjoy!

Summer is still here..but now September has arrived!

2011-09-01T10:07:00.001+03:00

Bonjour , Bonjour!

For most of us it is back to school, to work, to routines and activities, a bit more stress with new and old challenges...

50 rentrées already for Sofi HaGirafa and not much has changed besides a few "plastic improvements" on her silhouette over the years....
Therefore Sofi HaGirafa wishes everyone a "Bonne rentrée " whichever it may be! Take time to breath and chew the giraffe!

Summer is here!

2011-07-20T12:45:00.001+03:00

Sofi HaGirafa wishes you all a wonderful summer 2011.....

Belated Birthday on the blog but not in Paris!

2011-06-06T16:21:00.001+03:00

and too many more !!!!!!!

On the last week of May (on the 25th, more precisely), the Vulli Family celebrated Sophie The Giraffe's 50th birthday in style, and as the Vulli agent for Israel, I was there... and stayed to visit family.... hence this late post!

So let me tell you what happened: It started with a trip on the Bateaux Mouches.... followed by lunch in a typical French Brasserie with a 4-course French-style lunch (or was it 5-course?)....
Right after lunch, as there was no time to waste, we had the first ever international convention of Sophie La Girafe, with about 30 countries represented. It was an amazing experience! Lots of pictures and videos were taken... ( the few pix I took can be seen at the end of this post)

Later in the evening everybody was dressed up, and the weather was lovely... the Sophie art pieces (some can be seen here) were auctioned for charity. A total of 83,300 euros were raised for the Gustave Roussy Foundation for cancer research in babies and children. It was very heart-warming!

Click Here to see some of the Celebrities posing with their Sophie of Art before the auctions!

The auction was followed by an aperitif-cocktail (finger food), and drinks with music and dancing!

NB: Vulli offered us this unique and exclusive gift of 2 giraffes:

2 Sophies: can you guess why? Or should I tell you?

Music by

Dutch violinist, conductor, and composer André Rieu...

" Sous le ciel de Paris"

T-10 for the tiniest Giraffe of all

2011-05-15T08:00:00.000+03:00

T-10 for the tiniest Giraffe of all...

Her heart could be beating very fast...and as you may remember Giraffes have a very big and strong heart that beats up to 170 times/minute... amazing, isn't it?

To celebrate the event of Sofi HaGirafa turning the majestuous 50 this year, Vulli has asked designers, artists, VIP and students to give our beloved Sophie La Girafe a make-over ... and here is a glimpse of the results...

Music in the video by Japanese Artist Mariko Nanba....

To see all the amazing Sophies in the catalog,

click here!

So now.... yes! The countdown has begun... Hourray! ^__^

Celebrating Spring and Passover

2011-04-17T10:57:00.000+03:00

Holiday time in Israel.... Celebrating Spring and Passover! Wherever you are in the world, Sofi HaGirafa wishes you and your loved ones a Chag Aviv Sameah! Happy Passover!

חג פסח שמח !! חג אביב שמח לכולם !

"I'm French, Chew on Me"

2011-03-20T22:41:00.000+02:00

Hello everyone,

Surprised to see me again? A happy surprise I hope?
Yes, I know I wrote a goodbye post, but then I realized this blog is not completely done...it's just an "on-hold" Blog....

In such troubled, tragic, and horrific times our little planet is going through... be it in the region or a bit further away in Japan, I wished everyone a happy Purim, one of the most joyous and fun holidays on the Jewish calendar. It commemorates a time when the Jewish people living in Persia were saved from extermination.

But for those of you looking to help our Japanese friends, do not hesitate to go to
https://www.paypal-donations.com/pp-charity/web.us/campaign.jsp?cid=-12

I also wanted to let you know about a great article on The Slate, written by Josh Levin: " I'm French, Chew on Me; Sophie the Giraffe, the European teething toy that's sweeping America." You gotta love the title... ^__^

Besides the history and presentation of our beloved Sofi, Josh Levin writes that Sophie la Girafe has become the success she is by word of mouth. This has also been confirmed by blogger Jennifer Rabulan-Bertram on " the Next Kid Thing". Sofi HaGirafa has proven time and time again how effective and safe she is, and for helpless parents of a teething baby, this is worth everything!

Hag Purim Sameah! Happy Purim 2011 everyone!

2011-03-19T21:22:00.001+02:00

Our Favourite Giraffe Sofi HaGirafa

and her three little cute friends Chan, Pie and Gnon

wish you

a very happy Purim 2011!!

Sophie HaGirafa says her blog-goodbye

2010-12-06T18:22:00.010+02:00

A year ago I posted my very first post ever under the obvious title "The Beginning"... and today is the day I am posting my last post...

It is the end for this blog but not the end for the adventures of Sofi HaGirafa in Israel.

I feel that this blog has finished its cycle and has hopefully achieved its purpose, which was to present Sophie The Giraffe to you, to explain why she is simply

the ultimate teething soother,

and why parents and babies all over the world fall in love with her.

Remember Morgan's letter? (here) or have you read the experience of Los Angeles writer & reporter Deborah Netburn in her article..

"The second I saw her I was smitten. She stood 7 inches high with big, coal-black eyes, a blush of hot pink on each cheek and a little mouth parted to reveal a cheerful smile. I loved the rich caramel color of her spots, the jaunty bend of her front knee, the way her long, thin neck fit so perfectly in Ryu's fat little hand. The texture of her body was soft like suede, and malleable enough for my friend's 6-month-old to elicit a low, seductive squeak with just the slightest bit of pressure. I was desperate to buy her. For my son..." read on

Another must-see (if you haven't yet) is Sofi HaGirafa: the Movie! (music by Musician and Artist Wally Badarou)

I hope you found answers here to all the questions you had about Sophie La Girafe and hopefully much more!

I must confess: I had a really great time writing the blog and playing with the graphics ^__^ . It was an experience that ought not to be missed, so I am a bit sad but c'est la Vie!

Of course you are always welcome to e-mail me at claire@sofi-hagirafa.co.il , catch the Hebrew blog (click click) on Tapuz or befriend סופי הג'יראפה , read her latest news on Facebook סופי הג'יראפה (click click)

To conclude this entry, I want to wish (albeit a little early) all of you in the world a

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@

Beautiful and Peaceful December

as well as a

Wonderful New Year 2011!

@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thank you for all your visits and your support!
À Bientôt!

Giraffa in ads...

2010-12-04T16:32:00.000+02:00

I am a fan of advertising. I love the way an idea can be used, deformed, recycled etc, and in the end (usually), so brilliantly used! And an ad can be for so much more than just to make us buy the latest gadget or product... Here are some examples found on the connexx-design site..

Can you guess what this one is about? I could not! I only saw a vertical coffin ...

...until I saw the second part of the picture... Now everything is clear!

This other one is to celebrate Chimp Week at the Zoo... I wonder how they created this image... A Chimp Week Ad with no Chimp!? ^__^ Just love it!

In 2007, the World Wildlife Fund, created thought provoking puzzles for the ‘Spot Me’ campaign, designed to show the potential for whole species of giraffes (and pandas) to disappear. I find it really clever...and moving.

Can you spot the Giraffes?

And last but not least, another poster for a Zoo in San Francisco in 2006.

Oh, and by the way... when was the last time you went to the zoo?

Sophie HaGirafa celebrates Hannukah, the Festival of Lights

2010-11-30T17:34:00.003+02:00

December 1st at sundown...

we are going to light the first candle of 8,
We are going to eat some "soufganiot", Berliners, doughnuts specially made for the celebration... I think the very best looking ones are made by the bakery and cafe Roladin. Click here for pictures of those yummy cakes,
We are going to eat Latkes. It is a potato pancake that is also 'miam miam" as we say in French... Very simple to make, see the recipe by clicking!
and we are going to exchange gifts and simply be together!

I think this is one of my favourite festivals mostly because of the simplicity of the foods and the candles. Candles always create a magical atmosphere. I am a big fan of candles. Friends who come over can attest to it ^__^

I can imagine you thinking "well well well, what a fattening celebration !! So much oily food!" ... and you would be absolutely right! Oil is the keyword of Hannukah.

Hannukah is the commemoration of a miracle that Jews believe occurred in the Holy Temple in Jerusalem in the 2nd century B.C. When the Jews first returned to the Temple after defeating Hellenist Syrians who had made it illegal for Jews to worship, they found only enough oil to light the temple's menorah for one day. Miraculously, the flame remained lit for eight days and nights, giving them enough time to find more oil to sustain the fire. Hanukkah is about the survival of the Jewish spirit. As such Hanukkah could be a universal celebration for all of us who are not accepted by others. Never lose your spirit...

Hanukkah חנוכה in modern Hebrew means "Inauguration" and we recreate the miracle of the temple's menorah by lighting candles and eating food cooked in oil!

Happy Festival of Lights everyone!

Where to get Sofi HaGirafa in Israel

2010-11-22T11:37:00.006+02:00

EDIT- February 2012--

Sophie The Giraffe Israel is now available directly from the site

www.sofi-hagirafa.co.il

and in selected Baby Boutiques.

Thank you!

Ready for business in this part of the world?

2010-11-10T17:32:00.003+02:00

I am not talking Business Etiquette, what to wear, to shake hands or not and what topics to avoid.... no,no! I will sum it all up in one sentence: why make things easy when you can complicate them? It is to the point that, coming from abroad, at some point, you cannot but wonder if it is done on purpose, for some obscure reason you have yet to discover...

Seriously; when I say nothing is easy, pictures of the way people and buses drive come to my mind, the way we queue at the supermarket or the post-office where having a number still does not guarantee your turn, the way one needs another form, another signature and twenty more phone calls to conclude a process...etc

Some days I can take it really well, almost laughing at the absurdity and "chutzpah" of some, it is almost like watching a show, you are the spectator, even if sometimes you have a part to play and you wonder how it will all end.... Other days I am really not in the mood and prefer to stop in my tracks and go back to packing more Sophies HaGirafot in the quietness of the office...
So whenever I go and visit the stores, I always expect "walls" because hey, it cannot be simple! Of course I did get my share of issues but I really cannot complain: they were all valid, pertinent and they helped me understand more what the business needed.

Those past days I struggled a lot though. A container was waiting at customs and the transport company was not moving fast enough... Finally after a week I recieved the merchandise. It took that long to understand each other, understand the process and what the problems were and with whom to talk to finally get the merchandise. And I was lucky to have help in that process... Again because of what should almost be an adage for the region" nothing can nor should be easy"... it would be too much fun!

Could this part of the world be compared with Golf?

Arnold Palmer, one of the greatest golf players once said:

“Golf is deceptively simple and endlessly complicated; it satisfies the soul and frustrates the intellect. It is at the same time rewarding and maddening - and it is without a doubt the greatest game mankind has ever invented.”

original pix