It’s that time of year again…

“It’s that time of year again.”

In the US, one usually understands that to mean Christmas. But it’s also the time of year when Hanukah/Chanukah rolls around – the Jewish festival that celebrates the victory of the Maccabees over the larger Syrian army. Chanukah has more or less been distilled into the symbol of the Menorah, the eight-branched candelabrum that is lit over a period of eight days to commemorate a miracle that occurred during this period. But this isn’t a blog about the the history of Chanukah so much as a tiny sampling of the multiple forms this candelabrum can take on in the hands of contemporary artists and artisans.

One of the oldest images of a Hebrew candelabra from the 4th century

CONTEMPORARY VERSIONS

Oh, how far we have come from the original design…!!!

I myself have designed a number of menorahs. Here are two of them.

Lilianne Milgrom (SOLD)

I created this menorah while living through the Second Intifada in Israel, a period of time during which I truly feared for the very continued existence of the State of Israel…I feel better about that future right now but not without reservation.

Please share links in the comments to menorahs that you possess or that you have come across 🙂

Happy Hanukah/Chanukah to one and all!