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Menorah Mania
Modern design means menorahs can be found to fit any style.
Diana Burmistrovich I JNS.org
T
he menorah forever commemorates the eight-day stretch of Jewish
history during which one day's worth of oil gave the kohanim
(high preists) of the Jewish Temple eight blessed days filled with
light. But dating back to the first Chanukah, celebrated by our ancestors in
165 B.C.E., the seven-candle menorah has come a long way.
For the modern holiday of Chanukah, the menorah — or more specifi-
cally, its eight-candle iteration, the chanukiah —has come to reflect who-
ever owns it, with all sorts of funky, crazy, and beautiful versions presenting
contemporary ways to memorialize God's miracle. JNS.org presents some of
the most unique present-day menorahs:
Art Lovers
Travelers
Art lovers will glow over these contemporary menorahs
that double as pieces of fine art. Creations like these
are easy to keep around the house as regular sculptures
during the year. Focus the festive energy of the holiday
season on the color schemes of these menorahs to
provide a modern ambiance.
Travelers will love these mini-
menorahs that they can use
if they happen to be abroad
during the holiday season.
Toss these in your pocket
with a box of candles, and you
have a makeshift celebration
anywhere you decide to post
them up!
Paying homage to
centuries past is nothing
new: Art, architecture
and fashion use history
as a jumping-off point
to create a fresh take
on an old idea. This
vintage brass menorah
from the Eames Era
TraditionalJewishGifts.com
takes cues from the
monolithic, crude style of
Brutalist art to stylishly
update what resembles
the Temple's original
menorah.
The aluminum base and anodized
aluminum make it easy to throw
this palm-sized menorah into any
traveling bag for your trip. With a
bright, festive, stained-glass look,
the menorah can cheer up even the
of anyone loving an industrial look. Made of embossed copper,
steel, brass and crackled-glass, this menorah incorporates
items found at a typical warehouse. The pop of color adds
excitement to an otherwise gritty demeanor.
Jan Eleven
This beautiful Gary Rosenthal piece will pique the interests
si
worst holiday traveling experience.
Traditionalists
SOW, ON BOX MATCHES
r
This is a bonus mini-moustache
menorah from the same creator
that brought you its big brother,
the menorah moustache (see page
44). This little guy is as small as
a matchbook—which is perfect,
because those are the "candles"
that are meant to be used.
Those worried about its wooden
composition need not fear: the
laser-cut edges of the wood make it
hard to burn, and the matches tend
to burn out before they reach the
Traditionalists will appreciate the
masterful nod to other important
Chanukah symbols with these
menorahs. Even if your version
of Chanukah is merely a time
to give and receive gifts, these
menorahs are a perfect way to
bring back the true meaning of
what the holiday celebrates.
Juxtaposing Greek-
style art — to symbolize
the perseverance of
the Jewish people
under Greek rule — with
fragments of the Dead
Sea Scrolls makes this
menorah as much a
history lesson as holiday
staple.
The menorah has been
a symbol of the Jewish
people since ancient
The Chanukah story
tells that there was only
enough olive oil left to
times so incorporating
the second most
important Jewish
fuel the eternal flame
in the Temple for one
day. Miraculously, the oil
symbol is all too fitting.
This black-and-white
lasted eight days, which
was enough time to make
new pure oil. This hand-
painted glass menorah,
shaped like a flask of oil,
is a perfect celebration of
God's miracle.
stained glass menorah
leaves no doubt that
you are proud of who
you are and where you
came from.
Jill Tarabar
Menorah Mania on page 44
bottom.
JN
November 7 • 2013
43