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Chanuka menorot
come in an array
of shapes and sizes.

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Handmade Israeli olive-
wood menora, from Robert
Tawil Originals

SUSAN TAWIL
Special to the Jewish News

pining in the darkness of
wintry nights, the lights of
Chanuka evoke the memory
of the miracle of the oil, cele-
brating our people's
spiritual victory
over the forces of in
assimilation nearly 9--
2,000 years ago.
The halachic
requirements of
lighting the
Chanuka menora
are really quite sim-
ple: one candle
should be lit each
night, which will
burn for at least a
half-hour after
nightfall. The
Jewish people, how-
ever, have accepted
upon themselves to
perform this mitz-
vah at a level called mehadrin min
h6nehadrin, the very best way possible,
by adding a candle each night.

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Chanukiot play a key role in
celebrating Chanuka. But
they're not just functional;
some are great works of art.

• f2

12/10
1999

44

Far left:
"Neighborhoods
of Jerusalem"
menora by Toby
Maude
Originals

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Left: Brass
dancing people
menora

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To facilitate this lighting, and to
fulfill the mandate of pirsumai d'nisa,
publicizing the miracle, we use a
menora, or chanukia, to hold the
lights we display to the outside world
through our windows. While candles
are most commonly used, it is consid-
ered a hidur mitzvah, beautification of
the commandment, to light olive oil,
as was used in the Holy Temple at the
time of the Maccabees.
In a "kosher" menora, the candles
should be set in a straight line on the
same level, except for the shamash, or
server candle, which should be higher

or lower so as not to confuse it with
the candles of mitzvah.
Notwithstanding these restrictions,
the menora can be made of virtually
any material (although silver is tradi-
tionally considered the most beauti-
ful).
Visits to local gift shops turned up
an astonishing array of menorot. They
range from basic $2 brass-colored
Israeli tin menorot, available every-
where, to intricate silver heirloom col-
lector's pieces from 18th century
Europe, on display in the showcases at
Temple Beth El. In between are all

manner of silver, brass, steel, ceramic,
glass, lucite and poly-resin menorot, in
traditional, contemporary, artistic and
whimsical designs.
Among the more unusual menorot
found around town, are:
• A menora made of mah-jongg
tiles, by Copa Judaica. $31 at the
Temple Israel Sisterhood gift shop.
"We keep re-ordering this one," said
shop attendant Sherrie Stern.
• A stainless steel motorcycle-
shaped menora, by Copa Judaica. $40
at Temple Israel. It was snatched up by
Dennis Chatlin, who wanted it for a