by
Aaron Ha’Tell and Yaniv Ben Or
The story of the Maccabees and the miracle of the eight days of
oil, culminating in the ceremonial lighting of the Hanukkah Menorah
by the entire family, is often a young child's first exposure
to the history and traditions of the Jewish people.
The Hanukkah Menorah (Hanukkiah in Hebrew) has also been at the
ceremonial center of recent events in American life that hold
profound historic importance. Hanukkah and the lighting of menorahs
have become respected facets of American culture, gracing increasingly
more American public areas during the winter holidays. 'Happy
Hanukkah' has become a common greeting that acknowledges Jewish
identity.
The giving and lighting of special menorahs has also served
as gestures of friendship between the US and Israel. In 1950,
President Harry S. Truman, who led the world in endorsing the
creation of a Jewish state, accepted a hanukkiah from then Israeli
Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion. Presidents Jimmy Carter, Ronald
Reagan, William Clinton, and George H.W. Bush all publicly participated
in menorah lighting ceremonies.
The hundreds of menorahs illustrated in this book are artistic
gems that span the four decades surrounding the 1948 birth of
Israel, from the late 1920s through the early 1970s. They represent
the Golden Age of Hanukkiyot (Menorahs) produced by the craftsmen
of a bygone age. The images found on these works of art go beyond
the story of the Maccabees and Hanukkah. They reflect the world
as seen through the eyes of Jews who experienced, first hand,
the rigors of war and the pangs of birth in the land of their
people.
For more information, click here: www.hanukkiot.com
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